Identify actions that can be taken to address negative stereotypes in the medi
Diverse Nursing Roles
For centuries, nursing was restricted to providing general primary care to the ill. The nurse’s job required limited knowledge and skills, and rarely went beyond taking care of one’s immediate patients. In the mid-nineteenth century, Florence Nightingale brought new vision to nursing by beginning to visit the sick in her community. This was probably the origin of the concepts of public health and community health in the context of nursing. Public health is the broad study of disease prevention and health promotion of the population. It relies on epidemiology, the study of disease, to gather data. Community health is a part of public health, which looks at a specific community and how to improve the health of that community. The development of the concept of community health in the following decades gradually broadened perspectives of healthcare and, consequently, nursing.
Nursing professionals today are seen in many practice settings in a variety of specialized roles. Hospital-based nursing itself offers opportunities in providing direct care at the bedside, or in case management, clinical specialization, advanced practice as a clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner, and in providing indirect care in management positions. Nurses can work in the community in visiting nurse homes, home health, hospice, physician offices, schools, or in occupational health for example. There are even nurse entrepreneurs who have nurse-based practices. One of the most promising aspects of moving into a professional nursing role with a BSN or beyond is the opening up of a wide range of alternative employment opportunities.
With the expansion of employment opportunities for nurses, where do you think your career path may lead?
Continue on to the supplement to review the role of nurses in healthcare.
Additional Materials
Diverse Roles
Important Characteristics of Nursing
© 2016 South University
Important Characteristics of Nursing
Page 2 of 6 Foundations for Professional Nursing
©2016 South University
2
Question 1
There are several professional characteristics that have been identified as important for nursing. Which of
the following statements is true?
The options are:
Option 1:
An educational background is an important characteristic of nursing.
Option 2:
Although adherence to some sort of code of ethics is expected, it is not the responsibility of practicing
nurses to know about ethical guidelines.
Option 1 feedback:
That’s correct!
An educational background is required for professional practice in nursing so as to ensure safe and
effective practice.
On the other hand, adherence to a code of ethics is expected in any profession, including nursing. In
nursing, the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (American Nurses Association [ANA],
2001) provides guidelines for nursing. It is the responsibility of every practicing nurse to know these
guidelines and practice in accordance with the code.
A periodic review of the ethical provisions and their interpretive statements is an important responsibility
of all professional nurses.
Option 2 feedback:
That’s incorrect.
An educational background is required for professional practice in nursing so as to ensure safe and
effective practice.
On the other hand, adherence to a code of ethics is expected in any profession, including nursing. In
nursing, the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2001) provides guidelines for nursing. It is the responsibility of every practicing nurse to know these
guidelines and practice in accordance with the code.
Important Characteristics of Nursing
Page 3 of 6 Foundations for Professional Nursing
©2016 South University
3
Question 2
Nursing professionals need to demonstrate greater knowledge and understanding of the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses. Which of the following statements is true?
The options are:
Option 1:
Nurses are required to go through the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses once during their education.
Option 2:
Nurses are required to go through the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses periodically to become aware of
the revisions in the code.
Option 1 feedback:
That’s incorrect.
A periodic review of the ethical provisions and their interpretive statements is an important responsibility
of all professional nurses.
Option 2 feedback:
That’s correct!
A periodic review of the ethical provisions and their interpretive statements is an important responsibility of all professional nurses.
Question 3
Participation in professional organizations is an important characteristic of nurses who see their
profession as more than just a job. However, less than 10% of the almost three million nurses in the
United States belong to the major professional group, ANA. Which other characteristics are identified as
important for professional nursing?
The options are:
Option 1:
Communication and publication
Option 2:
Important Characteristics of Nursing
Page 4 of 6 Foundations for Professional Nursing
©2016 South University
4
Dependence and self-regulation
Option 1 feedback:
That’s correct!
Communication and publication are important characteristics of professional nursing. Communication
among professionals through well-developed and presented memoranda, proposed institutional policies
and practices, and reports at the agency level is important in nursing and shows professionalism.
On the other hand, nurses are required to be autonomous, having independent judgment and self- governing ability. They should have accountability, that is, they should be answerable to themselves and
to others for their judgment and actions in the course of nursing practice.
Option 2 feedback:
That’s incorrect.
Communication and publication are important characteristics of professional nursing. Communication
among professionals through well-developed and presented memoranda, proposed institutional policies
and practices, and reports at the agency level is important in nursing and shows professionalism.
On the other hand, nurses are required to be autonomous, having independent judgment and self- governing ability. They should have accountability, that is, they should be answerable to themselves and
to others for their judgment and actions in the course of nursing practice.
Question 4
The use, development, and evaluation of theory are important characteristics of professionalism in
nursing. Why are these characteristics important for nurses?
The options are:
Option 1:
They lead to research, which is another important characteristic of professional nursing.
Option 2:
They lead to community service, which is another important characteristic of professional nursing.
Option 1 feedback:
That’s correct!
Important Characteristics of Nursing
Page 5 of 6 Foundations for Professional Nursing
©2016 South University
5
The use, development, and evaluation of theory involve collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on efficacy related to trends in client outcomes, which lead to research.
On the other hand, community service is also a characteristic of professional nursing, in which nurses reach out to others with information in order to foster wellness in their communities. However, it is not a
result of the use, development, and evaluation of theory.
Option 2 feedback:
That’s incorrect.
The use, development, and evaluation of theory involve collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on
efficacy related to trends in client outcomes, which lead to research.
On the other hand, community service is also a characteristic of professional nursing, in which nurses
reach out to others with information in order to foster wellness in their communities. However, it is not a
result of the use, development, and evaluation of theory.
Here are the important characteristics of nursing.
• An educational background is required for professional practice in nursing so as to ensure safe
and effective practice.
• Nursing professionals need to demonstrate greater knowledge and understanding of ANA’s Code
of Ethics for Nurses.
• A periodic review of the ethical provisions and their interpretive statements is an important
responsibility of all professional nurses.
• Communication and publication are important characteristics of professional nursing.
• Community service is also a characteristic of professional nursing, in which nurses reach out to
others with information.
Multiple Sources of Nursing Knowledge
The importance of the multiple ways of gaining knowledge in nursing has been recognized for some time.
We must integrate different sources of knowledge if we are to achieve a true integration between theory, research, and practice.
Theory creates a way to organize knowledge. It allows for the integration of knowledge from other
disciplines that can inform and increase our understanding from a nursing perspective.
Our personal…
