Question

In what way has the role of the nursing professional changed or not changed the image that prevailed in 1907?

Is Nursing Today Really A Profession?

How is nursing socially consolidated as a profession in our times?

What are the challenges facing the Nursing profession in the 21st century?

Do you consider that the ethical values ​​of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity and social justice are fundamental in the practice of nursing? Why?

Answer 1

Nursing is a profession entrusted with the caring of patients in the most compassionate manner with patience and dedication. The role of the nursing professional has changed towards the better as compared to the image that prevailed in 1907. Though initially it was meant only for the caring of patients, today, nursing as a profession has witnessed a drastic change, which embodies everything from caring and teaching to informatics, management, and research. This evolution is based on better training programs, better facilities, more responsibilities, and a focus on high-quality patient care. This drastic change has made nursing one of the most sought after professions and has created dedicated nursing professionals. These modern professionals are capable of operating medical equipments and use healthcare informatics in nurturing patients and supporting their families. They also deal with the prevention of diseases in the community and management of healthcare workers with the help of intricate technology and informatics.

Nursing demands dedication, hard work, compassion, and selflessness, which categorizes it as one of the most demanding professions. It has the halo of honesty, generosity, and courage, which makes it an admirable noble profession. Socially, nursing gives a chance to impact the patients, their families, and the community in a positive manner. It gives an opportunity to be with them and help them in their most vulnerable moments. This is one of the most demanding and well paid professions in healthcare sector. Along with person to person caregiving, it now includes the person to society caregiving also with added responsibilities of an established profession. Thus, nursing socially consolidated as a profession in our times with empathy and patience.

These most trusted healthcare professionals face many challenges in the twenty-first century. Very long work hours due to staff shortage is one of the widely present challenges. It is also a well-known fact that nurses, the heart and soul of the care-giving system, face workplace hazards, violence, bullying, and harassment. They also have to deal with lesser wages despite the duties and overtime. The very long shift hours with selfless work has also been challenging both physically and psychologically. Thus, while trying to save others, many have lost their health and families.

High-quality caregiving embodies the ethical values altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice, the five core values of professional nursing. These core ethical values are generally expressed and shared within the global nursing community, which reflects the human as well as the spiritual approach in the nursing profession. Without these core values, nursing lacks selflessness and respect for the patient, which could lead to social injustice. So much importance is given to the practice of these core values without which nursing would have lost its existence.