NURSING AS A PROFESSION

CRITERIA OF A PROFESSION

 Nursing is gaining recognition as a profession.

 A profession has been defined as an occupation that requires extensive education or a calling that
requires special knowledge, skill, and preparation.
 A profession is generally distinguished form other kinds of occupations by (a) its requirement of
prolonged, specialized training to acquire a body of knowledge pertinent to the role to be
performed, (b) an orientation of the individual toward service, either to a community or to an
organization, (c) ongoing research, (d) a code of ethics, (e) autonomy and (f) professional
organization.
 Two terms related to profession need to be differentiated: professionalism and
professionalization
 Professionalism refers to professional character, spirit or methods. It is a set of attributes, a way
of life that implies responsibility and commitment.
 Nursing professionalism owes much to the influence of Florence Nightingale.
 Professionalization is the process of becoming professional, that is, of acquiring characteristics
considered to be professional.

Specialized Education

 An important aspect of professional status.

 In modern times, the trend in education for the professions has shifted towards programs in
colleges and universities.
 Many nursing educators believe that the undergraduate nursing curriculum should include liberal
arts education in addition to the biologic and social sciences and the nursing discipline.
 In the United States today, there are five means of entry into registered nursing: hospital diploma,
associate degree baccalaureate degree, master’s degree and doctoral degree.

Body of Knowledge

 As a profession, nursing is establishing a well-defined body of knowledge and expertise.

 A number of nursing conceptual framework contribute to the knowledge base of nursing and give
direction to nursing practice, education, and ongoing research.

Service Orientation

 A service orientation differentiates nursing from an occupational pursued primarily for profit.
 Many consider altruism (selfless concern for others) that hallmark of a profession.
 Nursing has a tradition of service to others.
 The service, however, must be guided by certain rules, policies, or codes of ethics.
 Today, nursing is also an important component of health care delivery system.

Ongoing Research

 Increasing research in nursing is contributing to nursing practice.

 In the 1940s, nursing research was at a very early stage of development.
  In the 1950s, increased federal funding and professional support helped establish centers for
nursing research.
 Most early research was directed at the study of nursing education.
 In the 1960s, studies were often related to the nature of the knowledge base underlying nursing
practice.
 Since 1970s, nursing research has focused on practice-related issues.

Code of Ethics

 Nurses have traditionally placed a high values on the worth and dignity of others.
 The nursing profession requires integrity of its members; that is, a member is expected to do what
is considered tight regardless of the personal cost.
 Ethical codes change as the needs and values of society change.
 Nursing has developed its own codes of ethics and in most instances has set up meanings to
monitor the professional behavior of its members.

Autonomy

 A profession is autonomous if it regulates itself and sets standards for its members.
 Providing autonomy is one of the purposes of a professional association.
 If nursing is to have professional status, it must function autonomously in the formation of policy
and in the control of its activity.
 To be autonomous, a professional group must be granted legal authority to define the scope of
its goals and responsibilities in delivery of its services.
 To practitioners of nursing, autonomy means independence at work, responsibility and
accountability for one’s actions.
 Autonomy is more easily achieved and maintained from a position of authority.
 For example, all states have passed legislation granting NPs supervisory, collaborative or
independent authority to practice and currently, 27 states do not require a physician oversight of
NPs to practice.

Profession is distinguished from other kinds of occupation

 role changes
 task reassignments
 increased demands on time
 anxiety about outcomes
 conflict about unaccustomed responsibilities
 financial problems
 loneliness as a result of separation and pending loss
 change in social customs

Professional Organization

 Operation under the umbrella of a professional organization differentiates a profession from an

occupation.
  Governance is the establishment and maintenance of social, political, economic arrangements by
which practitioners control their practice, their self-discipline, their working conditions, and their
professional affairs.
 Nurses, therefore, need to work within their professional organizations.
 The ANA is a professional organization that “advances the nursing profession by fostering high
standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a
positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on
health care issues affecting nurses and the public”.

ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE NURSE

 Nurses assume a number of roles when they provide care to clients.

 Nurses often carry out these roles concurrently, not exclusively of one another.
 For example, the nurse may act as a counselor while providing physical care and teaching
aspects of that care.
 The roles required at a specific time depend on the needs of the client and aspects of the
particular environment.

Caregiver

 This role has traditionally included those activities that assist the client physically and
psychologically while preserving the client’s dignity.
 The required nursing actions may involve full care for the completely dependent client, partial
care for partially dependent client, and supportive-educative care to assist clients in attaining
their highest possible level of health and wellness.
 Caregiving encompasses (surround) the physical, psychosocial, developmental, cultural, and
spiritual levels.
 The nursing process provides nurses with framework for providing care.
 A nurse may provide care directly or delegate it to other caregivers.

Communicator

 Communication is integral to all nursing roles.

 Nurses communicate with the client, support persons, other health professionals and people in
the community.
 In the role of communicator, nurses identify client problems and then communicate these
verbally or in writing to other members of the health care team.
 The quality of 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.

Teacher

 The nurse helps clients learn about their health and the health care procedures they need to
perform to restore or maintain their health.
  The nurse assess the client’s learning needs and readiness to learn, sets specific learning goals
in conjunction with the client, enact teaching strategies, and measures learnings.
 Nurses also teach unlicensed assisted personnel (UAP) to whom they delegate care, and they
share their expertise with other nurses and health professionals.

Client Advocate

 Acts to protect the client.

 In this role, the nurse may represent the client’s needs and wishes to other health
professionals, such as relaying the client’s request for information to the health care provider.
 They also assist clients in exercising their rights and help them speak up for themselves.

Counselor

 Counselling is the process of helping a client to recognize and cope with stressful psychological
or social problems, to develop improved interpersonal relationships, and to promote personal
growth.
 It involves providing emotional, intellectual, and psychological support.
 The nurse counsels primarily health individuals with normal adjustment difficulties and
focuses on helping the person develop new attitudes, feelings, and behaviors by encouraging
the client to look at alternate behaviors, recognize the choices, and develop a sense of
control.

Change Agent

 The nurse acts as a change agent when assisting clients to make modifications in their
behavior.
 Nurses also often act to make changes in a system, such as clinical care, if it is not helping a
client return to health.
 Nurses are continually dealing with change in the health care system.
 Technological change, change in the age of the client population and changes in medications are
just a few of the changes a nurses deal daily.

Leader

 Influences others to work together to accomplish a specific goal.

 The leader role can be employed at different levels: individual client, family, groups of clients,
colleagues or the community.
 Effective leadership is a learned process requiring an understanding of the needs and goals
that motivate people, the knowledge to apply the leadership skills, and the interpersonal skills
to influence others.

Manager

 The nurse manages the nursing care of individuals, families, and communities.
 The nurse manager also delegates nursing activities to ancillary workers (cleaners) and other
nurses, supervises and evaluates their performance.
  Managing requires knowledge about organizational structure and dynamics, authority and
accountability, leadership, change theory, advocacy, delegation, supervision, and evaluation.

Case Manager

 Nurse case managers work with the multidisciplinary health care team to measure the
effectiveness of the case management plan and to monitor outcomes.
 Each agency or unit specifies the role of a nurse case manager.
 In some institutions, the case manager works with primary or staff nurses to oversee the care of
a specific caseload.
 In other agencies, the case manager is the primary nurse or provides some level of direct care to
the client and family.
 Insurance companies have also developed a number of roles for nurse case managers, and
responsibilities may vary from managing acute hospitalizations to managing high-cost clients or
case types.
 Regardless of the setting, case managers help ensure that care is oriented to the client, while
controlling costs.

Research Consumer

 Nurses often use research to improve client care.

 In a clinical area, nurses need to (a) have some awareness of the process and language of
research, (b) be sensitive to issues related to protecting the rights of human subjects, (c)
participate in the identification of significant researchable problems and (d) be a
discriminating consumer of research findings.

Expanded Career Roles

 Nurses are fulfilling expanded career roles such as those of NP, clinical nurse specialist, nurse
midwife, nurse educator, nurse researcher and nurse anesthetist, all of which allow greater
interdependence and autonomy.
1. Nurse Practitioner
 Has an advanced education and is a graduate of a nurse practitioner program.
 These nurses are certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in areas such as adult
gerontology, family, neonatal, pediatric, women’s health/gender related, or psychiatric-mental
health.
 They are employed in health care agencies or community-based settings.
 Those choosing the NP role with a pediatric or adult population focus must further select either
acute care or primary care.
 Acute care NPs often function in hospitals managing the care of critically ill patients.
 Primary care NPs practice in clinics, home and hospice care and specialty practices.

2. Clinical Nurse Specialist

 Has an advanced degree or expertise and is considered to be an expert in a specialized area of
practice (e.g., gerontology, oncology).
 The nurse provides direct client care, educates others, consults, conducts research, and
manages care.
 The American Nurses Credentialing Center provides national certification of clinical specialist.

3. Nurse Anesthetist
 Has completed advance education in an accredited program in anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist carries out preoperative visits and assessments, and administers
general anesthetics for surgery under the supervision of a physician prepared in
anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist also assess the postoperative status of clients.

4. Nurse Midwife
 A nurse midwife has completed a program in midwifery and is certified by the American
College of Nurse Midwives.
 The nurse midwife gives prenatal and postnatal care and manages deliveries in normal
pregnancies.
 The midwife practices in association with a health care agency and can obtain medical services if
complications occur.
 The nurse midwife may also conduct routine Papanicolaou smears (pap smears), family
planning, and routine breast examinations.

5. Nurse Researcher
 Investigates nursing problems to improve nursing care and to refine and expand nursing
knowledge.
 They are employed in academic institutions, teaching hospitals, and research centers.
 Nurse researcher usually have advanced education at the doctoral level.

6. Nurse Administrator
 Manages client care including the delivery of nursing services.
 The administrator may have a middle management position including head nurse or a supervisor
or more senior management position, such as director of nursing services.
 The functions of nurse administrators include budgeting, staffing, and planning programs.
 The educational preparation is at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing and frequently
master’s or doctoral degree.

7. Nurse Educator
 Employed in nursing programs, at educational institutions, and in hospital staff education.
 Usually has a baccalaureate or more advanced preparation and frequently has expertise in a
particular area of practice
 Responsible for the classroom, and often clinical teaching.
 There is now a process to become a certified nurse educator (CNE).

8. Nurse Entrepreneur
 Usually has an advanced degree and manages a health- related business.
 The nurse may be involved in education, consultation, or research for example.
 9. Forensic Nurse
 Provides specialized care for individuals who are victims or perpetrators of trauma.
 Have knowledge of legal system and skills in injury identification, evaluation and
documentation.
 After tending to the client’s medical needs, the forensic nurse collects evidence, provides
medical testimony in a variety of fields including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse
and neglect, mistreatment of older adults, death investigation, and corrections.
 They may be called on in mass disasters or community crisis situations.
 Nurses complete a certification process to become a forensic nurse.

Role and Function of the Nurse

Caregiver

 The caregiver role has traditionally included those activities that assist the client physically and
psychologically while preserving the client’s dignity.
 The required nursing actions may involve full care, partial care, and supportive-educative care.
 Caregiving encompasses the physical, psychosocial, developmental, cultural, and spiritual levels.

Communicator

 Communication is integral to all nursing roles.

 Nurse identify client problems and then communicate these verbally or in writing to other
members of the health care team.
 The nurse must be able to communicate clearly and accurately

Teacher

 As a teacher, the nurse helps clients learn about their health and the health care procedures they
need to perform to restore or maintain their health.
 The nurse assess the client’s learning needs and readiness to learn
 Sets specific learning goals
 Enact teaching strategies
 Measures learnings

Client Advocate

 A client advocate acts to protect the client.

 The role may represent the client’s needs and wishes to other health professionals

Counselor

 Counselling is the process of helping a client to recognize and cope with stressful psychological or
social problems, to develop improved interpersonal relationships, and to promote personal
growth.
  The nurse counsels’ primarily healthy individuals with normal adjustment difficulties and focuses
on helping the person to develop new attitudes, feelings, and behaviors by encouraging the client
to look at alternate behaviors, recognize the choices, and develop a sense of control.

Change Agent

 Nurse act as a change agent when assisting clients to make modifications in their behavior.
 Nurses also often act to make changes in a system.

Leader

 Leader influences others to work together to accomplish a specific goal.

 Effective leadership is a learned process requiring an understanding of the needs and goals that
motivate people

Manager

 The nurse manages the nursing care of individuals, families, and communities.
 The nurse manager also delegates nursing activities to ancillary workers and other nurses,
supervises and evaluates their performance.
 Managing requires knowledge about organizational structure and dynamics, authority and
accountability, leadership, change theory, advocacy, delegation, supervision, and evaluation.

Case Manager

 Nurse case managers work with the multidisciplinary health care team to measure the
effectiveness of the case management plan and to monitor outcomes.
 Each agency or unit specifies the role of a nurse case manager.
 In some institutions, the case manager works with primary or staff nurses to oversee the care of
a specific caseload.
 In other agencies, the case manager is the primary nurse or provides some level of direct care to
the client and family.
 Insurance companies have also developed a number of roles for nurse case managers, and
responsibilities may vary from managing acute hospitalizations to managing high-cost clients or
case types.
 Regardless of the setting, case managers help ensure that care is oriented to the client, while
controlling costs.

Research Consumer

 Nurses often use research to improve client care.

 Nurse need to:
 Have some awareness of the process and language of research
 Be sensitive to issues related to protecting the rights of human subjects
 Participate in the identification of significant researchable problems and
 Be a discriminating consumer of research findings

Expanded Career Roles

 Nurses are fulfilling expanded career roles such as those of NP, clinical nurse specialist, nurse
midwife, nurse educator, nurse researcher and nurse anesthetist, all of which allow greater
interdependence and autonomy.
10. Nurse Practitioner
 Has an advanced education and is a graduate of a nurse practitioner program.
 These nurses are certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in areas such as adult
gerontology, family, neonatal, pediatric, women’s health/gender related, or psychiatric-mental
health.
 They are employed in health care agencies or community-based settings.
 Those choosing the NP role with a pediatric or adult population focus must further select either
acute care or primary care.
 Acute care NPs often function in hospitals managing the care of critically ill patients.
 Primary care NPs practice in clinics, home and hospice care and specialty practices.

11. Clinical Nurse Specialist

 Has an advanced degree or expertise and is considered to be an expert in a specialized area of
practice (e.g., gerontology, oncology).
 The nurse provides direct client care, educates others, consults, conducts research, and
manages care.
 The American Nurses Credentialing Center provides national certification of clinical specialist.

12. Nurse Anesthetist

 Has completed advance education in an accredited program in anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist carries out preoperative visits and assessments, and administers general
anesthetics for surgery under the supervision of a physician prepared in anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist also assess the postoperative status of clients.

13. Nurse Midwife

 A nurse midwife has completed a program in midwifery and is certified by the American College
of Nurse Midwives.
 The nurse midwife gives prenatal and postnatal care and manages deliveries in normal
pregnancies.
 The midwife practices in association with a health care agency and can obtain medical services if
complications occur.
 The nurse midwife may also conduct routine Papanicolaou smears (pap smears), family planning,
and routine breast examinations.

14. Nurse Researcher

 Investigates nursing problems to improve nursing care and to refine and expand nursing
knowledge.
 They are employed in academic institutions, teaching hospitals, and research centers.
 Nurse researcher usually have advanced education at the doctoral level.

15. Nurse Administrator

  Manages client care including the delivery of nursing services.
 The administrator may have a middle management position including head nurse or a supervisor
or more senior management position, such as director of nursing services.
 The functions of nurse administrators include budgeting, staffing, and planning programs.
 The educational preparation is at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing and frequently master’s
or doctoral degree.

16. Nurse Educator

 Employed in nursing programs, at educational institutions, and in hospital staff education.
 Usually has a baccalaureate or more advanced preparation and frequently has expertise in a
particular area of practice
 Responsible for the classroom, and often clinical teaching.
 There is now a process to become a certified nurse educator (CNE).

17. Nurse Entrepreneur

 Usually has an advanced degree and manages a health- related business.
 The nurse may be involved in education, consultation, or research for example.

18.
Forensic Nurse
 Provides specialized care for individuals who are victims or perpetrators of trauma.
 Have knowledge of legal system and skills in injury identification, evaluation and documentation.
 After tending to the client’s medical needs, the forensic nurse collects evidence, provides medical
testimony in a variety of fields including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and
neglect, mistreatment of older adults, death investigation, and corrections.
 They may be called on in mass disasters or community crisis situations.
 Nurses complete a certification process to become a forensic nurse.

CRITERIA OF A PROFESSION

 Nursing is gaining recognition as a profession.

 A profession has been defined as an occupation that requires extensive education or a
calling that requires special knowledge, skill, and preparation.
 Professionalism refers to professional character, spirit or methods. It is a set of attributes,
a way of life that implies responsibility and commitment.
 Professionalization is the process of becoming professional, that is, of acquiring
characteristics considered to be professional.
 Profession is distinguished from other kinds of occupation
1. Specialized Education
2. Body of Knowledge
3. Service Orientation
4. Ongoing Research
5. Code of Ethics
6. Autonomy
7. Professional Organization

Health-Illness Continuum
 The individual’s state of health is one of the continual change
 Illustrates this process of change, in which the individual experiences various states of health
and illness (ranging from extremely good health to death) that fluctuate throughout his life.
 The health illness continuum is a graphic illustration of a well-being concept first proposed by
John W. Travis in 1972.
 It describes how well-being is more than simply an absence of illness but also incorporates the
individual’s mental and emotional health.
 Travis believed that the standard approach to medicines, which assumes a person is well when
there are no signs or symptoms of disease was insufficient.

 Most important is the direction the individual is facing on the pathway.

A. If towards high level of health, a person has genuinely optimistic or positive outlook despite
his/her health status.
B. If towards premature death, a person has genuinely pessimistic (always expects the worst) or
negative outlook about his/her health status.
 If treatment model is used, an individual can move right only to the neutral point.
 If wellness model is used, an individual can move past the neutral point.
 As we previously stated, health is just as life itself, it is a process of continual change and we
must continually adapt to these changes in our lives in order to maintain a good health and well-
being. It is our adaptation or response to that change, rather than the change itself, that affects
our health.
 Note: Death occurs when adaptation fails completely, and there is irreversible damage to the body.

Recipients of Nursing

1. Consumer – is an individual or group of people or community that uses a service or commodity.

2. Patient – is a person who is waiting for or undergoing medical treatment and care
3. Client – is a person who engages the advice or services of another who is qualified to provide this
service.

Scope of Nursing Practice

 Nurses provide care for 3 types of clients: individuals, families and communities.
 Nursing practice involves four areas:
1. Promoting Health and Wellness
 Wellness is a process that engages in activities and behaviors that enhance quality of life and
maximize personal potentials.
 Nurses promote wellness in clients who are both healthy and ill.
Examples:
 enhance health lifestyles
 preventing drug and alcohol misuse
 restricting smoking
 preventing accidents and injury in the home and workplace

2. Preventing Illness
 The goal of illness prevention program is to maintain optimal health by preventing disease.
Examples:
 Immunizations
 Prenatal and infant care
 Prevention of sexually transmitted disease
3. Restoring Health
 Restoring health focuses on the ill client, and it extends from the early detection of disease
through helping the client during the recovery period.
Examples:
 Providing direct care to the ill person, such as administering medications, baths, and
specific procedures and treatments.
 Performing diagnostic and assessment procedures such as measuring blood pressure
and examining feces for occult blood.
4. Caring for the Dying
 This area of nursing practice involves comforting and caring for people of all ages who are
dying. It includes helping client live as comfortable as possible until death and helping support
persons cope with death.

Standards of Nursing Practice

 Establishing and implementing standard of practice are major functions of a professional

organization.
 Purpose: To describe the responsibilities for which nurses are accountable.
  It is generic in nature, by using the nursing process as a foundation, and provide for the
practice of nursing regardless of area of specialization.

Role and Function of the Nurse

Caregiver

 The caregiver role has traditionally included those activities that assist the client physically and
psychologically while preserving the client’s dignity.
 The required nursing actions may involve full care, partial care, and supportive-educative care.
 Caregiving encompasses the physical, psychosocial, developmental, cultural, and spiritual levels.

Communicator

 Communication is integral to all nursing roles.

 Nurse identify client problems and then communicate these verbally or in writing to other
members of the health care team.
 The nurse must be able to communicate clearly and accurately

Teacher

 As a teacher, the nurse helps clients learn about their health and the health care procedures they
need to perform to restore or maintain their health.
 The nurse assess the client’s learning needs and readiness to learn
 Sets specific learning goals
 Enact teaching strategies
 Measures learnings

Client Advocate

 A client advocate acts to protect the client.

 The role may represent the client’s needs and wishes to other health professionals

Counselor

 Counselling is the process of helping a client to recognize and cope with stressful psychological or
social problems, to develop improved interpersonal relationships, and to promote personal
growth.
 The nurse counsels’ primarily healthy individuals with normal adjustment difficulties and focuses
on helping the person to develop new attitudes, feelings, and behaviors by encouraging the client
to look at alternate behaviors, recognize the choices, and develop a sense of control.

Change Agent

 Nurse act as a change agent when assisting clients to make modifications in their behavior.
 Nurses also often act to make changes in a system.

Leader

 Leader influences others to work together to accomplish a specific goal.

  Effective leadership is a learned process requiring an understanding of the needs and goals that
motivate people

Manager

 The nurse manages the nursing care of individuals, families, and communities.
 The nurse manager also delegates nursing activities to ancillary workers and other nurses,
supervises and evaluates their performance.
 Managing requires knowledge about organizational structure and dynamics, authority and
accountability, leadership, change theory, advocacy, delegation, supervision, and evaluation.

Case Manager

 Nurse case managers work with the multidisciplinary health care team to measure the
effectiveness of the case management plan and to monitor outcomes.
 Each agency or unit specifies the role of a nurse case manager.
 In some institutions, the case manager works with primary or staff nurses to oversee the care of
a specific caseload.
 In other agencies, the case manager is the primary nurse or provides some level of direct care to
the client and family.
 Insurance companies have also developed a number of roles for nurse case managers, and
responsibilities may vary from managing acute hospitalizations to managing high-cost clients or
case types.
 Regardless of the setting, case managers help ensure that care is oriented to the client, while
controlling costs.

Research Consumer

 Nurses often use research to improve client care.

 Nurse need to:
 Have some awareness of the process and language of research
 Be sensitive to issues related to protecting the rights of human subjects
 Participate in the identification of significant researchable problems and
 Be a discriminating consumer of research findings

Expanded Career Roles

 Nurses are fulfilling expanded career roles such as those of NP, clinical nurse specialist, nurse
midwife, nurse educator, nurse researcher and nurse anesthetist, all of which allow greater
interdependence and autonomy.
19. Nurse Practitioner
 Has an advanced education and is a graduate of a nurse practitioner program.
 These nurses are certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in areas such as adult
gerontology, family, neonatal, pediatric, women’s health/gender related, or psychiatric-mental
health.
 They are employed in health care agencies or community-based settings.
 Those choosing the NP role with a pediatric or adult population focus must further select either
acute care or primary care.
 Acute care NPs often function in hospitals managing the care of critically ill patients.
 Primary care NPs practice in clinics, home and hospice care and specialty practices.

20. Clinical Nurse Specialist

 Has an advanced degree or expertise and is considered to be an expert in a specialized area of
practice (e.g., gerontology, oncology).
 The nurse provides direct client care, educates others, consults, conducts research, and
manages care.
 The American Nurses Credentialing Center provides national certification of clinical specialist.

21. Nurse Anesthetist

 Has completed advance education in an accredited program in anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist carries out preoperative visits and assessments, and administers general
anesthetics for surgery under the supervision of a physician prepared in anesthesiology.
 The nurse anesthetist also assess the postoperative status of clients.

22. Nurse Midwife

 A nurse midwife has completed a program in midwifery and is certified by the American College
of Nurse Midwives.
 The nurse midwife gives prenatal and postnatal care and manages deliveries in normal
pregnancies.
 The midwife practices in association with a health care agency and can obtain medical services if
complications occur.
 The nurse midwife may also conduct routine Papanicolaou smears (pap smears), family planning,
and routine breast examinations.

23. Nurse Researcher

 Investigates nursing problems to improve nursing care and to refine and expand nursing
knowledge.
 They are employed in academic institutions, teaching hospitals, and research centers.
 Nurse researcher usually have advanced education at the doctoral level.

24. Nurse Administrator

 Manages client care including the delivery of nursing services.
 The administrator may have a middle management position including head nurse or a supervisor
or more senior management position, such as director of nursing services.
 The functions of nurse administrators include budgeting, staffing, and planning programs.
 The educational preparation is at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing and frequently master’s
or doctoral degree.

25. Nurse Educator

 Employed in nursing programs, at educational institutions, and in hospital staff education.
 Usually has a baccalaureate or more advanced preparation and frequently has expertise in a
particular area of practice
  Responsible for the classroom, and often clinical teaching.
 There is now a process to become a certified nurse educator (CNE).

26. Nurse Entrepreneur

 Usually has an advanced degree and manages a health- related business.
 The nurse may be involved in education, consultation, or research for example.

27.
Forensic Nurse
 Provides specialized care for individuals who are victims or perpetrators of trauma.
 Have knowledge of legal system and skills in injury identification, evaluation and documentation.
 After tending to the client’s medical needs, the forensic nurse collects evidence, provides medical
testimony in a variety of fields including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and
neglect, mistreatment of older adults, death investigation, and corrections.
 They may be called on in mass disasters or community crisis situations.
 Nurses complete a certification process to become a forensic nurse.

CRITERIA OF A PROFESSION

 Nursing is gaining recognition as a profession.

 A profession has been defined as an occupation that requires extensive education or a
calling that requires special knowledge, skill, and preparation.
 Professionalism refers to professional character, spirit or methods. It is a set of attributes,
a way of life that implies responsibility and commitment.
 Professionalization is the process of becoming professional, that is, of acquiring
characteristics considered to be professional.
 Profession is distinguished from other kinds of occupation
8. Specialized Education
9. Body of Knowledge
10. Service Orientation
11. Ongoing Research
12. Code of Ethics
13. Autonomy
14. Professional Organization

Health, Wellness and Illness

Health

 Presence of absence of disease.

 Nightingale defined it as a state of being well and using every power the individual possess to
the fullest extent.
 World Health Organization defined it as a complete physical, mental and social well-being and
not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.
Illness

 Defined as the ill health the person identifies themselves with, often based on self- reported
mental or physical symptom.
 In some cases this may mean only minor or temporary problems, but in other cases self-
reported illness might include severe health problems or acute sufferings.
 It may include health conditions that limit the person’s ability to lead a normal life. According to
this definition, illness is seen as a rather wide concept.

Disease

 A condition that is diagnosed by a physician or other medical expert.

 Ideally, this would include specific diagnosis according to the standardized and systematic
diagnostic tools.

Difference between Illness and Disease

 Illness – is subjective feelings of pain but there may be no identifiable condition behind the
feeling
 Disease – there is usually a pathological reason behind the discomfort, part of the body isn’t
working

Wellness

 An active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.
Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.
 According to WHO, it is a state of a complete physical, mental and social well-being and not
merely the absence of disease of infirmity.
 According to National Wellness Institute, it is a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of
achieving full potential

Why Wellness matter?

 Maintaining an optimal level of wellness is absolutely crucial to live a higher quality life.
Wellness matters because everything we do and every emotion we feel, related to our well-
being. In turn, our well-being directly affects our actions and emotions. It’s an ongoing circle.
Therefore, it is important for everyone to achieve optimal wellness in order to subdue stress,
reduce the risk of illness and ensure positive interactions.

8 Dimensions of Wellness

1. Emotional Wellness
 Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.
 Inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction, and the development of inner strength. It
is important to be attentive to both positive and negative feelings and be able to
understand how to handle these emotions.
 Includes the ability to learn and grow from experiences
  Encourages autonomy and proper decision making skills which is an important part of
overall wellness

Route to Emotional Wellness:

 Remind yourself to stay positive always.

 Smile.
 Seek or accept help and support from others when needed.
 Employ gratitude to your life in order to strengthen relationships with family and friends.
 Practice being mindful and increase your awareness. This can be done through various forms of
meditation.
 Accept mistakes and learn from them for next time. Mistakes are learning experiences.
 Balance your other dimensions of Wellness.

2. Environmental Wellness
 Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being.
 Inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings. This realm
encourages us to live in harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it.
 Promotes interaction with nature and your personal environment.
 Everyone can have a strong environmental conscious simply by raising their awareness.

Route to Environmental Wellness:

 Conserve energy.
 Recycle.
 Volunteer with environmental organizations.
 Become aware of Earth’s natural resources. Identify and understand the role of our natural
resources.
 Spend time outdoors and boost your vitamin D at the same time.

3. Financial Wellness
 Satisfaction with current and future financial situations.
 You are not the only one in the process of learning how to manage finances more efficiently.
There is an array of resources on and off campus workshop that guides you toward money-
managing success.
 Everyone’s financial situation is different, so it is up to you to select the proper mix of
resources that works best according to your needs.
 The most important point to remember is that maximizing financial wellness is a process
that does not occur immediately.
 Be proactive by seeking related sources and learning about money-managing strategies to
build your financial wellness.

Route to Financial Wellness:

 Don’t put it off – identify and address any financial problems before they start.
 Keep organized records of your finances.
  Take advantage of student discounts.
 Plan ahead and set budget goals.
 Balance your other dimensions of Wellness, they all tie in to financial wellness as well.

4. Intellectual Wellness
 Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.
 Arranges us to engage in creative and mentally stimulating activities. These activities
should expand your knowledge and skills while allowing you to share it with others.
 Can be developed through academics, cultural involvement, community involvement,
and personal hobbies.
 As it develops, you are able to develop personal resources that work together with the
other realms of wellness in order to achieve more balanced life.

Route to Intellectual Wellness:

 Be open-minded.
 Listen. When you participate in active listening, you are able to fully comprehend the
information that is being given to you.
 Pick up a hobby. Hobbies are great ways to increase your skill set. They can also be fun.
 Travel. The best way to gain knowledge as well as an appreciation for another culture is to
experience it yourself.
 Express your creative side by exploring different avenues of creativity and artistic expressions.

5. Occupational Wellness
 Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work.
 Inspires us to prepare for work in which we will gain personal satisfaction and find
enrichment in our life.
 Your attitude about work is a crucial influence for occupational development.
 Allows you to explore various career options and encourages you to pursue the
opportunities you enjoy the most.
 This dimension of wellness recognizes the importance of satisfaction, enrichment and
meaning through work.

Route to Occupational Wellness:

 Reflect on yourself and your occupational needs. What occupational tasks do you enjoy? What
occupational tasks do you find burdensome?
 Explore both paid and un-paid work and volunteer opportunities that interest you.
 Practice open communication and proper conflict management with your colleagues.
 Set realistic career goals for yourself and constantly work towards accomplishing these goals.

6. Physical Wellness
 Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep.
 Promotes proper care of our bodies for optimal health and functioning.
  There are many elements of physical wellness that all must be cared for together.
Overall physical wellness encourages the balance of physical activity, nutrition and
mental well-being to keep your body in top condition.
 Obtaining an optimal level of physical wellness allows you to nurture personal
responsibility for your own health.
 As you become conscious of your physical health, you are able to identify the elements
you are successful in as well as elements you would like to improve.

Route to Physical Wellness:

 Engage in physical activity everyday for 30 minutes. You may break up your daily 30 minutes
into 10 minutes bouts.
 Use stairs instead of the elevator or escalator and walk whenever possible.
 Learn to recognize warning signs when your body begins feeling ill.
 Eat a variety of healthy foods and control your meal portions.
 Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
 Practice safe sex.

7. Social Wellness
 Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.
 Refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others.
 Our relationships can offer support during difficult times.
 Involves building healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships as well as fostering a
genuine connection with those around you.
 Conscious actions are important in learning how to balance your social life with your
academic and professional lives.
 Includes balancing the unique needs of romantic relationships with other parts of your life.

Route to Social Wellness:

 Reflect on yourself and your social needs. What aspects of your social life do you enjoy? What
parts would you like to improve?
 Make an effort to keep in touch with supportive friends and family.
 Practice self-disclosure.
 Participate in group discussions and practice active listening.
 Join a club or organization.

8. Spiritual Wellness
 Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
 Allows us to be in tune with our spiritual selves.
 This realm of wellness let us find meaning in life events and define our individual
purpose.
 Defined through various factors including religious faith, values, ethics, and morals.
 Regardless of whether you believe in a particular religious faith, there is always
something to be learned about how you see yourself in the world.
Route to Spiritual Wellness:

 Explore your inner self. Take time to think about who you are.
 If you experienced a life-changing event, take a few minutes to think about what series of events
led to this.
 Spend time meditating or practicing mindful relaxation.
 Practice acceptance.
 Be curious. If something happens that makes you even the slightest bit curious, take a moment
to explore the experience a little deeper.
 Look for a religious faith that you agree with.