In reading the literature lately, I've come across several definitions and evolutions of the term "profession," and have since conceded that based on those accepted defintions, a profession we are NOT.
First recorded use of the word profession was in mid-fifteenth century and was defined as a "learned vocation." Later, in 1977, profession was defined as a "controlling occupation which has a status of superiority and precedence within a division of work."
Rutty (1998) defined profession as:
"The knowledge accessible to a particular assembly of people, the conduct that is expected from this group and the power and authority the group has over its training and/or education which takes place over a recognizable period of time, along with state registration which permits entry to be prevented by others who do not correspond to the requirements, are attributes that collectively and commonly characterize professional status within the literature. These considerations provide the means for the profession to maintain dominance over the comtemporary work situation and to decide its conditions."
Seeing as we DON'T decide our conditions, DON'T have status of superiority and DON'T have control over our education, I have to ask...we don't even fit the definition of "profession," so are we really one?
My only concern in calling nursing a "profession" is the prevalence of unprofessional behavior that I witness...not only in nursing, but in other so called professional groups, such as Physicians, Lawyers, etc. It almost seems to be an oxymoron to use the word "profession".....
I maintain that, as long as we must punch a time clock AND wear uniforms AND work weekends/holidays/round-the-clock shifts AND don't get paid bupkes AND have ungodly responsibilities, we are not a profession!
Suzy, that is why nursing is having difficulties worldwide.
So many people think they know all about nursing, because anybody can nurse his sick dog or her sick child, nothing to it, is there?
Now, explain, or try to explain that professional nursing is more and I mean a lot more then just rubbing backs and giving bedbaths, it's about, recognizing and acting to certain symptoms and caring (!!) the same way for all your patients, no matter what race, status etc. (see the icn-codex for nursing)
But I also think, we ourselves are our own "profession-poopers", why do we let things happen and being said to us, no other profession would even think about?
Well, I don't have a solution, but I try to give my students, the next generation of nurses, enough "self-trust" (the real English word is different I know, but it doesn't comes to my fingers to be written here) and ah, now I know, confidence in themselves and the things they learned, so I hope it works for them.
Business: occupation, work, or trade in which a person is engaged; a specific occupation or pursuit.
Occupation: an activity that serves as one's regular source of livelihood.
By those definitions, nursing is not a profession. Nursing is a business.
Suzy, I didn't realize I was missing you, shay and heather until a couple of days ago. Glad you're here.
That's why I think "Nursing Business" would be more appropriate, sad to say.
Let's not forget that the criteria I stumbled upon was in the Nursing literature, so this is what is currently accepted in our own.........business.
If anything, I think that we aught to look at those criteria and try to accomplish those things, specifically, controlling our education and our work environment.
In reference to Fergus, no, those other professions listed don't "control" their environment in that they are subject to the highs and lows of patients or criminals, etc, but they DO control their scheduling, etc. Don't they?
No, cops don't control scheduling, and most docs don't have a choice about when I wake them to discuss a patient either. They also don't control their wages anymore than nurses do (at least not here).
No, but the docs control WHO is on call and WHEN. You don't have laypeople deciding when a doc is on call, do they? If the cops don't control scheduling, who does?
etymology: middle english professioun, from old french profession, from late latin & latin; late latin profession-, professio, from latin, public declaration, from profiteri
date: 13th century
1 : the act of taking the vows of a religious community
2 : an act of openly declaring or publicly claiming a belief, faith, or opinion : protestation
3 : an avowed religious faith
4 a : a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation b : a principal calling, vocation, or employment c : the whole body of persons engaged in a calling
not only are we a affiliated with a profession, we have a :
trade
pronunciation: 'trad
function: noun
etymology: middle english, from middle low german; akin to old high german trata track, course, old english tredan to tread
date: 14th century
3 a : the business or work in which one engages regularly : occupation b : an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill : craft c : the persons engaged in an occupation, business, or industry
case management was hard to explain to laymen when asked what i did for a living. so i answered "i'm a nurse by trade, working within an insurance company reviewing requests for treatment and hospitalization." i still got blank looks. lv...how do you explain that one?
A calling?! CALLING?!! Maybe I just wanted to be a nurse because I liked science, a bio major was too difficult and I liked Women's Health, and needed a job.
I'm not sure I like nursing associated with a "calling." To me that infers that we shouldn't demand higher pay and better conditions. Being a nun is a calling. Not being a nurse.
When people ask what I do as a case manager, I explain that I use my nursing EXPERTISE & KNOWLEDGE to make sure our clients receive optimal care for their health by collaborating with the physicians, therapists, insurance company and their employer to make sure ALL of their needs are met.
HOW I do all these things takes a longer explanation, but, if they are like my Dad, they end up saying, "So you're not a nurse anymore, right?" :)
But if you think about it Suzy...Some missed their calling by becoming nurses. How many people do you know that SHOULD NOT be nurses, but would make wonderful chef's or attorneys or something, ANYTHING other than a nurse...?!?!?!
:)
dhenceroth
14 Posts
My only concern in calling nursing a "profession" is the prevalence of unprofessional behavior that I witness...not only in nursing, but in other so called professional groups, such as Physicians, Lawyers, etc. It almost seems to be an oxymoron to use the word "profession".....