Nursing as a profession
Fiona Cooper
Secondary School Nurse, Department of Human Services, Benalla VIC
PP: 200 - 205
Abstract
The issue of nursing as a profession is extremely complex, challenging and problematic. An issue in which the energy and time of nursing leaders has been, and will continue, I believe, to be well spent.
The history of nursing is intricately woven into the history of women, the powerless positions they have occupied, their struggle to be recognised and ultimately to have their value affirmed, both as nurses and females. It is a history involving social class interaction and about political and economic change.
A number of nurses do believe that an inordinate and excessive amount of time has been spent on this issue and that nurses are continuing to follow a patriarchal ideology in their pursuit of professionalism. Others believe that our energies would be better consumed in the straight redirection of our focus towards our roles in the community. Many nurses simply do not think about the issue at all.
Keywords
professionalism; horizontal violence
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