Having read through the thread on "Spelling - It Matters" I am amazed at how many replies equated good spelling and good grammar with professionalism.
All too often in our field the term "professional" has been used as a synonym for "pseudo intellectual". It has been used to justify restrictive uniform codes, speech patterns and behaviours. In many ways it is probably the most misused term within our "profession". In my mothers day it was used to drive any married nurse from a career in nursing.
I think it is time to re-open the debate. Without becoming heated, without deriding each other or professing to a standard impossible to humanly achieve let us look at the term "professional" and decide what WE would like it to mean.
just an opinion...spelling accurately does look like the writer is intelligient. my dad explained "professional " as someone who is paid for what they do as opposed to an amature.
I am probably going to get slammed for this. But it is my opinion, and something we are all entitled to have and express.
Anyhow, in my opinion, nursing is not a profession. There are many reasons for this.
1) Education level for entry level---you have a hospital diploma, associates, or bs ... but the majority does not have a bs in nursing
2) We wear uniforms
3) We clock in and out
4) We do shift work
5) We are given a schedule and are told when to work
6) Report to middle management
7) Have very little autonomy in our practice.
8) Have lots of responsibility but please remember responsibility does not mean autonomy
9) Are told things like "flex up"
10) We do not have a code of ethics--- we follow a medical code of ethics---- but do not have our own code
I honestly think we are force fed that nursing is a profession to keep us from joining unions..... if you hear enough times... but I am a professional, you can almost convince yourself, it's ok I can work in unsafe conditions, for too long hours, responsible for the lives of others, for not enough pay, getting bent over by everyone, being spoken down upon by others....
elam_yag
9 Posts
There is alot of controversy here right now as to whether Nursing is really a "profession" or more of a trade. Any thoughts?