Professionalism in Nursing: Characteristics and Behaviors

This essay delves into the multifaceted concept of professionalism within the nursing field, emphasizing its critical role in enhancing the quality of patient care and navigating ethical dilemmas. It outlines the essential characteristics of a professional nurse, categorizing them into observable and non-observable behaviors. Observable characteristics include appearance, such as adherence to dress codes for infection control and safety, and effective communication skills, encompassing both verbal and nonverbal interactions, active listening, and empathy. Non-observable behaviors, vital for ethical practice, encompass honesty in reporting patient conditions and errors, respect for all individuals regardless of background, and the maintenance of professional boundaries to protect both nurses and patients. The essay underscores the importance of these behaviors in fostering patient satisfaction and establishing a strong professional identity within the nursing profession, referencing key academic sources to support its arguments.

Running head: PROFESSIONALISM
PROFESSIONALISM
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Introduction:
Professionalism encompasses a set of values and beliefs that are critical for improving
the quality of care in the clinical setting. Professionalism as a part of nursing enables nursing
professionals to deal with an ethical dilemma and maximize patient satisfaction (Buresh and
Gordon 2006). In order to establish a nursing career and actively involved in nursing practice,
professionalism is one of the crucial components that nursing student must adopt (Lim and Jo
2016). This paper aims to provide some of the characteristics that a professional nurse should
exhibit and the professional behaviour that is appropriate to the role in the following paragraphs.
Discussion:
Characteristics the professional nurses and appropriate to the role:
The registered nurses are portrayed as a professional image in the clinical setting. While
some of these characteristics are visible or observable characters, some of them are non-
observable behaviour.
Observable characteristics:
The appurtenance and communication are two observable characteristics exhibited by a
professional nurse in the clinical setting that justifies the professionals. In the recent era, nursing
professionals wear a variety of attire depending on the dress code where nursing professionals
work (Arnott, Paliadelis and Cruickshank 2018). The common consideration that justifies the
observable behaviour of nurses regarding the appearance usually considers the comfort, infection
control and compliance with the organization policy (Daly, Speedy and Jackson 2015). In the
clinical setting, nurses work in a range of critical setting that demands appropriate dress code for
recognition from the professionals and promoting safety of the nursing. Therefore, wearing an

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apron, covered shoes made up of impermeable materials for infection control are appreciate
behaviour to the role. Since wearing bracelet and earing pose an infection risk or injury, wearing
clothes are appropriate for the role.
Effective Communication with patients and family members is observable characteristics
of a nursing professional that demonstrates professionalism. The nurses are required to involve
in both nonverbal and verbal communication in the clinical setting for demonstrating
professionalism (Daly, Speedy and Jackson 2015). In the clinical setting, nursing professionals
collaborate with a range of other professionals for improving quality of care and convey
information to the patients for shared decision making (Daly, Speedy and Jackson 2014).
Therefore, respectful and knowledgeable behaviours towards patients, family members of the
patient through active listening and empathy is appropriate to the role (Buresh and Gordon
2006).
Non-observable behaviour:
Honesty:
Honesty is one of the attributes is not observable but reflected through attitude and ethics
of the nursing professionals. In the clinical setting, nursing professionals are required to exhibit
honesty for reducing safety issues and improving the patient's satisfaction (Buresh and Gordon
2006). In this context, reporting the changes in the patient condition, reporting any errors to the
authority and family members of the patient is appropriate to the role that demonstrates the
honesty and integrity of the patient (Arnott, Paliadelis and Cruickshank 2018).
Respect:

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Other unobservable characteristics of a professional are showing respect to each
individual irrespective of race, gender and ethnicity (Buresh and Gordon 2006). Showing
respect to the patients and family members of the patients improve the quality of care by
increasing patient satisfaction and involving in shared decision making (Arnott, Paliadelis and
Cruickshank 2018). Therefore, showing respect to each patient by incorporating the cultural
beliefs and values of each patient, enable autonomy of the patient are appropriate to the role.
Professional boundaries:
Respecting patient and self as a nurse is being part of professional boundaries which is
another part of non-observable boundaries. The professional boundaries protect both nurses and
patients and violating the boundaries are considered as the nonprofessional manner (Daly,
Speedy and Jackson 2015). The crossing of boundaries by incorporating personal values make
the patient uncomfortable. In this context, improving professional boundaries, maintain a
physical distance with the client, exhibiting professional values to the client is appropriate to the
role (Arnott, Paliadelis and Cruickshank 2018).
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be said in order to establish identity in the nursing, it is
crucial to develop professionalism. The nursing professionals are required to exhibit a range of
behaviour appropriate to the role. The professional nurses exhibit two kinds of behaviour such as
observable behaviour and non-observable behaviour. The observable behaviour exhibited by
nursing professionals includes appearance and communication. In the clinical setting,
appearance and proper dress code reduce the possibility of the infection and communication
improve patient satisfaction. On the other hand, the non-observable behaviour includes respect,

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professional boundaries and honesty. In order to involve in the nursing practice, these
behaviours are appropriate to the role.

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References:
Arnott, N., Paliadelis, P. and Cruickshank, M. eds., 2018. The Road to Nursing. Cambridge
University Press, pp: 328 ..
Buresh, B. and Gordon, S., 2006. From silence to voice: What nurses know and must
communicate to the public. Cornell University Press.
Daly, J., Speedy, S. and Jackson, D., 2014. Contexts of nursing: An introduction (4th ed).
Elsevier Health Sciences, pp: 456.
Daly, J., Speedy, S. and Jackson, D., 2015. Leadership and Nursing: Contemporary Perspectives.
Elsevier Health Sciences, pp: 263 .
Lim, K. M., and Jo, E. J. 2016. Influence of satisfaction with clinical practice and image of
nurses on nursing professionalism of nursing students. Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial
cooperation Society, 17(4), 556-566.