Identity In Nursing

“In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.” (Erik Erikson). Identity gives description to the human existence. With these descriptions humans in society are given roles to play. We are given a sense of purpose. Identity can be conscious and unconscious. Identity can be a reflection of a person or description forced upon them. Regardless of intentional or unintentional descriptors, all people are physical embodiments of multiple identities. An embodiment of multiple facets all separate but also intertwined. A metaphorical tree of connecting branches that has and will change over time and space. “Our self-concepts, then, are fundamentally social products, consisting of the roles,

Some identities such as student, may cease, but forever shape the personal identity of that person. It is also an interesting question to consider, if the identities humans embody ever truly leave? If one was once nurse, does that identity leave that person? That person may no longer be considered a nurse by society but has that job not shaped that person? It is truly intriguing question to wonder how one can and cannot be an identity at one time. It is the human memory and awareness that allows us to be who we were, are, and will be at the same time. Sociology being the study of social behavior and society begs the question: Are people who they say there or who society tells them to be. The subject of this paper is about my personal identities, the theories that describe my identities, and the identity issues I am dealing with. The personal identities I will discuss are my gender, race, and social status. I am female, White, and a student. This topic enhances one’s view on sociology because it is a member of identity groups relaying to the reader how a person of these identity groups has changed over

Identity tells people who they are and who they should be. Many people in individualistic societies, such as the United States of America, believe that citizens choose their identities. This is only partially true. If humans are truly honest with themselves they would see that this idea of personal choice and identity selection is fractionally significant. Humans are social creatures and the only way humans learn about the world is from the education of other humans. Humans are social sponges soaking up the meaning of life through the observation and interaction of other humans. This hypothetical soaking tells humans what it means to be a person of the culture in which they live and what kind of person they can be. “-see the self as fundamentally social in nature. They emphasize how a person’s self is acquired and realized through social relationships,” (Sandstrom, Lively, Martin, and Fine 2014). What kind of person one can be is limited. Whether it be age, sex, gender, or social class the culture in which humans find themselves limits and expands the types of identities a person may embody. For example, a woman living in Saudi Arabia cannot drive and in most cases cannot work. Her physical body denies her the option of being a driver or worker in that culture. Surely education may open our eyes to the way we can control our identity but is education not the ideas of other people? The education of