Professional Image in Nursing Since the time of the Old Testament until today, the image of nursing has changed. However, it is essential that the professional image of nursing is portrayed in such a way that patients trust and believe in the nurse and the profession (Bargagliotti, 2014). Nursing is extremely important to healthcare system and how nursing is perceived in the healthcare system directly affects how successful nurses will be in providing patient care (Bargagliotti, 2014). In addition, nurses play an important role in contributing to the reputation of the hospital or healthcare facility (Wocial, Sego, Rager, Laubersheimer, & Everett, 2014). In a recent study, participants said that in order for nurses to communicate assurance, …show more content…
Research shows that media affects how society thinks about and acts towards nursing (Summers & Geller, 2014). Negative, stereotypical images of nursing, such as nursing is inferior to the profession of medicine, is an image that dissuades individuals who are strong academically from choosing nursing as a career (Price & Hall, 2014). Nurses are often seen as less skilled and knowledgeable than physicians and are given less or no credit for patient outcomes (Price & Hall, 2014). This poses a problem for individuals choosing nursing as a career because it may seem as if their intelligence may be wasted in this profession (Price & Hall, 2014). This can be a hindrance in recruiting individuals into the nursing …show more content…
When nurses are interviewed, it is not usually to provide an expert opinion for an issue (Summers & Geller, 2014). Physicians, rather than nurses, are often seen in providing commentary on healthcare issues. Bringing nurses to the forefront of healthcare issues in the public can contribute to the image of nurses as a knowledgeable expert (Price & Hall, 2014). Nurses can also educate patients more on the “why” behind patient assessments and disease processes. For example, nurses can explain to patients how walking helps to send calcium to the bones and possibly prevent osteoporosis, how expanding the lungs after a procedure could help prevent pneumonia, or how conducting an assessment on pedal pulses or skin temperature could help to prevent deep vein thrombosis or strokes (Summers & Geller, 2014). These professional strategies can help improve the image of