PROFESSIONAL NURSING RESEARCH PAPER 1

Professional Nursing Research Paper

Bailey K. Ulmer

University of Charleston
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Nursing, in my opinion, is a professional occupation where a person not only assists in

diagnosing a patients illness, but also cares for the emotions and feelings of the patient as well

as the patients family and other personnel. A nurse also aids in the prevention of illness and

injury and attempts to make a decision that is best suited for each patient based on the

information provided. They follow certain standards to make sure that the care that they provide

meets the patients need on not just a physical level, but also on a mental level. In this

occupation, an individual must be able to put aside their own personal beliefs and standards to

care for any patient that comes through the door. They must not discriminate against any patient

based on their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, etc. Nurses must also be able to inform

patients about different treatments and options without pushing his or her own beliefs onto the

patient. They should be involved in the community and aid in promoting environmental health

and safety within the community (Association, Health and Safety , 2016). All of these qualities

define the occupation of nursing.

Medicine and nursing originated around 400 BC when Hippocrates, also known as the

father of medicine, began to change societys focus on the diagnosis of illness and disease. He

was the first to treat and diagnose patients based on each individuals symptoms rather than the

ideas of illness (Catalano, 2015). However, the Roman Empire (around 290 BC) is where the

medical field flourished. Many advancements in the medical field, such as advances in medicine

and pharmacology, increase in awareness of harmful substances, advances in both clean water

systems and sewage disposal, and the beginning of early hospitals, originated during this time

period (Catalano, 2015). During this time, many nurses were males; however, during the

Renaissance, around 1350 AD, the number of male nurses began to decline and women started to

become the majority of nurses. With an increase in disease and illness due to cramped living
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conditions, early nurse training programs were started during the Industrial Revolution (1760-

1840) (Catalano, 2015). In the United States, many changes in nursing came from the rise of war

and the demand for the need of healthcare professionals. However, during the Great Depression

the sizes of hospitals increased because many people could not afford home care; before the

Great Depression 90% of nursing care was performed in a home setting (Catalano, 2015). Since

then there has been a great increase in hospital care, an improvement in the education of nurses,

and great advances in technology. Currently, the main role of nurses is health promotion and

illness prevention (Catalano, 2015). Although there are many other roles that a nurse holds, such

as treatment of a patient, health promotion and illness prevention is seen as one of the most

important roles in todays society. Nurses are now see by society as caregivers as well as a means

of representation in each individuals health. Many responsibilities are held by nurses including

assessment of patients, respecting the privacy of each and every patient, administering the

correct medicine if necessary, and treating every patient with the same care and respect.

Within the field of nursing, there are many different educational pathways that an

individual can follow to become a professional nurse. These different pathways vary in length,

content, and orientation. If a person were to follow the educational path of becoming a licensed

practical or vocational nurse, they would go through a nine to twelve month educational program

where they would learn skills and the how rather than they why (Catalano, 2015). These types of

nurses practice under the supervision of registered nurses or physicians. Associate degree nursing

programs last two years and are found mostly at junior and community colleges (Catalano,

2015). A four year Bachelor of Science in nursing degree is another educational path. Along with

the many different educational pathways, there also many different opportunities within the field

for employment and advancements. In nursing there is room for advancement through either
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ladder programs or master-level education. Through ladder programs nurses can become a more

educated nurse based on the educational pathway that they chose (Catalano, 2015). In order to

gain a master-level education, however, the nurse must have a BSN degree to continue their

education. This way of advancement is usually used specialize in a certain area. Doctoral

programs are also a means of higher education in nursing, however, only about 2% of nurses

gain this doctorate degrees (Catalano, 2015).

Nursing licensure and certification are completed after a nursing student graduates and

before they enter the field of nursing. There are many types of licensures and certifications that

each have different requirements. Mandatory licensure requires the individual to pass a licensure

exam and SBN registration to practice nursing while institutional licensure determines which

individuals are qualified to practice by the use of guidelines and allows foreign graduate nurses

to work without taking a licensure exam (Catalano, 2015). Institutional licensure is rejected by

every major nursing organization. The National Council Licensure Examination measures

nursing competency and is required for state licensure. In regards to certification, there is

individual certification as well as organizational certification and advanced practice certification

(Catalano, 2015). Each of these certification process have varying standards.

To uphold the many standards and expectancies of nursing, nursing organizations were

created and each have a different function. The National League of Nursing (NLN) maintains

and improved the standards of nursing education while the American Association of Colleges of

Nursing (AACN) aims to improve the standards of higher nursing education (Catalano, 2015).

The American Nursing Association (ANA) improves health standards and access to health care,

improves and maintains the high standards for nursing, professional growth and development of

nursing, and the code of ethics for nursing (Catalano, 2015). The National Student Nurses
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Association (NSNA) represents the needs of student nurses and the International Council of

Nurses (ICN) aims to improve health and nursing world-wide (Catalano, 2015).

The code of ethics for nursing is a set of rules and guidelines that are set in place in

ensure that nurse treat ever patient with compassion and with the same amount of respect no

matter the color of the patients skin, the patients ethnicity, gender, or religion (Association,

2016). This code is used throughout the practice of nursing to also make sure that each nurse is

able to put aside their own beliefs in order to make the best decision for a patient if needed

(Association, 2016). Although these guidelines are set, a growing issue in the field of nursing is

incivility. Incivility in nursing is when a nurse treats a patient with disrespect of poorly, does not

show compassion when necessary, any acts of rudeness, cyber-bullying and bullying, or belittling

a patient, co-worker, boss, or any other person that he or she may come in contact with (Luparell,

2011). Incivility can have many effects on patients and other nurses within the field. It can cause

a nurse to not want to work in the field of nursing anymore, a patient to complain to the hospital,

or even the amount and quality of care that a patient receives (Catalano, 2015). This issue not

only applies to nurses and the way they treat patients, but also the relationships between nurses

and doctors and well as nurses and other nurses (Association, Health and Safety , 2016).

However, this problem of incivility is also seen in classroom settings. Incivility in a classroom is

cutting classes, not coming prepared to classes, cheating on test and homework assignments,

harassing and threatening by students to teachers regarding grade, and using cell phones during

lectures (Catalano, 2015). Incivility begins in the classroom setting and continues into the field

of nursing. If incivility is started and not stopped while a student is in nursing school, then it is

likely to happen by that same person in the work field (Luparell, 2011).
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Resources

Association, A. N. (2016). About the Code. Retrieved from American Nurses