Nursing Professionalism

When I hear the word “professional the picture it brings to my mind’s eye is:

A man thirty years my senior, five foot four, piercing hazel eyes, thin lips, furrowed brow, straight back, three piece suit without a wrinkle and a perfectly executed tie with a small, classic, tie pin. Shiny brown laced shoes; right hand in pant pocket jingling coins gently is the only outward sign of less than perfectly calm nerves. I am walking down a long row of desks three deep on either side and into my Fathers glassed front office at Office Park, Commercial Union Insurance Group. Daddy would be standing there, L&M cigarette in hand, glaring at all his “young men” (underwriters) and as I am walking down the row I hear the whispers…”That’s Caesars daughter…” echoing behind me.

Now, do not get me wrong, he was not really a Caesar, he never raised his voice, and he never barked orders or pointed his fingers. He would just ask one time, then he told the second time and on the third telling that was it, if not followed, that person would no longer have a job. He was fair but he was strict. He did not turn his back and look the other way if there were problems, he saw them, and he expected the problems resolved immediately. That sounds harsh? That sounds dictatorial? But he had his job to do as well as making sure the underwriters did their jobs. If not, then my Dad was held responsible. A professional leads by example. My Dad never asked his workers to do something he was not able to do and he expected it to be done. if it wasn’t, then that person was asked to leave.

The meaning of professional is not only a set of values, a code of ethics, a standard of care but it is a desire to act and live and BE all that professional implies at all times. It is not a uniform that comes on and off depending on the work schedule. It is not a fake smile plastered on in front of strangers, would be clients or state surveyors. It is a selfless desire to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is just the gut wrenching NEED to help. Being professional carries with it a huge responsibility to be responsible for your own actions, to follow through, to take on only as much as you can complete but also to work a team with every part of your heart and soul. Being responsible is not about the money, it is not about accolades or public reward. It is a lifelong commitment to serve, to learn, to instruct, to protect. One quote I found while researching for this questionnaire is as follows:

"A professional is someone who has practised and studied so much, that he/she can be relied upon to do the right thing and say the right thing, automatically, confidently and spontaneously, while under the pressure of the moment and do it without conscious forethought or effort."
In an effort to be as professional as I aspire to be I would have to rate my own professionalism as a “work in progress”. I must admit that although I have always wanted and have always tried to be the best nurse I can be, I know that I have not increased my professionalism nor have I been a credit to my profession my whole career. It was not until I attempted and achieved my certification that the word even seemed to fit the image I had of myself. Once I was in graduate school the words and images of being a professional nurse finally began to cement itself into my consciousness and I returned to the reason I went into nursing in the first place, which was to help. I believe that being a professional means putting someone else’s needs above your own, that what you do is done for the good of someone else, not to make yourself look good or to act better than anyone else.

I want to be an example, I want to be in control, I want to be able to direct and work well under pressure. However, if I attempt too many tasks at one time, if I feel overwhelmed or unable to accomplish all my work in a timely manner then I break. I can do a lot of different things and I am a skilled technician of many different skills, but I cannot maintain a continuous marathon of never ending tasks. I do my best when I have a set of step by step things that must be accomplished and continuously monitored in order to benefit the entire community as a whole.

I know that I am a good nurse,

I know that I am service oriented,

I know that what I do I do out of love for humans who cannot help themselves,

I know that the Higher Power gave me a purpose and nursing is that purpose.

But, I am not ready to “graduate” so to speak. I know I have a lot more to learn and I do love to learn!
barbara bethard