To think nursing is not considered a 'profession' by the general public

[roseability]

We just mop up sick and wipe brows and all that

Do people really consider the nursing profession as 'educated' and on a par with other degree trained professions?

Or should nurses be defined as 'caring' principally, not allowing aspiartions of status to undermine this ideal?

What do doctors really think of nurses?

Just interested

Just feeling undervalued etc etc

Work part time and no hope of promotion despite said qualifications

No appraisal in 2 years +

Yet I had some time off recently for very valid reasons and have been called up for an unsatisfactory attendance meeting.

Complete s**t. As soon as I have the opportunity may well change 'professions'

1 dilemma,but nurses do have a professional/regulatory body (NMC)

They generally do academic training (4year degree)

Formal qualifications-prof register plus degree.

Systematic knowledge and proficiency - ongoing CPD,the new pay grading linked to a gateway sysyem of further progression,ongoing modular degree level courses and competencies.

Ethical code- code of professional conduct (NMC)

Fallenmadonna...I would class a teacher as a professional..why not a nurse?

Dilemma..you are right not all degrees are equal. I had to attend university for 8 hours everyday...and also do clinical work unlike my english degree counterparts who went to lectures for 8 hours a week.

But being clever doesn't make someone professional either. There are lots of fearsomely clever people around who are not in professions.

I do think of academia as a profession - all that sweating to do postgraduate work - most forms of profession are to do with prolonged exposure to academe in my mind.

Did you know that nurses can sign passports like other 'professionals' can

Your social standing is as high as your husband's because he is your husband

But no, technically he married beneath him...

I thought a professional was someone who set their own fee. So any work where you state how much you charge and yes that does include ladies of the night and nurses, along with lawers and accountants.

I think the only tears in professions are where the lawers have to pay out

I said nurses and teachers were rather equivalent professionally.

I suspect your boss has issues! mine does he wants me to work solely for him not the person I work for so has decided to bollock me for being late once. Unfortunately for him I have more credibility

Is your qualy any use for your promo? might be the problem can you go sideways and get promo that way, interesting how it's your job/bosses that are making you feel undervalued!! if it's any consolation I suspect they feel threatened by you

When my mum wanted to do her nursing it was in the days when you could get an enrolled nurse qualification just by doing 2 years worth of nights as a nurses aid. She spent six months mixing poultices and learning how to clean comodes and roll bandages........I say its a good thing it's degree based now.

Quattrocento - I also had research published and was about to embark on 'prolonged exposure to acedeme' before I fell pregnant.

Not a profession?

1. Degree

1. Specialist qualification

1. In order to practice, have to belong to regulatory body - NMC

1. CPD.

sounds like a lot of professions doesn't it?

I think of nursing as a profession, they work hard to earn their degree. I may be biased though as I'm currently on an access health course hoping to become a child nurse, though it looks as though biochemistry may put an end to that plan, but it's still true.

But it isn't a requirement for nursing though is it? To publish?

I've published research too, but it's completely irrelevant to my teaching career.

That said, I do think of nursing as a profession. But recognise that there are is a public perception of higher and lower status professions.

Don't "change" professions Rose,you are obviously not happy or appreciated where you work at the moment,look for work in another area/speciality.I have been a Nurse for 22 years,and changed specialities a few times,some for the better some not,but there are some "good" colleagues etc. out there who will appreciate you professionalism and commitment,and will be understanding and flexible when you do need to take "special" leave.

I suppose issues of 'status' are stil relevant in society

If all nurses went on strike, society would malfunction quicker than say if lawyers all quit.

But traditionally lawyers have more status as a profession.

Should nurses stop striving to be equal or better than other professions (whatever 'better' means)?

The wiki entry is interesting - thank you for posting that. It goes on to say

"Classically, there were only three professions ... Divinity, Medicine, and Law[5]....

The ranking of established professions in the United States based on the above milestones shows Medicine first, followed by Law, Dentistry, Civil Engineering, Logistics, Architecture and Accounting[16]. With the rise of technology and occupational specialization in the 19th century, other bodies began to claim professional status: Pharmacy, Logistics, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, Teaching, Librarianship, Optometry and Social Work, all of which could claim to be professions by 1900 using these milestones[17].

I don't think in my mind librarianship or nursing or social work are professions ... but it sounds as though I being old fashioned. Mind you, what else would you expect from someone in my profession (law)?

Well, yes. But if binmen went on strike we'd be in a pickle too.

nursing is a 'profession' for all those reasons above, CPD, professional body, competence etc etc.
i am also very good at cleaning up sick and poo.

I take the point about gender inequality but it is more complicated than that. The thing about medicine is that to get anything diagnosed, or a referral or a prescription or some surgery or whatever, you have to see a doctor. So a nurse is almost always going to be seen as secondary.

at the end of the day, we choose what career path we take. I only went into nursing to annoy my parents who were determined that I would have a proper career and a profession they could be proud of.

regrets?

no, none

is Law a profession??

professional bunch of thieves - then yes lawyers are professionals too