Professional Identity : Passion That Keeps Nurses Coming Back By Shelby Foster
There have been many times when individuals both inside and outside of health care have questioned what keeps nurses inspired . They have asked why nursing students like me and others across the United States continue to go into a profession that requires working countless hours with limited appreciation for our efforts and the risk that mistakes could lead to serious adverse outcomes . Many have feared there would be a decrease in the number of students earning nursing degrees following events such as COVID19 ( Chan et al ., 2021 ). However , the American Association of Colleges of Nursing ( 2022 ), reported a 3.3 % increase in enrollment for 2021 baccalaureate nursing programs despite the pandemic . A similar trend is seen in Doctor of Nursing Practice ( DNP ) programs , which prepare nurses for practice at the highest level . Although burnout and compassion fatigue have acted like viruses within the nursing profession , nurses continuously return to the patient because of the many facets of their professional identity .
Dating Back to Nightingale Concern with the term professional identity is recent , but its characteristics date back to Florence Nightingale . During the Crimean War , Nightingale cared for soldiers ; later , she established the first nursing school that recognized nurses do more than complete tasks ( Alexander , 2019 ). She recognized nurses ’ potential to care expertly by using critical thinking skills and transformational leadership . Nightingale may have been the first individual to exemplify professionalism and a strong professional identity ; however , nurses who have succeeded her have continued to clarify what it means to care for the whole person ( Sanford , 2012 ). These same individuals have contributed to nursing becoming the most trusted profession compared to all others ( Lagasse , 2022 ).
Recent Examples of Professional Identity During COVID19 , nurses were called “ heroes ” clad not in stereotypical superhero garb , but in N95 masks and gowns ( Morin & Baptiste , 2020 ). They worked long hours , endured pressure wounds on their faces from masks , and gave up living with their families to keep those they loved safe . There were also many other instances during this time in which nurses acted as advocates outside hospitals to demand change within the health care system , namely , by providing personal protective equipment ( PPE ) for the individuals working to care for COVID patients .
A more recent example of a nurse advocating for change in the health care system is that of RaDonda Vaught . This former Tennessee nurse gave a powerful paralytic injection rather than a sedative with a similar name to a patient leading to the patient ’ s untimely death . The event uncovered unethical actions taken by the hospital , including actively covering up the incident and failing to advocate for Vaught . It also revealed gaps in the medication retrieval system at the hospital . Vaught has taken ownership for the role she had in this patient ’ s death and reported the grievous error immediately , but the event has revealed ways the system continues to fail nurses ( Kelman , 2022 ). Following the verdict of criminally negligent homicide for a medication error , nursing students and nurses alike worry about the implications that will come if they commit medication errors . They also question if nursing is the profession for them .
In this situation , one important quality of nursing was clear : professional identity . The concept is defined as “ a sense of oneself , in relationship with others , that is influenced by the characteristics , norms and values of the nursing discipline , resulting in the individual thinking , acting and feeling like a nurse ” ( Godfrey & Young , 2021 , p . 363 ).
The nurses serving in hospitals during the climax of COVID19 advocated for family members to be with their loved ones when poor outcomes loomed . They also thought critically about what interventions would be the most beneficial , practicing beneficence , an important pillar of ethics . Vaught showed her sense of professional identity by exhibiting humility , empathy , integrity , and courage as she owned her mistakes . Although she missed crucial steps in the medication administration process , she held true to the discipline ’ s values when recognizing her shortcomings . Both nursing students and professional nurses will use these scenarios to build upon the value of having a strong professional identity in the world of health care .
30 NSNA IMPRINT • APRIL / MAY 2022 • www . nsna . org