According to Larson, Brady, Engelmann, Perkins, and Shultz (2013), ”the development of professional identity is a continuous process that begins with admission to the nursing program and evolves throughout one’s professional career in a dynamic and fluid process where the interacting relationship of education and practice lead to self-reflection, growth, and human flourishing” (p. 138).
Professional Identity of the Nurse-Putting it All Together
The most important fundamental aspect of nursing is care. Nursing is a profession that offers caring services to its patients. Nursing care services help the patient to recover from their ailments. Through caring, nurses offer positive psychological reinforcement, which helps the patient in the recovery process. Nurses must have professional identities that define who they are. They must be guided by their personal beliefs and values to offer quality nursing services to their patients. In addition to this, they must strive to join professional associations that will allow them to network with other nursing professionals and receive up-to-date information.
Belief of Caring
Caring in nursing is very important. Caring is the foundation of nursing practice (Choudhury & Nortjé, 2020). Nursing professionals care for their patients to ensure they recover from their conditions. Caring is a diverse topic. There are many definitions of caring, which mainly depend on the individual. Regardless of the definition that an individual decides to go with, the common denominator is that nursing offers care that aims to improve individuals’ healthcare.
As an individual, I have a strong desire to help sick people to recover from their illnesses. I also like helping healthy individuals to stay healthy. This is something that I believe is innate. Ever since I was a child, I have subconsciously wanted to help individuals. I offer physical and emotional support to my sick friends and family members. I do not care whether they are old or young, rich or poor. I always want to help people get better.
I believe that caring for healthy individuals is equally, if not more important than caring for sick individuals. Caring for healthy individuals through health promotion activities and patient education can help prevent diseases and infections. When we care for the environment, we can reduce the likelihood of the increase in disease-causing microorganisms, such as mosquitos, which will thus reduce the chances of individuals getting sick. Caring is more important than cure. Caring incorporates the holistic nursing practice, and the patient becomes more comfortable with the nurse, which improves the quality of care (Choudhury & Nortjé, 2020).
Professional Identity
Florence Nightingale is a nursing icon. She is an individual who has shaped my professional identity in many ways. Nurse Florence’s stories and experiences inspire me a lot. Nightingale was a champion of a safe healthcare environment with the aim of preventing contamination and the spread of ailments and infections (Gilbert, 2020). In my opinion, nursing is a noble profession. A nurse can care for individuals if he is not a loving and caring person. My professional identity is a loving and caring person who aims to treat the patient holistically to ensure that the patient recovers from her ailments. I have the courage, dedication, and commitment to take care of sick individuals and help them on their road to recovery. I believe that all nurses should develop a caring attitude rather than only focusing on the curing bit. Being able to help individuals recover from sickness gives me joy and the strength to continue serving my patients. I have creative and imaginative skills that can help improve patient care. I am a committed nurse who is willing to complete all assigned roles and responsibilities with the utmost professionalism. I am a team player who believes that teamwork is the only way to achieve patient-centred care.
My experience so far in the nursing profession has shaped my professional identity a lot. I have seen senior nurses who are culturally competent. This has made me admire them, and I am working towards becoming a culturally competent nurse. By being culturally competent, I will offer care to my patients regardless of their race, gender, or political inclination.
Professional Organizations
One nursing organization that I would join is the American Nurses Association (ANA). ANA is a professional nursing organization that began in 1896 to advance and protect the nursing profession. ANA promotes and protects the welfare of member nurses in the organizations they work for (American Nurses Association (ANA), n.d.). It promotes the nursing profession and advocates for issues affecting the nursing profession. Currently, it has over 150,000 nurses as its members (ANA, n.d.). I would like to join this organization in the future since it advances and promotes quality healthcare standards in the nursing profession. In ANA, I will participate in professional advancement activities, and my welfare will be well taken care of. This is an organization I align with myself with in terms of ideological principles.
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