Reallocating power

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Professional Governance

Background:

• The nursing profession faces a critical crossroads, necessitating a reevaluation of its professional identity and practice environment.
• A significant portion of nurses practice within hospital settings, presenting unique challenges for management.
• The core tenets of a profession include accountability, articulated practice, and defined quality of care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical juncture facing the nursing profession.
• To emphasize the need for revised support structures to foster a professional practice environment.
• To underscore the importance of professional governance in nursing management.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of the nursing profession's status.
• Examination of the requirements for professional practice environments.
• Discussion of the role of nursing management in implementing professional governance.

Main Results:

• Nursing must either redefine itself as a profession or abandon the claim.
• Implementing professional governance is crucial for establishing a professional practice environment.
• Nursing management plays a pivotal role in this transition.

Conclusions:

• Nursing management must actively address the challenges to professional practice.
• Adoption of professional governance is essential for nursing's future as a profession.
• Failure to adapt will compromise nursing's professional standing.