Is "Nursing" A true profession?

[Silverhawk]

If so, why are we put upon as if we have no skills or intelligence at all? In LTC we are not given time to do thorough assesments, wound care , tx's etc. It's all about the money! No breaks, with a 5 minute lunch, and non-stop work the whole shift. Fifty residents on my hall with two CNA's, although the company doesn't use PRN help, so if someone calls off, you still have to get it all done. It's your license on the line. Personally I think that's why the training time is still one year for LPN's, so they can churn and burn, it keeps the wages down, reduces retirement costs for the company, and allows a steady stream of wide eyed unknowing new nurses. I think the staffing ratio laws will be what saves nursing as a profession. They allow one the time to do a thorough professional job of your tasks, and be a professional instead of a hamster on the wheel in a cage.

[xmaxiex]

Amen ! I feel most days like I work hard labor ! I would like to see staffing ratios and a total overhaul of the LTC facilities ! I am quickly fading from wide eyed newbie to disgusted bomb dodger !

[Santana]

I don't think nursing is actually considered a 'Profession' at least this is what our school sources read when I was in nursing school. This is why the ANA begs for all nurses especially RNs to join their organization since RNs are more populated than LPN.

[Fiona59]

I honestly believe that is the reason that the BScN was created. Some people say you can't be "a professional" without a university degree.

So, if you follow that train of thought I guess the world has no "professional" police officers or firefighters because these fields don't require university degrees but their own educational basis and on the job training. But I'd love you to tell my brother in the RCMP that he's not a "professional" because he doesn't have a university degree.

LTC is horribly hard on staff of all educational levels. People need to be more vocal about staffing ratios. But then being the devils advocate, we have people in LTC that 5 or 10 years ago would be dead. When do we stop all the life saving treatments and drugs.... I remember one patient who had extensive brain damage, but the wife wanted him tube fed and "everything done to save him". So now we have a 69yo incontinent, tube fed, non-communicative patient and a wife that demands staff sign her care sheets so she nows the care has been provided. The wonders of modern medicine in the ER....