Title: Professionalism in nursing on indian context
Abstract:
Introduction: Understanding the cognitive base of professionalism renders to attain common consensus of concept, attributes, and indicators of professionalism in nursing. The study is aimed to define professionalism, its attributes and identify the indicators of professionalism in nursing in the Indian context.
Methodology: A qualitative-phenomenological study was conducted in four selected tertiary healthcare institutions each one from autonomous, central and state governments as well as from the private sector in NCT of Delhi. The stakeholders (n=40) composing of 28 nurse professionals and 12 nursing students selected by random selection through computer generated numbers participated in the study. The semi-structured interview schedule consisting of three open-ended questions was developed by the researcher and validated by the experts. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institute Ethics Committee. Semi-structured interview was conducted on one to one basis and recorded digitally.
Results: Ethics, professional values, legal aspects, communication skills and interpersonal relationship and professional development emerged as domains of professionalism. Work within ethical boundaries, ethical principles, caring, respect to the individual, honesty and integrity, fidelity, morality, advocacy, professional conduct, practice in accordance with law, effective communication with patients, family members and team members, assertiveness, competency, professional accountability and professional autonomy, following standards and innovation and research were inferred attributes of professionalism.
Conclusion: The study highlights the concept and attributes of professionalism in the Indian context. The inferred attributes need to be clearly stated with appropriate instructional strategies and assessment methods and incorporated in the existing B.Sc. Nursing curriculum for professional value training.
Keywords: Professionalism, professional values, ethics, professional conduct, and professional development.
Practice Points:
• Caring is the essence of nursing through which trust is developed between health care professionals and the patients. Trust is the core value of professionalism
• Professionalism is a theoretical construct more easily said than practice. Role modeling of the instructors in teaching professionalism enhances the practical learning and behaviuoral adaptation to reflect the professional values
• Learning and practicing professionalism is the process of socialization required specific teaching, assessing and role modeling
• Faculty training is required in the development of attributes of professionalism in nursing
