Public relations. Part I, A skill for nurses

Public relations is a part of marketing. It is concerned with the promotion of a positive image of organizations and individuals. In this two-part series, the authors discuss how nurse administrators, managers, intrapreneurs, and entrepreneurs can use public relations strategies and techniques to advance their careers, organizations, and the profession. Although JONA readers may be familiar with many of these strategies, nurse administrators may wish to use the series to make their entire professional nurse staff aware of the value of the public relations process when it is operationalized throughout the nursing division. Part I describes the development of public relations, its role in marketing, nursing's publics, and the steps of the public relations process. It ends with the application of this process to career development.