Professional Nursing

Professional Nursing – is an art and science, dominated by an ideal o service in which certain principles are applied in the skilful care of the significant others, and other members of the health team

A professional nurse is one who has acquired the art and science of nursing through her basic education who interprets her role in nursing in terms of the social ends for which it exists – the health ad welfare of society and who continues to add her kn0owledge, skills and attitude through continuing education and scientific inquiry (research) or the use of the results of such inquiry.

The qualities and abilities of a Professional Nurse are as follows:

1. Have faith in the fundamental values that underlie the democratic way of life, for example respect the dignity of life, self-sacrifice for the common good, and a strong sense of responsibility for sharing in the solution of the problems in the society.
2. Has a sense of responsibility for understanding those with whom she/he works or associates with through the use of the following skills such as utilizing releveant basic concepts of psychology and working effectively through therapeutic relationship.
3. Has faith in the reality of spiritual and aesthetic values and awareness of the value and the pleasure of self-development through the pursuit of some aesthetic interests.
4. Has the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to address present day social problems, realistic, incisive and well organized thoughts through the use of critical thinking. Critical thinking is securing, appraising and organizing evidence.
5. Has skill in using written and spoken language, both to develop own thoughts and to communicate them to others.
6. Appreciates and understands the importance of good health.
7. Has emotional balance. Is able to maintain poise and composure in trying situations.
8. Likes hard work and possesses a capacity for it.
9. Appreciates high standards of workmanship.

The Roles and Functions of a Professional Nurse

1. Care Provider or Caregiver

The nurse supports the client by attitudes and actions that show concern for client welfare and acceptance of the client as a person. The nurse is primarily comcerned with the client’s needs.

• Includes activities that assist the client physically and psychologically while preserving the client’s dignity
• Caregiving is holistic, it encompasses the physical, psychosocial, developmental, cultural and spiritual level.
• Required nursing actions may require:
• Full care for the completely dependent client
• Partial care for the partially dependent client
• Supportive-educative care to assist clients in attaining their highest possible level of health and wellness

2. Communicator/Helper 

The nurse communicates with clients, support persons and colleagues to facilitate all nursing actions.

• Nurse identifies client problems and then communicates these verbally or in writing to other members of the health care team
• The quality of a nurse’s communication is an important factor in nursing care.
• The nurse must be able to communicate clearly and accurately in order for a client’s health care needs to be met.

What is Nursing?

Definition of Nursing

• The act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery (Florence Nightingale, 1860)
• This is the definition of nursing given by Florence Nightingale 100 years ago. She considered a clean, well-ventilated, and quiet environment essential for recovery. Often considered the first nurse theorist, she raised the status of nursing through education. Nurses were no longer untrained housekeepers but people educated in the care of the sick.\

• The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individuals, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to a peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible (Virginia Henderson, 1966)
• Virginia Henderson was one of the first modern nurses to define nursing. Like Nightingale, Henderson described nursing in relation to the client and the client's environment. Unlike Nightingale, Henderson saw the nurse as concerned with both healthy and ill individuals, acknowledged that nurses interact with clients even when recovery may not be feasible, and mentioned the teaching and advocacy roles of the nurse.

• Nursing is
• caring
• an art
• scientific
• client-centered
• holistic
• adaptive
• concerned with health promotion, maintenance and restoration
• a helping profession