Professional Identity in Nursing : Raising the Standard By Debra Liebig and Nelda Godfrey
This article is a reprint from Imprint April / May 2022
N ursing is embarking on a new journey : a global initiative to define and understand what professional identity means . The term professional identity is already imbedded in other fields such as pharmacy , occupational and physical therapy , and medicine . The time has come for nursing to understand and develop its own language in professional identity . So , what is it that defines this within the nursing discipline ?
What is Professional Identity ? Professional identity in Nursing is defined as “ a sense of oneself , and in relationship to others , that is influenced by the characteristics , norms and values of the nursing discipline , resulting in an individual thinking , acting and feeling like a nurse ” ( Godfrey & Young , 2021 , p . 363 ). These authors also clearly state that there are five attributes that describe this : Doing , Being , Acting Ethically , Flourishing , and Changing Identities . Nursing continues to change and evolve as we work to conceptualize how to integrate this into both academia and practice . As we embark on this transformational journey , let ’ s explore how this movement started .
Background Let ’ s first look back to see what is ahead . In 2018 , 50 nurses came together to discuss and examine the core building blocks of professional identity . The group worked on key concepts ; as a result , they were able to create a visual representation called the “ Tree of Impact ”. ( Figure 1 ) Based on that initial meeting , 11 of these leaders chose to serve as a Steering Group to assist with the work identified during the think tank process . This included the work around the structure , defined key elements , dissemination , and most importantly the domains with definitions .
Due to the high volume of interest , a second think tank was convened in 2019 to further clarify the domains along with key competencies . In 2020 , based on the continued work , the Steering Group evolved into the Nursing Advisory Council and the effort was named the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing ( ISPIN ). The work of this group continues today with the finalization of the conceptual model , testing and instrument development , publications , presentations , the development of a white paper and the work of the individual committees reporting to the Advisory Council .
Four Domains The work of this group has identified four core principles that make up the foundational domains of nursing ’ s professional identity . ( Figure 2 ) They are Values and Ethics , Knowledge , Nurse as Leader , and Professional Comportment . Each domain is essential and builds upon the other three . Let ’ s examine them further .
Values and Ethics : This domain is about the personal and professional standards that guide your conduct and includes concepts such as integrity , accountability , credibility , advocacy , compassion , and respect as listed in the American Nurses Association ( ANA ) Code of Ethics . ISPIN defines it as “ Values are a sense of what is important in a person ’ s life , organization , and profession . Ethics are moral principles or set of rules that govern behavior or conduct of a person , group , or culture . Ethics and values together lay the foundation for sustainability .” ( University of Kansas School of Nursing , 2018 ) It is a reminder that your actions speak louder than your words .
The National Student Nurses ’ Association ( NSNA ) has its own comprehensive Code of Ethics and Core Values and encourages chapters to adopt the NSNA Code of Ethics for their nursing programs .
Knowledge : This domain is defined as the “ analysis and application of information derived from nursing and other disciplines , experiences , critical reflection and scientific discovery .” ( University of Kansas School of Nursing , 2018 ) It includes key concepts such as mindset , innovation , clinical judgment , and reflection . This domain starts upon entry into nursing school and continues throughout our tenure as we are life-long learners .
Nurse as Leader : Leadership is “ the ability of nurses at all levels to motivate self and others to transform vision into reality ” ( University of Kansas
36 NSNA IMPRINT • FEBRUARY / MARCH 2023 • www . nsna . org