Running head: ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Attributes of a Professional Nurse

Michelle Marks
NURS 211 Professionalism in Nursing I
September 13, 2013
Dr. Paulette Williams

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Attributes of a Professional Nurse

The patients view of a professional nurse differs from the nurses view of a professional
nurse. Although different, these viewpoints encompass a very similar tone on the question:
What is a professional nurse? A patient describes the professional nurse as someone who has
good interpersonal skills, good critical thinking, and empathetic, caring practices (as cited in
Giddens, 2013, p. 360). The licensed nursing population describes a professional nurse as
someone who has experience, is educated and holds at least a bachelors degree with certification
in a specialty, and is innovative, active learner, confident, deeply empathetic, and very
passionate about nursing (as cited in Giddens, 2013, p. 360). The attributes listed from the
patient and the nurse creates a general framework of a professional nurse. As cited in Cherry, a
professional nurse is:
A specially trained professional that address the humanistic and holistic needs of patients,
families and environments and provides responses to patterns and/or needs of patients,
families, and communities to actual and potential health problems. The professional nurse
has diverse roles, such as health care provider, client advocate, educator, care coordinator,
primary care practitioner, and change agent.
In my opinion, three important attributes that exemplify the quote above are: continuing
education, maintaining autonomy, and participating in professional organizations.
Nursing, and the evidence-based treatments the practice provides, are based on the results
of sound clinical research (Copstead & Banasik, 2013). Nursing is an ever-changing profession
and as new medical discoveries are made, continuing education is an important step in
maintaining a professional identity in nursing. A nurse is constantly presented with making

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

clinical judgments and critical thinking decisions. It is essential that a nurse stays current with
new trends and practices so she will know the correct way to treat ailments, new and old.
Continuing ones education also helps a nurse in demonstrating her competence. For example, a
newly licensed nurse will usually work under a mentor nurse and may be assigned a procedure
that she is not familiar with or has not mastered yet. The newly licensed nurse should not be
prideful, but rather ask for assistance in the un-mastered procedure, work within her scope of
practice and follow guidelines in the Nurse Practice Act. This is a wonderful opportunity for the
new nurse to continue her education with advice from an experienced nurse (Rhodes, Schutt,
Langham, & Bilotta, 2012). As well as on the floor training, a number of hours are required
per year in continuing education courses for a nurse to maintain licensure. Again, this
requirement aids in keeping a nurse up-to-date with new practices.
Autonomy, or self-regulation, is another important aspect of being a professional nurse.
Maintaining ones ethics in the nursing practice confirms a nurses dedication and commitment
to the profession. New ethical dilemmas arise constantly and a nurse must understand her own
personal values in order to provide ethical treatments for patients. A nurse must also understand
that her own personal values may be different from the patients personal values and that may
affect the type or amount of care the patient is willing to accept (Giddens, 2013). An example of
maintaining ones autonomy is given by Rhodes, et al. (2012): a nurse is assigned to administer
chemotherapy to a patient, but this task is not in her scope of practice and she has not been
validated in that skill. By not administering the chemotherapy, the nurse has stayed true to her
personal value of being honest and might even have avoided punishment, law suits, and possible
mistakes that would negatively affect the patients health. A nurses core values determine her
beliefs and behaviors.

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Participating in professional organizations gives a nurse an insight into how the

profession is maintained. It allows for understanding on how the nursing system works, required
rules and regulations, and changes that may take place in standards of practice. A nurse can
become involved in nursing organizations on the state or federal level. Being involved in an
organization also gives the nurse a voice in issues that affect her career. For example, a nurse is
required to pay licensing fees to her state of practice. (The fee for an RN in Hawaii to maintain
licensure is $130 per renewal period. License renewal is required every two years (Hawaii
Nursing License, 2013).) If her state borrows money from the Board of Nursings funds and then
gives administrative power to The Medical Board, resulting in increased license fees and
mandatory overtime, what can nurses do to defend their profession and individual rights? Being
involved in an organization that is able to defend the profession gives nurses a voice in many
aspects of their career, as well as increasing their visibility in the community, thus exemplifying
the professional image of a nurse (Rhodes, et al. 2012).
My personal view of the nursing profession is one of admiration. I believe that the
nursing profession is filled with well-educated and trusted professionals. It is a legitimate career
in the medical field and one that is greatly needed and depended on by other professionals in the
medical field. As Ive learned more about how maintaining a professional image in nursing is
detrimental to maintaining this career path, Ive developed even more respect and admiration for
current nurses. Nurses tend to be the glue in patient care and create a smooth delivery of
treatment from admission to checkout (Cherry & Jacob, 2014).
As I begin my journey into the nursing profession, I plan to adopt many attributes of the
professional nurse. The first three attributes, those that I believe to be most important, are:

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

continuing education, maintaining autonomy, and participating in professional nursing

organizations. After completing the Associates Degree in Nursing, I plan to continue my
education at the Bachelors level and eventually would like to become specialized in diabetes
education. I will be consistent with my continuing education requirements and attend classes or
seminars that fulfill these obligations. I will maintain an honest image and work with integrity. I
will practice within my scope and attempt to understand others personal values and how they
may influence their treatment. I will join the Hawaii Board of Nursing and be current with
ongoing issues in the nursing profession.
A professional nurse is highly skilled, recognizes patient needs, remains calm and
confident, and provides thoughtful, empathetic care to patients . . . provides an environment that
encourages open and genuine communication resulting in a trusting relationship (Giddens,
2013). Qualities that contribute to professionalism are continuing education, maintaining
autonomy, and participating in professional organizations. Maintaining the image of
professionalism has direct effect on patient care and the overall nursing profession.

See article at:

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.kapiolani.hawaii.edu:8080/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?
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ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

References

Code of Ethics for Nurses. (n.d.). Retrieved from American Nurses Association:
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEth
icsforNurses.aspx
Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. (2010, August). Retrieved from American
Nurses Association: https://docs.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/viewer?
url=www.nursesbooks.org/ebooks/download/NursingScopeStandards.pdf&chr
ome=true
Hawaii Nursing License. (2013). Retrieved from Nursing License Map: Nursing
Licensure Made Simple: http://nursinglicensemap.com/advanced-practicenursing/hawaii-nursing-license/
Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2014). Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, &
Management. St Louis: Elsevier Mosby.
Copstead, L.-E., & Banasik, J. (2013). Pathophysiology. St. Louis: Elsevier.
Giddens, J. F. (2013). Concepts for Nursing Practice. St. Louis: Elsevier.
Gokenbach, V. (2012, Oct. 3). Professionalism: What Does It Really Mean? Retrieved
from Nursing Together: http://www.nursetogether.com/what-isprofessionalism-in-nursing
Rhodes, M. K., Schutt, M. S., Langham, G. W., & Bilotta, D. E. (2012). The Journey to
Nursing Professionalism: A Lerner-Centered Approach. Nursing
Professionalism, 27-30.

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