Characteristics of Profession

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF PROFESSION Although nursing has been called a profession for many years, an assessment of characteristics of a profession indicates that it should more accurately be considered as ―emerging pr profession‖. ofession‖. Characteristi Characteristics cs of a profession have been defined as: Authority to control its own work. Eclusive body of speciali!ed s peciali!ed knowledge. Etensive period of formal training. "peciali!ed competence. • •

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Control over work performance. "ervice to society. "elf#regulation. Credentialing system to certify competence. $egal reinforcement of professional standards. Ethical practice. Creation of a collegial subculture. %ntrinsic rewards. &ublic acceptance. Apart from this the characteristics of a profession can be categori!ed as following: Intellectual : 'his character is reflecting commitment to serve society. 'his category has • • • •

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three components: a. Body Bod y of kn knowl owledg edge e: professional practice is based on body of knowledge derived from eperience (leading to epertise) and research (leading to theoretical foundation for knowledge).'his knowledge base contributes to *udgment and rationale for modifying actions according to specific situation. +owever, the education has often emphasi!ed proven methods for responding to particular kinds of situations e.g. clients may be discharged without self care teaching because the doctor did not write an order. b. Spec Specializ ialized ed e educa ducation tion : ursing transmits knowledge through speciali!ed education. +owever, there a are re five levels of basic education for registered nurses, all of which prepare for one licensure eamination. 'hree of five levels (diploma, associate degree and baccalaureate degree) accept high school graduation where as other two (master-s degree and docto doctoral ral de degree) gree) accept college with liberal arts ma*ors. c. Cit Citical ical an and d Ceat Ceati!e i!e T"i T"inkin nking g: A logical and critical thinking process is one essential component of professional practice. 'he nursing process is a problem solving approach. %t includes: Collect and organi!e information derived from multiple sources. ecide what is needed, based on that information. "elect and implement one approach from among many possible approaches. Evaluate the results of the process. Pe#onal: 'his category emphasi!es on autonomy. Autonomy means the practitioners have control over their own functions in a work setting. Autonomy involves independence, a willingness to take risks and responsibility and accountability for one-s •

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own actions as well as self#determination and self#regulation. 'he autonomous practitioners are also obligated to collaborate with others for the benefit of the patient. Intepe#onal: ursing is a significant therapeutic interpersonal process. %t functions

 

cooperatively with other human processes that make health possible for individuals in the communities. 'he nurse collaborates with the patient, significant others and health care providers in the formulation of overall goals and plan of care and in the decisions related to care and delivery of services. CRITERIA OF PROFESSION Bi$le and Bi$le Citeia fo Pofe##ion% /enevieve and 0oy 1iler who were against the status of 2ursing as a &rofession 3456,

appraised nursing according to practice their original seven criteria as follows:# 3. A profession utili!es in its a well defined and well organi!ed body of knowledge, which is on the intellectual level of the higher training. 7. A profession constantly enlarges the body of knowledge its uses and improves its techni8ues of education and service by the use of the scientific method. 9. A profession entrusts the education of its practitioners to institutions of higher education. 5. A profession applies its body of knowledge in practical service, which is vital to human beings and social welfare. 6. A profession functions autono autonomously mously in the for formulation mulation of professional policy policy and in control of professional activities there by. . A profession attracts individuals of intellectual and personal 8ualities who ealt service above personal gain and who can recogni!e their chosen profession as life long. ;. A profession strives to compensate its practitioners by providing freedom of action, opportunity for continuous professional growth and economic security. After eamining all the criteria of profession and other related concepts and aspects ,>>>. As essential step towards the achievement of this ob*ective was the removal of the eisting unsatisfactory conditions of training and service. 'he committee made proposals to improve the situations. 9. Taining of Nu#e# and *idwi!e# : %n view of the etreme shortage of nursing personnel the committee recommended that the first group of 3>> training centers, each

 

taking 6> pupils, should be started two years before the +ealth ?rgani!ation began to be established, that another set of 3>> training centers should be created during the first two years of the schemes and that a third group of the same number of training centers should be established before the third year of the second puperium. 5. *ale Nu#e#: @ale nurses should s hould be trained and employed in large numbers in the @ale wards and @ale ? ?ut ut &atient epartments of &ublic &ublic hospitals, thus releasing women workers for other work. 6. Pu,lic Healt" Nu#e#: 'he committee also made specific proposals with regard to the training of &ublic +ealth urses. 'hese should be fully 8ualified nurses with training in midwifery as well. .*idwi!e# : 'he number of midwives actually available for midwifery duties in the country was probably 6>>>.'he committee laid down certain fundamental re8uirements re8uiremen ts which should be met before an institution could be organi!ed as a training centre for @idwives. ;.+ai#: 'he continued employment of women as dais was inevitable. 'he committee advocated the training of dais as an in trim measure until an ade8uate number of midwives would become available. .Nu#ing Staff : 'he report recommended to produce another category of ursing +ealth &ersonnel called Auiliary &ersonnel. Auiliary urse @idwife training was started to meet the health needs of the country. Establishment of %ndian ursing Council: As a result of 1ohre Committee recommendations, %ndian ursing Council was established in 345; to regulate the standards of ursing Education. ursing Council made three important decisions: a) 'here should be only two standards of training of /eneral ursing and @idw @idwifery: ifery: i. 'he full course of /eneral nursing to be for three years followed by a minimum of nine months of midwifery. A course of Auiliar Auiliary y urse @ @idwife idwife for years. ursing Course to be b) ii. 'he minimum entrance re8uirement oftwo /eneral @atriculation and for Auiliary urse @idwife to be ;th or th standard of education. c) 'he Auiliary urse @idwife Course to replace various courses like Bunior /rade ursing Certificate and courses other than for nurses. +e!elop-ent of nu#ing education in India%  'he Auiliary urse urse @idwife /eneral /eneral urse @idwife & &rogrammed: rogrammed: a) 'he %ndian ursing Council at its meeting in 346> came out with some important decisions relating to future patterns of ursing 'raining in %ndia. ?ne of the important decision was that there should be ttwo wo standards of traini training ng of ursing and

@idwifery: A full course of 9 yrs in ursing and minimum of  months of @idwifery. A course of Auiliary urse @idwives of 7 yrs which would replace various courses for Bunior /rade Certificate. •

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 'he first course of A..@ was started at "t.@ary-s +ospital 'aran 'aran, &un*ab in 3463.%nitially 3463.%nitiall y a very few training centers unde undertook rtook to give this course but the financial aid was given by /ovt. ?f %ndia under the scheme for preparing personnel for &rimary +ealth Centers gave a great impetus to the training program. 'he entrance 8ualification was raised from ;th class passed to matriculation. 'NI&ERSIT. /E&E/ PRO(RA**ES% Ba#ic B0Sc0 Nu#ing%  'he need for providing basic training in nursing at Dniversity $evel was felt by the members of 'A% from 345> onwards. 1."c. ursing

(+ones.)inwas started school at elhiwas in Buly 345 in as "chool ?f +ospital Administration started 3459.'his renamed College ?f ursing which is which now was called 0a*kumari Amrit aur College ?F ursing in34;7.'hi in34;7.'his s college is located at $a*pat agar, ew elhi elhi.. A simi similar lar course in 1."c.  ursing ursing was st started arted at C@C Gellore, @adras Dniversity, and 'amil adu in 345 by the Boint Church "ociety of England, D.".A and Canada. Po#t Ba#ic1 Po#t Cetificate B0Sc0 Nu#ing : 'he need for higher training for certificate nurses was also s stressed tressed by the @udaliar Committee in 347.For up gradation of professional standard, two year &ost 1asic Certificate 1."c. egree &rogrammed for nurses with iploma in /eneral nursing and @idwifery was started in ec.347 by the "chool of ursing, Dniversity of 'hiruvananthpuram. POST2(RA+'ATION E+'CATION% *0Sc0 Nu#ing Education: 'wo year course in @aster of ursing was started at 0a*kumari Amrit aur College of ursing, ew elhi in 3464.%n 344H @."C ursing was started at C@C Gellore affiliated to @adras Dniversity. 'he @."c. ursing Curriculum was prepared and prescribed by %ndian ursing Council in 34 which is implemented by all the colleges. @."c. in &sychiatric ursing was also started in "ept. 349 at %@+A", 1angalore. 'his college is affiliated to 1angalore Dniversity. *0 P"il Poga--ed: 'he inspection committee constituted by %C under statute 9>(5) for the inspection of the college, visited 0A College of ursing, ew elhi on "eptember 39, 34;; and advised the principal to form an @. &hil committee to assess all the re8uirements for the said &rogrammed. 1ut due o some administrative reasons the @. &hil &rogrammed could be started only on ?ct.36, 34 after due approval of the @. &hil Committee members. members. 'he &rogrammed is of 3 yr for regular candidates and 7 yr for part time candidates. P"0 + Poga--ed : &h. College  &rogrammed was started in fewand colleges College of ursing &/%, ?f ursing C@C Gellore, Collegeof?fnursing ursinglike Affiliated to @angalore Dniversity and at 0A College of ursing, elhi Dniversity etc. from 344> onwards. &h.  &rogrammed in &sychiatric ursing is also there in %@+A", 1angalore, for their own faculty. AT (/OBA/ /E&E/% Intoduction%  'here are various educational routes for becoming a &rofessional 0egistered urse. %nitially hospital "chools of nursing were developed to educate nurses to work within those institutions. A##ociate +egee Education: 'he associate degree program in the Dnited "tates is a 7 yr program that is usually us ually offered by a Dniversity or Bunior College. 'his program

focuses on the basic sciences, theoretical and clinical courses related to the practice of nursing. +iplo-a Education: 'he diploma program in the Dnited "tates is a 7#9 yr hospital based program. iploma programs focus on the basic sciences and on theoretical

 

and clinical courses related to nursi nursing ng practice, usually with a substantial cl clinical inical component. %n D.", diploma programs are declining in numbers. %n Canada, diploma programs are offered in community colleges or hospitals and are 7 yr programs. Baccalaueate Baccalauea te Education% 'he baccalaureate degree program usually encompasses 5 yr of study in a college or university. 'he program focuses on basic s sciences ciences and on theoretical and clinical courses, as well as courses in social sciences, arts and humanities to support nursing theory. %n Canada, the degree of 1achelor of sciences in ursing (1."c. nursing) or 1achelor in ursing (1) is e8uivalent to the degree of 1achelor of "ci "ciences ences in ursing (1") in the D Dnited nited "tates. 0 0  completion programs arepracticing available 0 at many colleges and universities. 'hese programs are designed to assist the in obtaining a baccalaureate ba ccalaureate degree in ursing. Acced Acc edita itatio tion n: 'o be accredited, nursing programs must meet certain criteria established by the ational $eague for ursing Accrediting ($AC).'his voluntary accreditation is available for basic nursing education programs and masters degree programs in nursing. /icen#ue: %n the D.", 0 candidates must pass the ational Council $icensure Eamination for 0egistered urses (C$EI#0), which is administered by the individual "tate 1oard of ursing. 0egardless of educational preparation, the eamination for 0 licensure is eactly the same in every state in Dnited "tates. Cetification%  1eyond the E$EI#0, ational ursing ?rgani!ations such as AA, have many types of certification that the nurse can work toward. After passing the initial eamination, the nurse maintains certification by ongoing continuing education and clinical or administrative practice. *a#te# +egee Pepaation% A person completing a graduate program can receive the degree of @asters in Arts (@A) in ursing or @asters in "cience in ursing.  'his provides the advanced clinician clinician with strong skill skills s in nursing sciences and research based clinical practice. A @asters degree in nursing can be valuable for nurses seeking roles of nursing educator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse administrator or nurse practitioners. +octoal Pepaation: 'he first nursing doctorate program was opened in 3469 at Dniversity of &ittsburgh. ?ther programs emphasi!ed on basic research and theory and award the degr degree ee of octor ?f philosophy (&h. ). Continuing and In2#e!ice Education: Continuing education involves formal, organi!ed programs preferred state urseshelping Associations Educationaland andeducational +ealth Care %nstitutions. ?ther by goals include nurses and become speciali!ed in a particular area of practice and teaching nurses new skills and techni8ues. /icen#ed Pactical Nu#e Education% A licensed practical or vocational nurse is trained in basic nursing techni8ues and direct client care. 'he $icensed &ractical urse ($&) or $icensed Gocational urse ($G) practices under the supervision of a 0egistered urse (0) in a hospital or community health practice setting. BIB/IO(RAPH.% 3. 1asava 1asavanthap nthappa pa 1.' 2 2ursin ursing g Admi Administr nistration ation-- Ed 9rd &ublished 1y Baypee &ublishers pp#3#3;. 7. +istory and 'r 'rends ends in ursing in %ndi %ndiaa- &ubl &ublished ished 1y 'rained urses Association of

%ndia pp#3#77. 9. ay ittre ittrell ll Chitty 2&rofessional ursing Conce Concepts pts and C Challengeshallenges- Ed 5th &ublished by Elsevier "aunders pp#7#7;.

 

5. $eddy "u "usen sen and &eppe &epperr B. @ac 2Conce 2Conceptual ptual 1ases 1ases ?f &rofess &rofessional ional ur ursingsing- Ed 5th  &ublished 1y $ippincott pp#5#33. 6. &ott &otter er and &e &erry rry 2F 2Fundame undamentals ntals o off ursi ursingng- Ed 6th  Gol. 3st  &ublished 1y @osby +arcourt %ndia pp#9;#9>. . "ore "orensen nsen and $uckm $uckman-s an-s 2basic ur ursing: sing: a psycho phys physiolo iological gical Appr Approachoach- Ed 9rd  &ublished by J.1 "aunders pp##3. ;. 'he Foundations of ur ursingsing- Gol. 3 "t &ublished by 1.% &ublications &vt. $ $td. td. pp#56 pp#56#;3. #;3. . .w .www. ww.goo google gle.co .com. m.