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Published on: June 21, 2010
Professional citizenship in nursing
1Professor Emerita, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA.
Background:
Although guideposts for professional citizenship are sparse, numerous associations and documents guiding nursing education and practice (including The Essentials) acknowledge the critical role of professional citizenship.
Purpose:
Nurses must understand why professional citizenship matters and educators must intgegrate strategies to promote professional citizenship across all levels of the curricula.
Methods:
Six strategies to promote professional citizenship in nursing are identified.
Discussion:
Professional citizenship, defined as actively engaging professionally in nursing as well as broader communities, to identify and seek out solutions to enduring social problems, is declining in nursing. This has occurred despite deep roots in nursing's history supporting professional citizenship. Changing generational values with different patterns of participation, behaviors, and professional priorities contribute to the decline.
Conclusion:
Professional citizenship should be an expectation, not a choice. Without it, nurses lose the power of a collective voice as well as opportunities to address social justice, health equity, upholding human rights, patient advocacy, and healthcare reform.
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