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Professional identity in nursing: are we there yet?
1School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom. n.andrew@gcal.ac.uk
Nurse Education Today
|April 26, 2012
Summary
UK nursing is advancing in higher education, aiming for graduate status. Professional identity is evolving through guidelines, regulation, and community involvement, moving nursing towards a distinct contemporary role.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Professional Identity
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) has been integrated into higher education for over ten years.
- The nursing profession is transitioning towards achieving graduate status.
- There is a growing emphasis on professional regulation and adherence to best practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolving identity of the nursing profession in the UK.
- To examine the role of higher education in shaping contemporary nursing practice.
- To understand how professional guidelines and community engagement influence nursing's future.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current trends in UK nursing higher education.
- Review of professional body regulations and good practice guidelines.
- Assessment of community involvement in shaping nursing identity.
Main Results:
- Nursing in the UK is increasingly recognized as an academic discipline within higher education.
- Professional identity is being actively shaped by regulatory frameworks and community input.
- Undergraduate nursing programs are designed to elevate the profession's status and distinctiveness.
Conclusions:
- UK nursing is solidifying its position as a graduate-level profession.
- The integration with higher education and community engagement are key drivers of professional evolution.
- Nursing is moving from the periphery of medicine to a recognized, contemporary identity.
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