Distinctive Professional Identity Of Cardiovascular Nursing

Introduction
The aim of this assignment is to critically review the nurse’s distinctive professional identity with regards the advancement of nursing knowledge development within the nurse’s area of specialist practice. The area of specialist practice is Cardiovascular Nursing. Meleis (2011) describes nursing as a human science. Dobratz (1999) identifies that knowledge development is informed by the experiences of practicing nurses and this enables nursing knowledge to be produced. In the past nurses lacked autonomy and confidence to challenge doctors due to nurse’s lack of nursing research and knowledge (Bonell, 1999). Nurses in practice today have a wealth of knowledge which has been developed through theory, education, scientific knowledge

Cardiovascular nursing has its own distinctive nursing knowledge base. Nursing distinctive philosophical perspective, emerging theories and practices provide specialist knowledge for the good of society and the individual (McCurry et al., 2009). Specialist nursing knowledge has proven to provide quality of care for patients and achieve positive outcomes within the healthcare setting. Nurses in specialist areas possess specific skills required to care for the critically ill patient and can make independent decisions regarding patient care. Wholeness, consciousness and caring are seen as three critical concepts that distinguish nursing from other disciplines (Cowling et al 2008). Nurses must take responsibility for acquiring knowledge and position themselves to articulate a scholarly perspective of nursing as a distinct discipline (Cody, 2001). It is up to each individual nurse working within the acute cardiology unit (ACU) to enhance his/her knowledge development for the benefit of the patients and other staff members. Caring for clients is a component of what defines a nursing perspective (Sanford, 2000). However Willis (2008) identified that nurses have difficulty in clarifying their central unifying focus. Nurses bring to the situation their personal knowledge, professional education, and experience (Newman et al., 2008). These are concepts that aid in defining our nursing distinctive

The nursing discipline is built on nursing knowledge, theory and research (Smith et al., 2010). Nursing practice obtains knowledge from other professions applying this knowledge as it sees appropriate to professional practice. This will aid in the advancement of nursing knowledge development within the ACU. Meleis (2011) identified that in order for nursing to be seen as a distinct from medicine the nursing discipline must have its own structure and goals. The nursing discipline does demonstrate this in the ACU. Nurses working there have goals of care. Goals in the coronary care unit (CCU) include providing a caring environment for the patient, acting as an advocate for the patient, maintaining the concept of wholeness and viewing the person as a whole person not just a diagnosis or illness. As per McCurry et al. (2009) nursing distinctive disciplinary goals relate to the good of the individual and society. Disciplines are defined by their unique distinctive knowledge base. A consequence of adopting a scientific method of enquiry is belief that nursing is a unique knowledge base (Donaldson and Crowley, 1978). Nurses do possess a unique knowledge base but this unique knowledge could be enhanced from using other theories and knowledge from other disciplines. This would benefit the practice area. However one may argue that sharing research and education