Deprofessionalization of nurses?

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

So I'm currently in a Ph.D. Nursing Education program, and working on a course in advanced nursing theory. I was reading an article entitled "Theoretical development in the context of nursing-The hidden epistemology of nursing theory" and they discuss the deprofessionalization of nurses and other allied health professions. This is the first time hearing about this. 

The homework is about concepts and nursing theory, not about assigning professionalization to healthcare workers, so this is not a homework question. I'll probably try and work the angle into the discussion board that nurses no longer need theory due to deprofessionalization, just to see what others are thinking about it, but I thought I would see what others here thought.

Any thoughts? 

[frozenmedic]

I can't make clear heads or tail of what you're actually asking. 

All I'm seeing here is even more proof that "nursing theory" whether it's "advanced" or otherwise is nothing more than self-referential naval gazing that contributes nothing to patient care. 

We professionalize ourselves by bringing practical, visible knowledge and skills to patients and the rest of the healthcare team; not by esoteric rambling about the qualities of professions vs occupations in ivory tower institutions.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I only read the abstract of the article posted but what I got was the authors advocating for a more common sense approach to a nursing practice framework that creates the "science of caring" by balancing both the physiological and "touchy feely side" but being more practical about it. 

There was mention of relationship-based care, a newer theoretical framework that does make more sense than the grand nursing theories of the past that were too abstract for even nurses to understand or explain.  I didn't get the "deprofessionalization" part but maybe that was in the full text. 

During my graduate school days our faculty told us that at the time we were admitted, the programs for NP's were moving away from the heavy nursing theory content but nevertheless, we were annoyed that we even had to go through it.

[S.I.C.]

Hi,

Now, to your own understanding, what is deprofessionalization of nurses and what impacts does it have on your education?