Enough is enough

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Professions
• Nursing Studies
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The nursing profession is often perceived as a vocation driven by passion rather than a skilled occupation.
• This perception overlooks the significant stress and responsibility inherent in nursing roles.
• A disconnect exists between the public/governmental view of nursing and its professional realities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To articulate the need for a nursing strike from a seasoned professional's perspective.
• To challenge the governmental undervaluing of nursing as merely a vocation.
• To emphasize nursing as a qualified profession demanding recognition for its stress and responsibilities.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative reflection based on 36 years of nursing experience.
• Analysis of the societal and governmental perception of nursing.
• Argumentation for professional re-evaluation and potential industrial action.

Main Results:

• A veteran nurse expresses a willingness to strike, signaling a critical point in professional dissatisfaction.
• The study highlights a persistent societal view of nursing as solely a "vocation."
• There is a clear call to recognize nursing as a demanding, professional job requiring adequate compensation and respect.

Conclusions:

• The long-standing perception of nursing as a "vocation" is detrimental to the profession's recognition and well-being.
• Urgent re-evaluation of nursing's professional status, stress, and responsibilities by policymakers is necessary.
• Industrial action, such as striking, is being considered as a last resort to achieve professional respect and fair treatment for nurses.