Do Nurses Really Want to Be Professionals?

Sable's mom · Dec 2, 2005

Karen,

While it's possible we'll be stepping on toes, I have to agree with the editorial. I just came back from a 1 day AWHONN (Assoc. of Womens Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) Conference. This conference was speciffically to prepare experienced nurses to be instructors for AWHONN's fetal monitoring course. All of the instructors, evaluators and attendees were dressed professionally - a requirement AWHONN has for their instructors) except one person who had to be told that wearing a blouse that you were falling out of (cut to the waist) was inappropriate. I had a real problem with the fact that she felt she was dressed professionally when I wasn't sure what that profession was.

If we want to be respected as professionals, we need to act like respectable professionals.

Linda

Donnetterr · Dec 2, 2005

Wow! That article is really incredible. It reminds me of the essay Jerry McGuire wrote called, "Things We Think But Do Not Say." Kudos to Dr. Bean for having the courage to stand up for her convictions.

elkpark · Dec 2, 2005

I'm sure there are going to be a lot of negative reactions here to the editorial, but I agree with everything said (and could list several more examples of why nursing as a group seems determined to prevent our ever being taken seriously by the "real" professions). My specialty is psych nursing and many of the conferences and continuing education offerings in psych are multidisciplinary (social workers, psychologists, LPCs, and other disciplines in addition to nurses). I have always winced, over the years, at how easy it is to pick out the nurses at these multidisciplinary gatherings -- the nurses are typically the ones in jeans or sweat pants, while nearly everyone else is in at least "business casual" wear.

On the one hand, it is easy (and true) to argue that what you wear has nothing to do with how competent or accomplished you are, but, on the other hand, we all make snap decisions about people based on our first impressions (it's human nature) and appearances do count. If nurses really want to be taken seriously as professionals (and that's a big "if" in my book) we need to present ourselves as such.

My conclusion, over the 20-some years I've been in nursing, is that nursing wants to be taken seriously as a "profession" but doesn't want to have to do the "heavy lifting" and jump through the hoops that the real professions do -- we (as a group, not any particular individual(s)) want the rewards without having put in the effort.

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 2, 2005

It really gives us food for thought...and I agree. Our professionalism could definately use some "boning up".

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Dec 2, 2005

If that's the real reason, then I have a question:

Why is it that nurses were not thought of as "professionals" when their garb was the traditional starched whites?

Sable's mom · Dec 2, 2005

I think we were not seen as professionals in whites because we were seen as 'following doctors' orders' not capable of making our own assessments.

However, we were respected when we wore whites - and have lost that in the shuffle.

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2005

If that's the real reason, then I have a question:
Why is it that nurses were not thought of as "professionals" when their garb was the traditional starched whites?

Actually I think of traditional startched whites as indicative of servitude rather than professionalism.

I have noticed this as well, even of me. When I come in for a unit meeting, or a CEU opportunity, I dress as I would at home. Not in jeans, but certainly not professional. This article has encouraged me to dress more professionally anytime I am representing the nursing profession. Thanks for posting this.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Dec 2, 2005

I think we were not seen as professionals in whites because we were seen as 'following doctors' orders' not capable of making our own assessments.

By whom? The public? How has that changed today?

However, we were respected when we wore whites - and have lost that in the shuffle.

Again--by whom?

"Respect" is such a subjective term. I submit that one of the reasons nursing isn't "taken seriously" is that we actually attempt to define our profession by such subjective emotional terms as "respect" or by criteria such as wardrobe, neither of which are necessary to be a professional nurse.

Ever meet any doctors or lawyers whose opinion of their chosen profession hinged on being "respected"?

How much "respect" does the average lawyer get from the average person?

Does a doctor wearing blue jeans have any less authority than a doc wearing a lab coat?

No!

Nurses need to concentrate on the things that make nursing a profession. Our attire and whether or not nurses are accorded "respect" from other professionals (who by and large have no idea what we do any more than the general public) should not be included in that criteria.

Just my opinion, and probably my last post on this thread because all the debate in the world isn't going to quantify the variables being discussed here or change anything for good or ill.

funnygirl_rn · Dec 2, 2005

By whom? The public? How has that changed today?
Again--by whom?
"Respect" is such a subjective term. I submit that one of the reasons nursing isn't "taken seriously" is that we actually attempt to define our profession by such subjective emotional terms as "respect" or by criteria such as wardrobe, neither of which are necessary to be a professional nurse.
Ever meet any doctors or lawyers whose opinion of their chosen profession hinged on being "respected"?
How much "respect" does the average lawyer get from the average person?
Does a doctor wearing blue jeans have any less authority than a doc wearing a lab coat?
No!
Nurses need to concentrate on the things that make nursing a profession. Our attire and whether or not nurses are accorded "respect" from other professionals (who by and large have no idea what we do any more than the general public) should not be included in that criteria.
Just my opinion, and probably my last post on this thread because all the debate in the world isn't going to quantify the variables being discussed here or change anything for good or ill.

I agree with you Angie O'Plasty.

I also think when our profession is able to charge per fee/service performed, nursing would change for the good. As far as attire, we should be clean, neat & dressed appropriate. Most of all we we should be supportive of one another & stop the constant badgering, bickering, back-stabbing and gossip that permeates throughout this profession.

Lizzie

pennyroyal · Dec 4, 2005

I'm sure there are going to be a lot of negative reactions here to the editorial, but I agree with everything said (and could list several more examples of why nursing as a group seems determined to prevent our ever being taken seriously by the "real" professions). My specialty is psych nursing and many of the conferences and continuing education offerings in psych are multidisciplinary (social workers, psychologists, LPCs, and other disciplines in addition to nurses). I have always winced, over the years, at how easy it is to pick out the nurses at these multidisciplinary gatherings -- the nurses are typically the ones in jeans or sweat pants, while nearly everyone else is in at least "business casual" wear.
On the one hand, it is easy (and true) to argue that what you wear has nothing to do with how competent or accomplished you are, but, on the other hand, we all make snap decisions about people based on our first impressions (it's human nature) and appearances do count. If nurses really want to be taken seriously as professionals (and that's a big "if" in my book) we need to present ourselves as such.
My conclusion, over the 20-some years I've been in nursing, is that nursing wants to be taken seriously as a "profession" but doesn't want to have to do the "heavy lifting" and jump through the hoops that the real professions do -- we (as a group, not any particular individual(s)) want the rewards without having put in the effort.

Hi,

I have been a nurse for 42 years and have seen many changes in the functions that nurses "do". I have not seen so many changes in the way we treat each other and the seemingly petty bickering that goes on year after year. I have twice been in Master's level groups, or I sould say one and one that I wanted to be in, that spent a whole year arguing about who could be in the group. The second group, a very small group (5) of ANA certified CNS nurses, decided that I could not belong, even though I was a CNS just like them, because my Master's Degree was not in nursing.

On and on it goes. I was most impressed by the "Shared Governance" idea and have seen it work well over the years. Currently it appears to me that economics dictates the status of nurses, atleast in my area. It seems that preference is given to the least educated and the lowest paid when it comes to hiring. I once served on the Commission for Nursing Education for the State of Maine. The whole time was spent talking about the education of CNA's. There was an attempt to make the BS the entry level in the legislature but that was not popular with the hospitals. It has amazed me that the whole mental health center where I work is staffed and run by social workers and LCPCswith psychiatrists being hired to prescribe. In this past 6 months 3 APRN-NPs have been hired just to prescribe medications. They are hated by the social workers and denigrated as "crazy".

allnurses Guide · Dec 5, 2005

Maybe it depends on where you live. I have a friend who travels extensively all over the country and he regularly comments on the differences in dress. In NYC for instance, the women are dressed up and wear hats. But here in rural CA, dressed up might mean clean new Wranglers and a cowboy hat.

I go to our nurse's meeting dressed casual - I'd never dress up for that.

I completely agree that those starched white uniforms meant servitude and not professionalism and do not agree that we were more respected then. We still rate very high in public opinion polls when it comes to respect and trust. The only thing the public complains about, and that is mostly the "older" public, old enough to remember the awful starched whites, is that they can't tell the nurses from the CNA's from the housekeepers. Of course that is solved by nametags with your title and by simply introducing yourself.

At a professional conference, I would wear more professional clothing. But I don't think that has much to do with nurses becoming more "professional".

And I'm anti-union by the way - because I think I am professional enough to stand up for myself and don't have to pay someone else to do that for me.

steph