Nurses come in contact with a great deal of different groups of people throughout their careers and it is important to remember that we are judged by the people who we come into contact with, but most importantly by our patients. It is imperative that we look into the characteristic that is being professional, the implementation of learned professionalism, what elements contribute to create the characteristics of professionalism, and the importance of trust.
Professionalism is something that every nurse should strive to accomplish. As nurses, we need to be professional in our demeanor, physical appearance, our character, and the use of our language. As the common saying goes that we are judged for who we are in the first 60 seconds of meeting someone for the first time and first impressions can change the atmosphere and attitudes of both patient(s) and their respected families. Richards defines professionalism as the “meticulous adherence to undeviating courtesy, honesty, and responsibility in one 's dealings with customers and associates, plus a level of excellence that goes over and above the commercial considerations and legal requirements.” (Richards, 2015)
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In Karimi’s study, he notes that students and faculty have different definitions of what professionalism entails, as some students consider "patience", "humility", and "altruism" in their ethical concept (Karimi, 2014). It is better to have educational options available rather than just relying on a black and white definition to understand what professionalism is. Collier talks about how the classroom seems to be the best place to look at all aspects of professionalism because it makes students aware of not only what it is and how to identify it, but how to apply it to an ever changing environment (Collier,