Perception of public and nurses on the characteristics of a nurse and nursing profession
Table of Contents
The public stereotypical view of characteristics of a nurse and nursing. 4
Nurse views regarding necessary characteristics of nurse and nursing. 5
Introduction
The proficiency of the nurses using education and innovation have recognized to be a focus on significant discussion in nursing history. Globally, nurses have made themselves highly professionals through knowledge by developing nursing guidelines as well as protocols. Despite development towards professionalization, it is studied that nurses are not recognized and given respect for their skills by most of the public. The public image of nurses is portrayed in an advertisement negatively, so different perception is built regarding nurses by different people which includes public, new nurses, patients and even nurses itself (Rose & Schaubhut, 2015). This paper aims to compare the public stereotypical view of characteristics critically if a nurse and nursing against the nurse view of are necessary characteristics of a nurse and nursing.
Nurse and nursing
Nurses are one of the essential parts of a medical team that cares for patients and helps the physicians in the medical procedures in medical clinics and hospitals. On the other hand, nursing is the protection, promotion, and improvement of health along with the prevention of injury and treatment of human responses. Nurses are seen providing direct care to patients in several settings, which includes hospitals and community settings. It also serves the community and provides leadership. Nurses are further seen conducting research’s on hard science on the depth of topics that are aimed to improvise the health.
Moreover, the nurse helps in improving community health and take care of patients by policymaking, implementation of system and advocacy. Lastly, it can also be stated that nursing is an inspiring and rewarding career which deal with tough parts like stress, long hours and struggling to give time for family. Nursing is an expectational people who perform remarkable life-changing things (Summers & Summers, 2014).
Characteristics of A Nurse
There are various characteristics of a nurse, which helps them to excel in their profession and encounter success. There are some qualities of a good nurse, which makes them appropriate for their job. Good communication skills, passionate for helping others, hardworking, etc. are some of the characteristics of a nurse.
A Caring Nature
The best nurses are the ones who truly and deeply take care of the patients with whom they are working with. Moreover, nurses must have the quality to comfort and support people who are ill, scared and vulnerable. Respecting the privacy of the patients and making them feel wanted are also some of the habits of nursing which makes them a successful nurse (Rowlinson, 2012).
Be a Good Communicator
The job of a nurse is surrounded by a various supportive community which is present whenever needed. It is thus very essential for the nurse to possess effective communication skills to communicate ideas and views with one another. The lack of communication skills might bring lots of issues and hinder, providing care to vulnerable patients.
Be Hard-Working
The nurse must not only be a constant learner but needs to possess a hard-working skill. One of the main reasons that nurses get fired from their job is the relaxing habit of nurses. Nurses need to be passionate regarding their job and motivate patients with their work (Karabacak & et al., 2012).
The Public Stereotypical View of the Characteristics of a Nurse and Nursing
The advertising industry has entered in millions of people’s lives and has projected stereotypes to different socio-cultural aspects. The social communication media transmit a sexist representation of the female gender, which has produced an adverse impact on women and in society. Among the sexist forms in which women are represented in the advertising and movies, there are often seen appearing in the uniform of nurses, which includes white skirt, apron, and cap. Such ways of representing nurses in media are not by reality and are not even convenient for the social image of nurses. The impacts of the stereotypes, as well as biasness of communication media regarding the nurses, are highly responsible for the decline in the image of the nurses in the opinion of the public. The nursing’s gendered as well as the racialized image represents the formidable barrier for retention and recruitment (Mason, 2012). The common perception of the demographics of nursing is not correct, and nursing women are stereotyped as single, Caucasian and under the age of 35 who are looking for a male physician as a husband. In addition to that, since nurses possess a central role to provide higher quality care to the patients, the shortage of nurses globally leads to major issues in the safety of patients. This even deteriorates the image of the nurse and leads to barriers (Ten Hoeve, Jansen & Roodbol, 2013). Apart from the other public, nursing students even have a variant perception of the profession of nursing. The misperception of the nursing profession is also considered as the main reason which has led to the erosion of nursing students. The mismatch of expectation, reality, and unmet expectations have made the newly graduated nurses leave their jobs. The perception of the nursing profession is seen changing as at the beginning of the nursing education, students view nurses and nursing in an idealistic manner, but when students proceed with their studies, there is a change in perception.
Nurse Views Regarding Necessary Characteristics of Nurse and Nursing
The nurses describe their job as a person who possesses a suitable attitude and characteristics for nursing and calls to be a nurse. Moreover, the nurse must have effective education, working skills and theoretical competencies needed in the profession. The nurse views that nursing work requires a positive and open-minded attitude and must be willing to execute nursing care. Nurse perceive that their profession must stay positive even in pressure and must have given attention to the needs of patients. The adaptation of the change is another essential characteristic of a nurse wherein they must be ready to work overtime and skip the breaks.
Moreover, nurses perceive that they need to be social, healthy and pedantic and must have the ability to cope with stress (Schmidt, 2013). Apart from other such qualities, proper education is equally needed as enough math and language skills are highly essential in the work of nursing. Nurses also perceive that common sense and practical knowledge are also equally needed in the profession of a nurse. It is also necessary for the nurses to have acknowledgment regarding all the laws and regulations which guide the work along with rights and responsibilities. The detailed knowledge regarding hygiene, medication, anatomy, equipment, and diseases are also considered as essential in the profession of nursing. It is further stated that professional nursing skills, management skills, and communication skills are highly required in the nursing job and lack of such knowledge might lead nurses to attain failure in providing quality work.
Comparison of stereotypical public view and nurse view upon the characteristics of a nurse and nursing
It had been analyzed from the above discussion that different views and perceptions are prevailing for the characteristics of nurses and nursing. On the one hand, the public has made a stereotypical view regarding nurses and preview them as one who is tools to attract the male gender. On the other hand, nurses find themselves as the person who is dedicated to their work and stay positive in any circumstances. The wrong impost ring of nurses in movies, advertisement, and other social media have severely declined their image. The decline in the quality work due to lack of nurses further brings a negative view upon the characteristics of nursing. However, the nurses view their job as one who helps others and ready to perform their job at any cost (Suhonen & et al., 2017). The nursing graduates further have different views upon this profession and finds it more difficult and challenging. The change in perception is seen due to different experiences and views upon this profession. Hence, it can be stated after the comparison of the different perception that the nursing profession is a novel job, but social media have imposture the image of nurses.
Conclusion
The purpose of this essay is to critically compare the stereotypical public views of the characteristics of a nurse and nursing against the nurse views of the necessary characteristics of a nurse and nursing. The nurse is a significant part of the medical team who looks after patients and performs every possible activity of medical clinics and hospitals. Nursing is termed as one of the tough professions which perform significant things. The caring nature, good communication skills, and hardworking ability are some of the characteristics of nurses, which helps them to excel in their profession. It is analyzed that the public possesses a stereotypical view regarding the characteristics or nurse as they are highly influenced by an advertisement which portrays a negative image. However, in a real situation, nurses are highly disciplined person who follows strict laws and regulations and performs their job in a significant manner. Hence, it is stated that the government must ban that advertisement, which portrays the negative image of the nurses. This can help the nursing profession to achieve a greater number of nurses as a negative image of nurses does not even motivate the new graduates to join their jobs.
References
Karabacak, U. & et.al. (2012). Image of nursing held by nursing students according to gender: a qualitative study. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 18, 537-544.
Mason, J.W. (2012). Nurses focus on patient need and personal values to deliver customer satisfaction. Nursing Management, 29(9), 31.
Rose, M., & Schaubhut. M. (2015). Nurse’s perception of unit quality and policy involvement in three Louisian hospitals. Journal of Health Management and Policy, 3(2), 11-13
Rowlinson, L. (2012). The lived experience of being a nurse from a male and female perspective. British Journal of Nursing, 22(4), 218-222.
Schmidt, L. (2013). Patient’s perception of nursing care in the hospital setting. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 44(4), 393-399.
Suhonen, R. & et.al. (2017). European orthopedic and trauma patients‟ perception of nursing care, a comparative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 10(2), 22-23.
Summers, S. & Summers, H.J. (2014). Saving lives: why the media’s portrayal of nurses puts us all at risk. 2nd Edition. New York: Kaplan Publishing.
Ten Hoeve, Y., Jansen, G. & Roodbol, P. (2013). The nursing profession: public image, self-concept and professional identity. A discussion papers. Journal of Advanced Nursing,23(5),2-5.