qualities of a nurse essay

30 Qualities Of A Good Nurse – Do You Have Them?

Are you a nurse or nursing student who wants to become the best nurse possible? Perhaps you have asked yourself, “What are the qualities of a good nurse?” Maybe you have wondered what you can do to develop attributes necessary for effective nursing practice. If this sounds like you, you will likely find the 30 essential qualities of a good nurse featured in this article helpful. As you continue reading, learn about these qualities, why they are important, and how to strengthen them in your professional role.

What Exactly Is The Definition Of A Good Nurse?

Why is it important to be a good nurse, what are the essential qualities of a good nurse, 1. excellent communication, what is it:, why is this quality important for a good nurse:, how to strengthen this quality:, 2. an attitude of advocacy, 4. compassion, 5. attention to detail, 6. clinical reasoning, • consider the patient situation:, • collect information/cues:, • process information:, • identify issues/problems:, • establish goals:, • evaluate:, 7. prioritization, 8. critical thinking, 9. flexibility, 10. perseverance, 11. confidence, 12. contextual perspective, 13. integrity, 14. clinical intuition, 15. emotional stability, 16. a willingness to learn, 17. versatility, 18. commitment to patients and the profession, 19. respectfulness, 20. assertiveness, 21. dependability, 22. resourcefulness, 23. leadership, 24. time management, 25. emotional intelligence, 26. mentorship, 27. goal-oriented, 28. veracity, 29. endurance, 30. practice self-care, what to do if you do not have the qualities that make a good nurse, bonus 10 bad qualities a good nurse can never have, 1. not taking ownership of oneself:, 2. job hopping:, 3. avoiding work assignments:, 4. lack of empathy:, 5. beware of a gossiper., 6. not being a “team player”:, 7. ignoring protocols:, 8. dishonesty:, 9. a sense of entitlement:, 10. disinterest in learning:, my final thoughts.

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Qualities of a Nurse

Updated 13 November 2023

Subject Nursing , Work

Downloads 28

Category Health , Life , Profession

In the nursing profession, different qualities contribute in making a successful nursing career. In addition to passing exams, successful nurses possess different traits that can either make them successful in their work or not. In an effort to establish successful career, nurses are required to show traits or natural qualities so as to be regarded as a great nurse. These include qualities such as empathy, adaptability, effective " therapeutic communication, humility and efficiency. Additionally, trustworthiness, compassion, respect and knowledge also plays key role in identifying a competent nurse. This essay identifies three key qualities of a nurse, as well as analyzing articles addressing the qualities.

One of the selected component for this essay with reference to qualities of nursing is compassion. The practice of nursing requires the efforts, ensuring the patients receives the best care possible. This in turn calls for nurses to be kind, understanding as well as caring towards their patients. This in turn contributes to one being a compassionate nurse. Compassion can be shown through empathy, listening to the patient, being positive towards others, positive body language, positive interaction and socialization and often checking on patients. These actions represent symbols of compassion in nursing.

On the other hand, trustworthiness is another factor that has become an integral element defining successful and competent nursing. The nursing ethics considers trust as an aspect rising form people, or nurses' ability to trust others and in turn extend the trust to another within the healthcare sector. In order for trust to thrive it have some key antecedents. These include; frequent communication between the patient and the care provider, acknowledging the nurses role, professionalism and commitment. However, negative influencing factors include; lack of effective conflict management as well as deteriorating employment conditions. However, being trustworthy remains a challenge as due to different expectations from patients, managers, professional bodies etc. Empathic knowledge remains a detrimental and relevant factor in caring and nursing practice. There is a wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge, with nursing today demanding a considerable amount of knowledge as to offer the best and appropriate level of care to patients (Galvin " Todres, 2011).

According to Babaei et al (2017), compassion is an essential quality of nursing as it helps in fostering improved or better relationships between nurses and the patients they serve. One result of compassion is that, it allows patients to have more confidence in the care he/she receives. Nurses' personality plays an important role in an effort to facilitate as well as maintain compassionate nursing. Additionally, attitude and nurse values affect compassionate care. Not only does the article "Contextual Facilitators and Maintaining of Compassion-Based Care" highlight the importance of compassionate in nursing, but also highlights key personal traits that contribute to successful compassionate among nurses.

Galvin " Todres in their article 'Research based empathic knowledge for nursing: A translational strategy for disseminating phenomenological research findings to provide evidence for caring practice' identified empathic knowledge for nursing as an essential factor or quality that makes a successful and competent nurse in the healthcare sector. Empathic knowledge in the nursing care, allows and gives nurses the power to make informed decisions. In summary, it allows for adoption of evidence based nursing practices which in turn improves the nursing practice and individual nurse's contribution to care provision.

Connelly (2016) stated that, trustworthiness increases the aspect of dependability, conformability, and credibility with reference to nursing practice and research. This in turn improves the overall impact of nursing to patients improving the overall success rate of the practice. Additionally, the author advocated for the adoption of positive organizational model that is in turn would pose a barrier to holistic care. Finally, the selected articles provide a credible source of information

Section III

With reference to the evolution of my current perspective of nursing, the nursing education possess the responsibility to make sure, nurses qualify equipped with knowledge and attitudes that are needed for one to establish and maintain trust not only among the workers, but most importantly the nurse-patient trust. On the other hand, the increasing for top quality nursing services as well as adoption of patient centered healthcare plans, the demand for nurses to acquire top qualities have become an inevitable aspect. Different factors have in turn becomes integral mainstays for nurses to be regarded as successful and qualified to serve the ever changing and demanding healthcare sector. In addition, drawing from the peer reviewed articles, the details and information obtained can be termed as credible. In conclusion, the articles provide a different view in terms of nursing, both as a career and services in terms of care giving. Not only does nursing entail giving services to the patients but also delivering quality services to those who need it. More so, the increasing demand for improved services in the healthcare has led to an all-inclusive nursing.

Babaei, S., Taleghani, F., " Keyvanara, M. (2017). Contextual Facilitators and Maintaining of Compassion-Based Care: An Ethnographic Study. Iranian Journal of Nursing " Midwifery Research, 22 (2), 91-96.

Galvin, K. T., " Todres, L. (2011). Research based empathic knowledge for nursing: A translational strategy for disseminating phenomenological research findings to provide evidence for caring practice. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48

(4), 522-530.

Connelly, L. M. (2016). Understanding Research. Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research. MEDSURG Nursing, 25 (6), 435-436.

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28 Essential Qualities & Attributes of a Good Nurse

Nursing is a demanding profession that requires more than technical skills and knowledge to be successful. Being a practical nurse also takes certain qualities, characteristics, and values. These essential qualities of the best nurse are necessary for providing quality care and creating positive patient outcomes. From being compassionate and having excellent communication skills to staying organized and flexible, these 28 essential qualities of successful nurses can help you become an exemplary healthcare provider.

Table of Contents

Essential Qualities of a Good Nurse

Being a good nurse requires many qualities and skills, such as the ability to think quickly and act decisively in moments of medical crisis. Compassion, empathy, and patience are also essential because they help nurses build relationships with individual patients and their families. Let’s conclude it with the following points:

1 . Compassion :

Being compassionate is one of the essential qualities a nurse can possess. A good nurse will show empathy and understanding for their patients to create an environment that promotes healing and support.

2. Respect :

Treating all patients with respect, regardless of their background or culture, demonstrates professionalism and creates positive outcomes in the long run.

3. Strong Communication Skills :

Communicating effectively is critical for nurses to succeed. A great nurse can listen, understand and respond appropriately to patient needs.

4. Attention to Detail :

Nurses need to pay close attention to detail when taking patient information, assessing symptoms, recording data and administering medication.

5. Organization :

Staying organized is essential for nurses as they juggle multiple tasks and care for many patients simultaneously. Good organizations can help them stay on top of everything while providing quality care.

6. Adaptability :

The healthcare environment is constantly changing, so being flexible and adapting quickly is a critical skill for nurses. It helps them stay ahead of the curve and create better patient experiences.

Also, the healthcare industry (and workers) must be successfully adaptive to provide the best quality patient care possible.

7. Integrity :

In nursing , integrity means being honest and ethical regarding patient care. Good nurses trust their judgement and ensure safety is always a top priority in the workplace.

8. Patience :

Managing multiple tasks with tight deadlines can be stressful for nurses, so having patience is essential for success. Good nurses take the time to listen to patient’s concerns and provide them with quality care without rushing through anything.

9. Self-Confidence :

Having confidence in your skills as a nurse allows you to think independently and make informed decisions quickly in challenging situations.

10. Interpersonal Skills :

Working in teams is an essential part of nursing, so good nurses need to be able to collaborate and communicate effectively with colleagues.

11. Leadership :

Nurses often take on leadership roles within the healthcare environment, so they must lead their team positively while still providing quality care.

Strong attention to detail is one of the nurse’s personality traits that can easily and quickly determine how successful they’ll be in their role.

12. Emotional Intelligence :

Nurses need to recognize emotions in themselves and others and act accordingly. Being emotionally aware can help them create better relationships with patients, families, and colleagues.

13. Professionalism :

Professionalism is essential for nurses as it impacts how others view them and their profession. Good nurses are always professional when interacting with their patients, no matter the situation.

14. Motivation :

Being motivated and having a positive attitude is vital for nurses to stay focused and successful in their nursing job.

15. Work Ethic :

Good nursing careers have a strong work ethic and are dedicated to providing quality patient care. They take ownership of their responsibilities and strive to do their best with the available resources.

16. Problem-Solving Skills :

A good nurse needs to think on their feet and creatively solve problems as they arise in patient care.

17. Flexibility :

Handling last-minute changes or requests from colleagues or patients is another essential skill for nurses, allowing them to adapt quickly to different situations.

Additionally, Experienced nurses offer a wealth of knowledge to their creative counterparts, who eagerly tap into those resources for personal and professional growth. This cycle of sharing enriches the entire nursing community with an abundance of insight and understanding.

18. Stress Management :

Nurses often have to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, so managing stress is essential. Good nurses can prioritize their tasks, reduce anxiety and maintain a positive outlook in high-pressure scenarios.

19. Compassion :

Compassion for patients, family members and colleagues are essential for good nurses as it helps them better understand the needs of their patients and provide quality care throughout the process.

20. Empathy :

Good nurses must put themselves in the patient’s shoes and understand their origin to give appropriate advice and treatment options. Being empathetic can also help build trust with patients, which is essential for successful outcomes in healthcare settings.

21. Time Management :

Other Nurses often have to work long hours and handle multiple tasks, so managing their time wisely is critical for success. Good nurses can prioritize their jobs efficiently and complete them promptly.

22. Attention to Detail :

The ability to pay close attention and notice even the most minor details can make all the difference in patient care. Good nurses take the time to double-check every aspect of their work before making decisions or taking action.

23. Research Skills :

Many medical decisions require research, and evidence-based practice, so strong research skills are essential for success in nursing careers. Good nurses can utilize medical resources and evidence-based practice to make informed patient decisions.

24. Technology Skills :

As technology evolves, nurses must keep up with the changing landscape to use new medical tools and technologies successfully. Strong technology skills allow them to navigate electronic medical records and other medical software quickly and accurately.

25. Cultural Competency :

Knowing how to interact with people from different backgrounds is essential for successful nursing care. Good nurses can recognize cultural differences, respect those differences, and provide culturally competent care.

26. Communication Skills :

Clear and effective communication is essential for successful nursing care as it helps build trust with patients and colleagues. Good nurses can communicate their ideas concisely and respectfully while listening intently to ensure they understand the patient’s needs.

27. Teamwork :

Working with other healthcare professionals is essential to providing quality patient care. The professional nurse knows how to collaborate with colleagues, share resources, and utilize each other’s strengths to provide the best possible outcome for every patient.

28. Critical Thinking skills:

Being able to think critically and assess information quickly is essential for nurses. Good nurses can weigh the pros and cons of different treatments or procedures, consider feedback from colleagues, and make decisions based on evidence-based nursing practice to provide the best possible care.

These skills are all critical components of being a successful nurse, so having these traits will help any nurse excel in their career. Good nurses can draw from these skills to provide quality care and help improve the lives of their patients.

We hope that this list has provided an abundance of insight and understanding into the essential skills that every nurse should possess. Nurses can provide comprehensive care and ensure positive patient outcomes with these skills. Good luck in your nursing career.

Mrs. Marie Brown has been a registered nurse for over 25 years. She began her nursing career at a Level I Trauma Center in downtown Chicago, Illinois. There she worked in the Emergency Department and on the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. After several years, she moved to the Midwest and continued her nursing career in a critical care setting. For the last 10 years of her nursing career, Mrs. Brown worked as a flight nurse with an air ambulance service. During this time, she cared for patients throughout the United States.

The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse

Joan m. riley.

a Emmanuel College, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America

Judy A. Beal

b Simmons University, Boston, MA 02115, 27 Upton St. Unit 2, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America

Patricia Reid Ponte

c Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, United States of America

Nurses consistently stand out in extraordinary ways especially during a global crisis, recently confirmed in the current Covid-19 pandemic. What is opportune this time is the call for clarity around what nurses do and what society can expect from them. Nurses, as members of a global profession, need a platform to build a contemporary practice life. This paper proposes the model: The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse . It provides a framework to explicate the essence of the role of the nurse. The model posits four inter-related essential components or pillars that ground a nurse's behavior and commitment: professionalism, leadership, scholarly practice, and stewardship. This uncomplicated, straightforward model is universally applicable for nurses to apply in whatever roles they hold and at any point in their careers. The use of a holistic model, as a guide across a full career trajectory, supports the nurse's ability to prioritize individual pillars while understanding the inter-relationship and influence among the four pillars. The authors pose assumptions that form the basis of the registered nurse role and provide the foundation for the exemplary practice life of the nurse. They make recommendations to nurses, the profession, the workplace, the academy, and the community.

Nurses have always been central to managing and abating health crises such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic health crisis. They will continue to be pivotal as the nation heals, all while the urgent need to reduce health disparities continues to soar. Nurses carried out their awe-inspiring and innovative work in hundreds of diverse roles and settings. They demonstrated true leadership in the most professional way ( Rushton & Thompson, 2020 ). This extraordinary contribution centers nurses in the midst of a “landmark” multi-year performance in every part of the globe. This truly was exemplary nursing practice at its best. This recognition amplifies the fact that nurses, as members of a global profession, require a common platform to build a contemporary exemplary practice life.

At the same time, the profession, while earning the designation as a major global workforce in the health care industry, continues to grapple with two key variables. The first is the slow transition within the United States for the BSN as the preferred degree for entry into the profession. The second is that practice roles are undergoing transformative changes in every part of the health care delivery system. As a result, nurses face extraordinary challenges to meet the emerging health care needs in a society that has experienced a long response to a global pandemic and faces significant health disparities. Nurses are positioned extraordinarily well to design innovative, and new models of care to respond to these challenges with a selfless commitment to remain true to the core work of the profession.

For eighteen years, the American public has acknowledged nursing as the most trusted profession in the United States ( Gallup, 2021 ; Reinhart, 2020 ). As the current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, nursing is an essential profession whose members are highly valued, trusted, and respected. But the practice of nursing remains uneven – a reflection of wide variations in educational preparation, clinical expertise, and professional growth among its millions of individual clinicians. Nurses themselves often have difficulty articulating the essence of their practice. It is therefore not surprising that the public it serves has yet to fully grasp a consistent understanding of nursing's unique contributions to society much beyond nurses' uniform person-centered caring, comforting presence, reliable judgment, and technical expertise.

The protracted Covid-19 pandemic highlights the need to fully define what nurses do through the lens of what we, the authors, call the exemplary practice life for all nurses. Recently there have been calls that recognize the need to clearly describe the roles and expectations of nurses ( Godsey et al., 2020 ; Ulrich et al., 2020 ). We are proposing a universally applicable, compelling, straightforward conceptual model to explicate what nurses do. This model can guide nurses in their work, in whatever setting and in whatever the current stage of their careers. We believe that a universal holistic model is needed given the complexities of a global economy, the disparities embedded in the health care needs of society, the demand for expanded knowledge development, technological innovation, the pace of change in health care systems, and the public need to understand the work of nurses.

The aim of this paper is to describe a new holistic conceptual model that visually depicts what constitutes exemplary practice for a registered nurse formatively educated at the baccalaureate or master's entry level. To better understand exemplary professional nursing practice, we developed a model that describes such a person's essential attitude, behavior, and capability within the context of four independent, yet inter-related, pillars of: professionalism, scholarly practice, leadership, and stewardship. This model is named The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse . We define exemplary nursing practice as the best of the best of the art and science of nursing, and it represents the highest level of knowledge, expertise, and competence. While baccalaureate or master's entry graduates are prepared for an exemplary practice life, this evolves over a full career trajectory and is applicable across all professional nursing roles and practice settings.

Assumptions for an Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse

The following are a set of assumptions that we believe underpin a framework for all nurse work, and as a result form the foundation of an exemplary practice life. These assumptions have been shaped by the history of the profession of nursing and are relevant to nurses in the present and for the future.

Assumption one

Society can expect that each nurse who has completed formative education at the baccalaureate or master ' s entry level will possess knowledge , attitude , behavior , and capability to care for all who need it regardless of setting .

The complexity of current practice environments requires critical thinking skills and a strong foundation in the art and science of nursing that are more completely developed during baccalaureate and master's entry level education. Society can expect that the knowledge, attitude, behavior, and the capability of a nurse will deepen over the course of a full career. Career advancement is tied to aspiration, experience, intent, formal education, and professional development. Optimal work settings support nurses throughout their careers to meet their developmental goals.

Assumption two

Society can expect each nurse to accept and value all persons as equal , worthy of respect and with intrinsic worth , regardless of all other considerations .

Nurses are formatively educated with a holistic and generalist framework that sets the background for a career that embraces diverse roles in diverse settings with and for diverse people, anywhere and in whatever roles to assure the public that healthcare is available for all. Furthermore, nurses are socialized to fulfill the expectation that a humanistic, individualized, person-centered approach to care uses social justice tenets as the foundation of interactions with others.

Assumption three

Society can uniformly expect each nurse to possess a set of role attributes and role functions that guide the scholarly work of all nurses .

Nurses use knowledge that prioritizes the ability to form therapeutic relationships; they appreciate the necessity to partner with people in their practice; they develop the capacity to teach; they are competent in the use of scientific knowledge and creativity to critically analyze phenomena and deliver evidence-based care. Nurses exert their capability to effectively collaborate with all stakeholders involved with the health and wellness of the public; they have been educated and socialized to be leaders in communities and within their practice settings. Nurses possess the ability to provide expert humanistic and holistic care to self and others that reflects kindness, compassion, respect, and mindfulness in their practice.

Assumption four

Society can expect that each nurse is adaptive to change and committed to the core tenets of professional practice regardless of the practice setting or role .

Working in complex environments that are constantly changing calls upon the nurse to understand the essence of the professional role. Leading change in formal and informal processes that result in improvements is a key role of the nurse and results in continuous learning by self and others. To best serve the health and wellness needs of society, the core of nursing's work centers on a strong collaboration with interdisciplinary partners and the people they serve. These collaborations often serve as natural laboratories for the design and implementation of dynamic innovations. Most importantly, nurses are committed to live and conduct practice with integrity, dignity and respect that includes a social, personal, and professional responsibility and accountability for one's actions as a member of the profession.

The model: The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse

In this model, the exemplary practice life of a nurse is illustrated as four essential pillars that provide a foundation for nurses as they evolve professionally. We envision this model as a holistic guide that affords the nurse the ability to prioritize individual pillars while always understanding the relationship and influence of pillars to each other and to the whole. There are four pillars in this model: professionalism, leadership, scholarly practice, and stewardship.

As shown in Fig. 1 , the four pillars in the model support the exemplary practice life of a nurse that, in turn, serves to advance the health and wellness of society. The placement of health and wellness of society represents the pinnacle to be achieved of in terms of exemplary practice. Its position as the highest point in the model serves to recognize the direct impact of an exemplary practice life of a nurse on society. The pillars link to a cross-directional arrow that represents the inter-related, yet independent, relationship among pillars. The model also illustrates the essential characteristics of each pillar. For example, the nurse exercises core responsibilities in professionalism when he or she invests in lifelong learning and self-care, accepts responsibility and accountability for the health and wellness of society, and comports with a strong professional identity. Each pillar of the model is subsequently explained in detail.

The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse .

In this model, the four core pillars rest on stakeholders. Stakeholders include individuals and groups who have an interest or an investment in supporting the exemplary practice life of the nurse and in turn the health and wellness of society. These include: the nursing profession (the body of individual nurses and professional associations/organizations, regulatory and credentialing bodies); education or the academy (colleges and universities that prepare nurses at the formative level); the workplaces (where nurses and inter-professional health care colleagues are employed); and the community (an essential part of society that shares common characteristics, aspirations, and challenges). These stakeholder groups are represented by the labels: Profession , Education , Workplace , and Community .

In the following sections, we describe each of the pillars and provide evidence for the choice of each in the model.

Professionalism

To understand professionalism as one of the pillars of an exemplary practice life of a nurse, we recognize the varied and rich history of nursing. Early historians noted that nursing's initial primary work centered on a sense of obligation to community through service of others ( Donahue, 1996 ). Over time, nurses, individually and collectively, engaged in societal struggle to address the need for equity ( Dock & Stewart, 1938 ). The term professionalism was rarely used in the literature prior to the 20th century. But what is informally described in the historical narratives are behaviors and characteristics used in the practice work of nurses during such times. The narratives connect the past to the present and offer guidance for the future.

Although controversial in the historical record, Florence Nightingale, with strong views about health and wellness and the unwillingness to accept the dictates of the politics of the day, brought professionalism into the lexicon of nurse work ( Donahue, 1996 ). She advocated for nurses to move beyond benevolence as the model of care to one where education preceded practice; where practice was a duty to society; where the character, values, passion for the care of the sick and their communities were frequently stated ideals for nurses. Nightingale recognized the importance of full nurse engagement, a positive approach to health promotion and informed decision making, and the pursuit of social justice as the bedrock of a professional life ( Beck, 2010 ; MacQueen, 2007 ; Wagner & Whaite, 2010 ;).

Two centuries later, the concept of professionalism continues as both multifaceted and complex.

Studies identify a wide range of dimensions, attributes and influences linked to the development of professionalism ( Ali et al., 2020 ; Garcia-Moyano et al., 2019 ; Ohlen & Segesten, 1998 ). The International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing (ISPIN) has committed its core work to developing the science to order to understand identity formation in nurses ( Godfrey, 2020 ; Joseph et al., 2021 ). Their work is grounded in a concept of professionalism that incorporates two distinct professional paradigms, social and psychological, into the nurse's professional identity ( Crigger & Godfrey, 2014 ).

Nurses often express the view that professionalism is easier for them to describe as situationally related actions than to define as a complete set of behaviors. There is no universally accepted definition of professionalism. This fact is not surprising given the complexity of the concept. Johnson (2015) reported counting sixty words or concepts in an informal review of the term professionalism. Regardless, professionalism remains a personally important concept for nurses. To explain its meaning, one needs to begin with the fact that no one is born a professional. Rather, it is an intentional process of development that begins in formative education, transitions into the workplace, and continues through the major stages of a nurse's career. “Developing and nurturing professionalism in nursing takes time, authentic presence of leaders, engagement of colleagues and somehow creating a feel of value in the contribution of each nurse, from the bedside to the boardroom” (p. 266, Leclerc, 2017 ). Professionalism is a purposively evolving mode of thinking and acting ( Johnson, 2015 ).

There is recognition that professionalism requires the individual nurse to act as the fully accountable agent of professional responsibility, throughout their career. Stakeholders, who are invested in the practice life of the nurse, are also recognized as important influencers because they support the development and promotion of conditions that are conducive to sustaining professionalism ( American Nurses Association, 2014 ). Professionalism offers a covenant with society as to what attitude, behavior, and process govern the work of nurses no matter where they practice and whatever their practice role.

As such, we posit that professionalism is a multidimensional lived experience that includes a combination of characteristics, values, conduct and actions. Professionalism includes identity formation, comportment, acceptance and accountability for professional responsibilities and expectations. Reflection, the need to form a therapeutic relationship integral to the caring relationship, passion for the work of a scholarly practice, as well as civic and social responsibility further define the understanding of professionalism. Nurses prioritize being available for others: for people, patients and families, colleagues, peers, workplace, and communities.

Professionalism informs the blueprint for educational programs, statements of workplace expectations and signposts for the nurse to incorporate into the other pillars of an exemplary practice life of the nurse. The newly approved AACN Essentials details the domain of Professionalism with its related descriptors, contextual statements, and competencies to be achieved during formative education ( AACN, 2021 ). Professionalism, in all its dimensions, clearly is an essential pillar of an exemplary practice life of the nurse.

Scholarly practice

Scholarly practice has consistently been part of the discussion surrounding the essential components of nursing practice. Since 1922, Sigma Theta Tau, the International Nursing Honor Society has recognized and promoted nursing scholarship as one of its major tenets ( Sigma Theta Tau, 2020 ). Carper's (1978) seminal work formulated what she coined “nurses' patterns of knowing” which set the foundation for scholarly practice. Benner's model From Novice to Expert further advanced this discussion as an explanation of how knowledge and skills are acquired and applied to nursing practice ( Benner, 1982 , Benner, 1984 ). While the dialogue on how to define scholarly practice continues to evolve, the message of its importance to the profession and to quality patient care outcomes remains consistently strong. Riley et al. (2002) , described a universal holistic model of scholarly nursing practice consisting of the scholarship of knowing teaching, practice, and service. This model evolved later to include the role attributes of “who I am” and “what I do” ( Riley et al., 2008 ). Participants ( N = 36) in this qualitative study shared that they think of themselves as: 1) available for others, 2) active learners, 3) out of the box thinkers, 4) passionate about nursing, and 5) confident. They carry these values while leading, caring, sharing knowledge, and being self-reflective. We believe that scholarly practice includes the characteristics of developing new knowledge, improving practice, basing practice decisions on evidence, designing, and implementing innovative practices, using creative approaches to individualize the needs of the people we serve, and advancing system-wide priorities and initiatives.

There is professional consensus that formative nursing education programs have the responsibility to prepare their graduates for a scholarly practice. The competencies attained by baccalaureate and master's entry prepared nurses within their formative education are driven by the National League for Nursing (NLN) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). These competencies set the stage for a lifetime of scholarly practice. The National League for Nursing (2021) identifies four core competencies for all graduates of all formative educational programs, two of which support the expectation of scholarly practice. These include the spirit of inquiry and nursing judgment both of which prepare graduates for a “practice that is informed by a body of knowledge and ensures that all members of the public receive safe, quality care” ( NLN, 2021 ). The approved 2021 AACN Essentials ( AACN, 2021 ) labels this competency as ‘Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline’ and defines it as “the generation, synthesis, translation, application and dissemination of nursing knowledge to improve health and transform health care” p.11. The related sub-competencies include: advancing the scholarship of nursing; integrating best evidence and promoting the ethical conduct of scholarly activities.

After completing formative education at the baccalaureate or master's entry level, nurses, in partnership with the workplace and other stakeholders, assume responsibility for building on the foundation for scholarly practice competency attained in nursing education. As nurses transition into practice settings across a diverse and complex healthcare system, it is imperative that practice settings, in partnership with individual nurses and professional associations, fully support and help shape, evolve, and make a commitment to implementation of scholarly practice. Organizational credentialing bodies such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and others promote the development of scholarly practice through a culture of individual and organizational scholarly practice. ANCC's include the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program, The ANCC Pathway to Excellence Program and The Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP). While not all health care organizations are magnet designated, we believe that each individual nurse must commit to scholarly practice wherever they practice.

Scholarly practice is as much about attitude as it is about using a systematic approach to plan and deliver care and conduct other work of professional nurses. This attitude or mindset includes a commitment to systematic inquiry with the following questions in mind: How can we do this better? What does the evidence at all levels tell us? How can we do this in a way that meets the needs of this particular person or groups of people? How can what we learn be applied to broader groups of people within society served in a variety of contexts?

We believe that all nurses are capable of engaging in a scholarly practice. This capacity matures throughout a nurse's career. Nurses and the public have been socialized to think of scholars as educators and researchers employed by colleges and universities. According to Broome (2021) , “Despite our own internal conversations, the public does not think of us as scholars and scientists…” p. 250. Because of this prevailing belief, many nurses have been reluctant to embrace themselves as practice scholars and capable of scholarly practice. Nurses, however, do think of themselves as highly creative, resilient, and accountable for seeking information, and scientific and aesthetic evidence to help formulate their plans, decisions, and actions.

Nurses with a scholarly practice prioritize learning; they know the people they care for; they believe that knowledge is ever evolving. Nurses recognize that, for them to be at their best, they need to continually learn in formal and informal ways. They collaborate and partner with others including the people they serve to find solutions to healthcare and societal challenges. This is scholarly practice!

As such, nurses with a scholarly practice accept responsibility for implementing and disseminating new knowledge for the advancement of the health and wellness of society. This important process occurs in the clinical care setting, in the classroom, in the conduct of research, in whatever setting and role the nurse holds. Scholarly practice with its direct connection to the health and wellness of society is an essential pillar of an exemplary practice life of the nurse.

The early literature on leadership was primarily driven by leaders and scholars from the world of business ( Kouzes and Posner, 2003 ). More recently, other professional disciplines including nursing have joined in the development and analysis of the theories and practice of leadership. There remains considerable debate about what leadership really is and how it differs from management. As a result, there is a plethora of definitions of leadership from both within and outside nursing. Diers (2004) , in one of her classic editorials, wrote that leadership is viewed as multi-dimensional, encompassing the wise use of power, managerial functions, and human relations processes. We believe that leadership is a set of actions and behaviors used by individuals or groups of individuals within their environment that facilitates the establishment and acquisition/achievement of shared goals ( MA Department of Higher Education, 2016 ).

The following review of the literature centers on understanding leadership and its expected behaviors. From the world of business, Kouzes and Posner have been writing about exemplary leadership since 2003. In their seminal work, they define essential leadership practices that are important to promoting growth of an individual and an organization. This definition includes engaging and empowering all members in the organization to establish sustainable outcomes intentionally and collaboratively. They describe five leadership practices: 1) ‘modeling the way’, 2) ‘inspiring a shared vision’, 3) ‘challenging the process’, 4) ‘enabling others to act’, and 5) ‘encouraging the heart’. While ‘encouraging the heart’ has not typically been viewed as a leadership competency, executive coach Daskell (2017) wrote that love is a leadership competency. By leading with compassion, commitment, kindness, and competence one can motivate others toward achieving greatness.

The long running and highly effective Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program (1997–2017) identified core competencies for nurse leaders ( Bellack & Morjikian, 2005 ). These include:

• Self - knowledge , or self - awareness is the ability to understand and develop oneself in the context of organizational challenges, interpersonal demands, and individual motivation.
• Strategic Visioning is the ability to connect broad social, economic, and political changes to the strategic direction of organizations. Strategic nurse leaders are always thinking about the next step.
• Risk - taking and Creativity is the ability to transform both oneself and the organization by moving outside the traditional and patterned ways of success. A leader who is a risk taker often feels uncomfortable and learns to accept this discomfort.
• Interpersonal and Communication Effectiveness is the ability to translate a strategic vision into compelling and motivating messages. Great leaders care about people with whom they work. They stay on mission but are always listening to divergent voices.
• Inspiring and Leading Change is the ability to inspire, structure, lead and effectively implement organizational change in an inclusive way. Great nurse leaders lead from their values. Their personal integrity and moral courage are the cornerstones of their legacies.

While the RWJ program was a formal program directed toward nurses aspiring to advance in their leadership roles, we believe that these five constructs are applicable to leadership development of all nurses, regardless of title or work setting.

Leadership identity has typically been associated with a hierarchical, authoritative, and formal position ( deZuleuta, 2015 ; Van de Mieroop et al., 2020 ). However, there is support in the nursing literature for the importance of informal leadership where the leader may not have a formal titular position or authority over a group of individuals. Informal leadership roles are exercised by those individuals who are situationally willing to step up and take actions; they are the “go-to nurses” ( Clifton, 2014 , p. 68). Within the culture of workplace organizations, an informal leader has been described as anyone who directs/guides a group toward accomplishing desired outcomes ( Ross, 2014 ). Nurses, who engage in scholarly practice throughout the healthcare enterprise, assume informal leadership roles in acknowledged and unacknowledged ways.

Riley et al. (2008) in their study that explored perspectives of thirty- six experienced nurses' descriptions of their scholarly nursing practice, found that participants' perspectives of leadership differed from more traditional views of formal leadership. Participants spoke to a non-hierarchical approach to leadership that they repeatedly called “stepping up the plate over and over again to guarantee the highest level of care…to develop others and to advance practice” (pg. 431). Informal leadership was their expectation for their exemplary practice life. We believe that informal leadership needs to not only be further developed and supported but included in the performance expectations for every nurse in every workplace.

Based on experience, research, and a synthesis of the literature, we believe that all nurses educated at the baccalaureate or master's entry level are prepared to be leaders. Whether in informal or formal leadership positions, nurses are held to the following expectations: developing oneself and others; embracing cultural humility, inclusivity, and diversity; modeling professional practice and behavior with a non-hierarchical approach; communicating with colleagues and others with clarity and purpose; managing resources effectively; and collaborating with others to advance the practice and profession of nursing and health care for the benefit of society. Nurses as leaders are reflective, visionary, and strategic thinkers who feel comfortable taking risks and innovating in even the most challenging situations ( Bellack & Morjikian, 2005 ).

We believe that both the formal and informal nurse leader is obligated to advance oneself, others, and the profession with humility, inclusivity, and generosity of spirit. Whatever the role, a nurse leader has the ability to influence others and build consensus toward a mutually shared goal or decision on both the micro and macro level. For example, the nurse leader has the responsibility to advocate for advancing health equity for all by removing practice barriers and supporting nurses in their efforts to understand the impact of the social determinants of health ( NASEM, 2021 ). For these many reasons, leadership is one of the four pillars that supports the exemplary practice life of the nurse.

Stewardship

Identifying stewardship as one of the four pillars supporting the exemplary practice life of the nurse is both timely and necessary. Nursing is charged with preparing for its future while living in the present. All nurses are called upon to assume a stewardship responsibility for the conservation of the ideals of nursing while leading consequential changes in health care environments that impact the health and wellness of society.

The concept of stewardship, outside the boundaries of a profession, has a long history. When the word stewardship first appeared in the English language during the Middle Ages, it functioned as a job description, denoting the office of a steward , or manager of a large household ( Merriam-Webster, 2020 ). Over the centuries, the understanding of stewardship expanded to include the oversight by the courts and many organizations. In recent years, the long-established “management” sense of stewardship has evolved into a positive meaning emphasizing “careful and responsible management” ( Merriam-Webster, 2020 ). The historical evolution of stewardship carries forward a set of ideals that include duties, shared responsibilities, oversight, resource preservation, prudence, and advocacy into a modern era.

Twenty first century stewardship ideals are addressed in business as integrated leader behaviors that place long term best interests of the business entity and stakeholders over self-interest ( Hernandez, 2008 ; Hernandez, 2012 ). Leaders, committed to their role as steward, see the benefit of this scope of social responsibility to their workforce and to society. Hernandez (2012) calls stewardship behaviors a “type of prosocial action” that carries with it a positive effect on people. Although primarily associated within a formal leadership role, there is current recognition that stewardship can and should live in all levels of organizations, adopted by all individuals, regardless of positional power ( Dalcher, 2019 ).

In a traditional view of stewardship, nurse leaders and scholars are entrusted to preserve and hold in trust the value priorities of stakeholders ( Milton, 2014 ). According to Haase-Herrick (2005) the simple essence of the diversity of stewardship actions for nurse leaders is grounded in the imperative to leave a profession, discipline, and scholarly practice in a better place than where it was found. This imperative does not apply only to nurses who are in formal leadership or scholar roles.

In broadening the responsibility of stewardship to include all nurses, the exercise of stewardship actions becomes a transformative experience that assures transparency and accountability for conserving what is essential in the profession and beneficial to society. With a more inclusive view of stewardship, all nurses, as stewards of the profession, exercise their responsibility to preserve what is intrinsically good and valuable in the profession, while promoting what knowledge and practice benefits the health of society ( Murphy, 2009 ; Murphy & Roberts, 2008 ).

Stewardship is not a one size fits all paradigm. Nurses are advocates at the point of practice or wherever they do their work. The consistent outcome of their advocacy is to preserve the core values of a practice profession while embracing practice changes that improve experience and outcomes of care. For educators, curricular learning opportunities that reinforce the expectations and responsibilities of being a steward of the profession begin to emerge at the point of formation of future nurses. For leaders of the profession, opportunities emerge at the nexus of transforming practice environments to meet society's current and future health needs. For researchers, stewardship implies a commitment to use their requisite abilities and curiosity to delve into the study of core nursing phenomena that address health issues that burden society. Being a steward of the profession stems from a nurse's passion and a sense of responsibility to advance the profession's work.

In a national study of chief academic nursing officers ( Beal & Riley, 2015 ), participants shared that they believed that every nurse, regardless of role or practice setting, is a steward of the nursing profession and of scholarly practice. Participants' collective vision for the future of baccalaureate education was that educational programs would place more focus on “helping students think about themselves as members and future stewards of the profession” ( Beal & Riley, 2015 , p. 382). In a recent national study, senior nurse leaders in magnet hospitals confirmed that “nursing culture is both significant and consequential to the nursing milieu as well as the overall organization” ( Beal & Riley, 2019 , p.192). Embedding expectations of stewardship for all nurses, not just leaders, into the nursing culture of health systems adds potential for significant influence within the organization.

The key question then becomes: Who is responsible for stewardship of the profession? We believe the expectation for stewardship must be expanded to include a responsibility for all nurses, operationalized in different ways, across the lifetime of a career. This expectation broadens meaningful actions to include sharing knowledge with others, mentoring, and teaching, using knowledge of the business of healthcare to specifically impact health policy, regulation, ethical and financial decisions. These are actions that support the essence of the profession. As a touchstone for both preservation and change, stewardship in today's health care enterprise, leads to a wide range of critical opportunities for all nurses. We therefore believe that this expanded stewardship paradigm earns its placement as a supporting pillar for the exemplary practice life of a nurse. The legacy of stewardship is a future workforce that is comfortable with their professional heritage yet sensitively responsive to the changing healthcare needs of society.

Summary of the model

The holistic model The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse calls for nurses to commit to developing an exemplary practice throughout one's career. Table 1 : Core Commitments with the Holistic Model: Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse summarizes the essential attitudes, behaviors, and capabilities within the context of the four independent but inter-related pillars.

Core commitments with the holistic model: exemplary practice life of the nurse.

The proposed model emanates from nursing's historical roots, respectful of its past while positing perspectives to guide the profession to meet current and future societal needs. Understanding the relationship between and among pillars represents the essence of an exemplary practice life. A holistic model adds equipoise in the components of nurse work. The model allows for counterbalancing the essential components while offering guidance to nurses in the whatever the situation that they confront in meeting the universally stated goal of health and wellness of all members of society. Because of the nature of their work, nurses need a holistic model to serve as foundational to their practice life. Such a model transcends all roles and work-settings and offers stability within an ever-changing health care environment. An unexpected benefit could be that the society will more clearly understand the essential elements of a nurse's practice life.

Each of the four pillars of this model has been separately described in the literature. What was not discussed in the literature was the inter-relationship of these four essential pillars to each other and how, as independent but inter-related entities, they holistically support the exemplary practice life of the nurse. The importance and value of informal leadership has also been overlooked. Three pillars (Professionalism, Leadership, and Scholarly Practice) are incorporated into competencies that drive formative education, advanced education, and workplace norms. Their relationship to each other, within these systems, however, is not well articulated within the competencies. Historically, stewardship, the fourth pillar, has been assigned and well-described for executive levels of leadership but not addressed as a responsibility for all nurses. There has been a recent call to make stewardship an explicit component of PhD education programs ( Morris et al., 2021 ). While important, the call must be expanded to include educating all students to be stewards of the profession.

We fully acknowledge the significant contributions of the academy and professional organizations over decades of dedication to the advancement of nursing education ( AACN, 2021 ; NLN, 2021 ). We recognize that they have a long-standing commitment to the development of specific essential competencies and principles for educating nurses. Faculty have developed curricula guided by the professional educational standards of these organizations. The complexity of today's nursing curricula calls for a simple, concise, and holistic translation the nursing competencies for each student and nurse to internalize what it means to have an exemplary practice life. We believe that this is the ultimate goal of nursing education at the baccalaureate and master's entry levels. To accomplish this translation, and at the same time provide a seamless transition to practice, faculty should integrate and emphasize the four pillars of this proposed model into teaching/learning experiences throughout the curriculum. The model offers a pragmatic framework to guide and support a nurse's practice life. Currently we know of no model or framework that captures the essence of exemplary practice life in a simple, concise, and holistic manner.

We introduced this paper with the important recognition that society once again acknowledges nursing as the most trusted profession in the United States ( Gallup, 2021 ; Reinhart, 2020 ). Globally, the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife continues to link the exemplary life of the nurse with stories of contemporary exemplary practice. At the same time, there are reports in recent literature about three distinct but related calls for nurses and the profession that are discussed in the following paragraphs: 1. The need to claim an authoritative role as leaders in health care services; 2. The need to claim a complete and accurate professional image for nurses; 3. The need to reclaim values foundational to the profession.

While nurses are clearly viewed as trustworthy, we are not perceived by the public as leaders, scholars, or innovators who make major contributions to healthcare delivery ( American Nurses Association, American Organization of Nurse Leaders, Johnson and Johnson, 2020 ; Broome, 2021 ; Prybil et al., 2019 ). The study findings of Godsey et al. (2020) address the need for change in the brand image of the nurse. These findings report factors contributing to the inconsistent and often negative image of nursing. They posit that variability in educational preparation, lack of visionary leadership, lack of leadership development, and an inconsistent professional image are significant contributors to the inability of the profession to demonstrate full leadership throughout the healthcare system.

The 2020–21 Covid-19 pandemic exposed fractures and vulnerabilities in our health care delivery system ( Ulrich et al., 2020 ) that include oppressive and discriminatory structures that are embedded in the organizations in which nurses work ( NASEM, 2021 ). These papers call for the need for nurses to step forward to lead substantive institutional reform. This will require an increased emphasis on supporting nurses in these endeavors ( NASEM, 2021 ). This call is an urgent message to see, as one endpoint in the pandemic, an opportunity to reclaim “values foundational to our profession and to establish new norms of communication and teamwork, intentionally address [ing] disparities” (p. 843, Ulrich et al., 2020 ).

These calls offer some insights that are germane to the proposed model. The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse is a simple yet compelling description of the essential work of every nurse integrated into four inter-related pillars. The model answers the calls for a strong professional image and compelling leadership that embrace the foundational values of the profession. It is consequential for formative education at the baccalaureate and master's entry level education. Most importantly the model acknowledges a consistent universal recognition of what nurses do in all roles, in all work-settings and within our global society. This model can be part of the solution of clearly describing the important work of nurses.

Recommendations

Proposing the model.

The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse , in conjunction with the greatest public health crisis since the 1918 flu epidemic, provided an opportunity to reflect on the rich past, the present, and the emerging future or our profession. Guided by this perspective we provide recommendations for the use of this model for individual nurses, the workplace, the academy, the profession, and the community. Specifically;

• We ask all nurses to consider re-framing their practice life to include the inter-related pillars of professionalism, scholarly practice, leadership, and stewardship. We recognize that the implementation of this model may look different at specific stages of a nurse's career.
• We ask that workplace leaders commit to examining and integrating this model as a mechanism to support all nurses throughout early, mid, and late career phases. We ask them to consider the integration of the model in systematic performance evaluation matrices that foster an exemplary practice environment.
• For the academy, we ask that leaders commit to conducting a systematic curricular appraisal to ensure that the model components are equally integrated throughout educational formation. Formative clinical learning needs to shift from a predominately skill acquisition model to a model that recognizes a more equitable distribution of the four essential pillars as the foundation for developing an exemplary nurse. Accomplishing the integration of this model into the curriculum is the first step in preparing the nurse of the future.
• We ask the leaders of professional associations to use their collective voice to advocate for the privilege of all nurses to have an exemplary practice life. The right of all members of society to have their health and wellness needs met equally requires no less than all nurses having an exemplary practice life. Furthermore, we ask that professional associations work collaboratively with certification, accreditation, legislative and regulatory bodies to commit to advancing the BSN as the preferred professional nursing degree. While efforts have been made in the past, there is a greater sense of urgency as the complexity of care continues to increase.
• For communities, we recognize their position as a guardian and supporter of society's health and wellness needs. We ask for continued support in new and emerging ways that reflect the conditions, commitments, changes, and requirements that must be confronted.

In conclusion, we ask service and academic leaders, and individual nurses, as partners, to review, implement and evaluate this model to seamlessly support career transition and the development of an exemplary practice life for all nurses.

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Essay on Good Nurse Qualities

Students are often asked to write an essay on Good Nurse Qualities in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Good Nurse Qualities

A good nurse has a kind heart. They care about people’s feelings and pain. When sick people feel scared or hurt, these nurses are like warm sunshine, making them feel better with gentle words and a caring touch. It’s like they have a superpower to make pain a little less sharp with their kindness.

Nurses often work with people who need extra help and time. Good nurses are patient, like a slow-moving stream that keeps going no matter what. They understand that everyone is different, and they take the time to listen and help each person, no matter how long it takes.

Nurses work with other nurses, doctors, and many people in a hospital. They share tasks and help each other like a soccer team passing the ball to score a goal. Good nurses know that working together makes everything run smoothly and helps patients get better faster.

Attention to Detail

Good nurses are like detectives, always paying close attention. They notice small changes in patients that others might miss. This careful watching helps them catch problems early and keep everyone safe. It’s like they have eyes like an eagle, spotting things from far away.

Staying Strong

Nurses face tough situations, but they stay strong like a sturdy tree in a storm. They keep calm when things get hard, giving patients and families a feeling of safety. This strength helps everyone feel that everything will be okay, even on the hardest days.

250 Words Essay on Good Nurse Qualities

Kindness and patience.

A good nurse is someone who is very kind and patient. When people are sick or hurt, they might feel scared or upset. Nurses help by speaking in a gentle way and by taking their time to explain things, so patients don’t feel rushed or worried. They listen to patients and try to understand how they feel.

Good Communication

It’s important for nurses to talk clearly and listen well. They need to understand what doctors say and then explain it in simple words to patients and their families. Nurses also need to write down important information so nothing is forgotten or mixed up.

Nurses work with lots of other people, like doctors, other nurses, and helpers. They need to work well in a group and share tasks. When everyone works together, patients get the best care.

Being Strong and Quick

Nurses often have to help lift patients and move quickly in emergencies. They need to be strong and have quick thinking to make fast decisions. This helps in keeping patients safe and giving them the right help when they need it.

Caring Heart

Lastly, a nurse must care deeply about people. They should want to make others feel better and work hard to help them heal. A nurse with a caring heart makes a big difference in a patient’s day, making them feel loved and looked after.

500 Words Essay on Good Nurse Qualities

Understanding and kindness.

When we think of a good nurse, the first thing that often comes to mind is someone who is very understanding and kind. Nurses meet people who are not feeling well or are scared. They use their warm hearts to help patients feel better. A kind nurse listens carefully to what patients say and tries to help them with their worries. They smile and speak in a gentle way, which makes patients feel safe and cared for.

Knowledge and Skill

A good nurse knows a lot about health and how to take care of people. They have studied hard to learn about different illnesses and the best ways to treat them. Nurses are also skilled in using medical tools and machines. They need to measure things like temperature and blood pressure accurately. Being smart and skilled helps nurses to give the right treatment to their patients.

Patience is another important quality in a nurse. Sometimes, patients can be upset or take a long time to explain what’s wrong. Nurses wait calmly and do not get annoyed. They understand that people can feel frustrated when they are not well. By staying patient, nurses help to keep the hospital a peaceful place.

Talking and listening well are key parts of a nurse’s job. Nurses explain to patients and their families what is happening in a way that is easy to understand. They also need to share information with doctors and other nurses. Good communication means that everyone knows what to do, and this helps patients get better quickly.

Hardworking and Reliable

Nurses work very hard. They often have to stand for many hours and move quickly from place to place. A good nurse is someone you can rely on. They do what they promise and are always ready to help. Even when they are tired, they keep going because they want to make sure their patients are okay.

Team Player

Being a good team player is vital for nurses. They work with many other people, like doctors, to help patients. Nurses share tasks and help each other. When everyone works well together, they can take better care of those who are sick.

Staying Calm in Emergencies

Sometimes, emergencies happen in hospitals. A good nurse stays calm during these times. They think clearly and act quickly to help in the best way they can. Staying calm helps to stop the situation from becoming worse and can save lives.

In conclusion, a good nurse has many wonderful qualities. They are understanding, kind, knowledgeable, skilled, patient, good at talking and listening, hardworking, reliable, a team player, and calm in emergencies. All these qualities help nurses to take the best care of their patients. When we see nurses with these qualities, we feel thankful for their hard work and the comfort they bring to those in need. Nurses are important helpers in keeping us all healthy.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Happy studying!

Nurses’ perspectives on professional self-concept and its influencing factors: A qualitative study

Chuyuan Miao 1 ,
Chunqin Liu 1 ,
Ying Zhou 1 ,
Xiaofang Zou 2 ,
Liqin Song 1 ,
Joanne W.Y. Chung 1 , 3 ,
Wenying Tan 1 ,
Xiaohua Li 1 &
Dong Li 4

BMC Nursing volume 23 , Article number: 237 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Nurses with a strong professional self-concept tend to exhibit a positive mindset and strong work engagement, delivering high-quality patient care. Although numerous quantitative studies have examined the factors impacting professional self-concept, there remains a limited exploration of these factors from the perspective of nurses themselves.

This qualitative descriptive study uses the PERMA theory and Social Cognitive Theory as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nurses from six public hospitals in China. The data were analyzed thematically using a combination of inductive and deductive approaches.

Nurses’ understanding of professional self-concept could be divided into four categories: professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge. Factors influencing nurses’ professional self-concept were categorized into eight subthemes in three domains: (1) personal factors, including psychological qualities and attitude towards the nursing profession; (2) occupational-related behavioral factors, including role-oriented behavior and knowledge-oriented behavior; and (3) work environment and external factors, including external evaluation and perceptions of nurses, time allocation, nursing work tasks, work atmosphere, school education, and perceived supports.

Conclusions

This study found that, although nurses had different personal experiences, their perceptions of professional self-concept were similar. Nurses’ professional self-concept is a multidimensional concept and involves various factors, such as personality, work-related characteristics, environment, and family. To thrive in a nursing career, nurses must discern the factors that can enhance or hinder their professional self-concept. By identifying and adjusting these factors, personalized support and positive interventions can be tailored to meet nurses’ specific needs, which ultimately nurtures their professional development.

Trial registration

This study was registered on December 14, 2022, in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200066699) as part of our ongoing study.

Peer Review reports

Nurses’ professional self-concept reflects their attitudes, perceptions, emotions, ethics, behaviors, and values in the nursing profession [ 1 , 2 ]. Nurses are indispensable members of the healthcare team and assume the important responsibilities of caring for patients, providing medical services, and ensuring patient safety. Nurses’ professional development is a lifeline for the quality of hospital nursing services, which is related to the stability of the nursing team. Professional self-concept is the core of self-understanding of the profession and personal career development [ 2 ]; thus, it has long been receiving attention [ 3 , 4 ].

Studies have shown that nurses’ professional self-concept is closely related to their mental health and that nurses with higher self-concept tend to maintain good job flexibility and strive to overcome difficulties encountered at work; therefore, they experience higher job satisfaction, motivation and retention intention [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Goliroshan et al. found that professional self-concept could significantly predict burnout among clinical nurses [ 8 ]. This implies that enhancing professional self-concept may mitigate burnout. People whose career matches their self-concept perceive their careers as meaningful and rewarding activities. Nurses in this position have a more favorable professional image and provide superior patient care. Conversely, nurses with a negative self-concept often feel disappointed with their abilities, lack motivation in their work, and perceive nursing as an unsatisfying and sad profession. As such, developing a professional self-concept is of great importance to nurses, particularly in terms of their career satisfaction and willingness to stay in the profession.

Furthermore, owing to the enormous contribution of nurses worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, more attention has been paid to them. During this public crisis, nurses explored their self-roles and remained in their professional roles while they defended their own health and avoided the risk of infection, leading them to have a deeper understanding of their roles and professional missions [ 9 , 10 ]. Hence, exploring nurses’ understanding of their professional self-concept, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, can provide a comprehensive understanding of how nurses perceive their competencies and values and identify suggestions to help them develop in their careers [ 11 ].

Existing research on nurses’ professional self-concept is primarily quantitative [ 4 , 12 ]. It is reported that a high level of professional self-concept among new or junior nurses affects their willingness to stay and their career plans [ 6 , 13 ]. Conversely, a high level of professional self-concept among senior nurses, such as nurse managers, affects their level of positive decision-making, as they take on more leadership responsibilities and are central to the development of the nursing team [ 14 ]. However, further qualitative research with a unique perspective is required to gain a deeper understanding of this content and to explore its influencing factors. In addition, previous research on the influencing factors and opinions related to the professional self-concept of nurses has suggested that professional self-concept may be differently influenced by public images, work environments, and cultural backgrounds [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Needless to say, a deeper exploration to investigate the factors that may influence nurses’ professional self-concept from their own perspective is essential. To sum up, this study explored nurses’ perceptions of their professional self-concept and its influencing factors using a qualitative research approach. This study aimed to promote nurses’ professional development, create high-quality nursing services, and help to formulate related training and intervention strategies in the future.

Theoretical background

This study adopted the PERMA theory and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to explore nurses’ perspectives on professional self-concept and its influencing factors. This study sought to enable future nursing managers to provide targeted interventions from a psychological perspective.

Positive psychology advocates a positive perspective on individual well-being and focuses on human emotions, qualities, happiness, meaning, and fulfillment to pursue a good and happy life [ 18 ]. Professional self-concept is closely related to an individual’s career development and well-being [ 18 , 19 ], and nurses’ professional self-concept can be considered an important reflection of their pursuit of a meaningful and happy life. Seligman et al. [ 18 ] proposed the PERMA theory on positive psychology, in which well-being refers to a flourishing life and consists of five main elements: Positive Emotion (P), such as pleasantness, joy, and other subjective feelings; Engagement (E) which refers to complete concentration and immersion in something; Relationships (R), which refers to the emotional (e.g., co-operation or exclusion) and behavioral (e.g., proximity or estrangement) aspects that arise in the course of an individual’s getting along with other people; Meaning (M), which refers to an individual’s pursuit of a certain sense of value and happiness in their life; and Accomplishment (A), which refers to an individual’s feeling of pleasure or success after accomplishing something. Similarly, social psychology stresses the pursuit of a meaningful life. According to Bandura, an individual’s perceived well-being comes from a level that matches their life goals; thus, the SCT pursues well-being from the perspective of individual values [ 20 ]. From this perspective, the SCT can also be combined with the PERMA theory. For instance, positive emotion may develop in interactions with others [ 21 , 22 ]; For the engagement element, individuals may be influenced by others to develop a great interest, enthusiasm, and motivation for learning, enhancing the sense of engagement in themselves. Individuals may maintain interpersonal relationships by establishing good social behaviors with others; in other words, individuals are influenced by social roles to find meaning in life and work [ 23 ]; Regarding the accomplishment element, individuals may be influenced by others to set their own goals and self-development [ 22 ]. Therefore, this study combined the PERMA theory and SCT using the above five elements to design an interview outline and analyze nurses’ perceptions of their professional self-concept.

Furthermore, the interpretation of professional self-concept requires individual perception, which may be influenced by the individual’s own understanding, work, and life experiences, as well as other factors such as society, culture, race, religion, organization, and profession [ 24 , 25 ]. In other words, the formation of professional self-concept results from the interactions between humans and environmental factors. Therefore, the influence of social factors should also be considered. According to Bandura, human activity is determined by the interaction between three factors: personal factors (i.e., individual cognition), behavioral factors, and the external environment [ 18 , 26 ]. As a part of social psychology theory, the SCT stresses the significance of motivation and meaningful life, focusing on the self [ 18 , 27 ], which further guides us in categorizing the factors that affect professional self-concept.

The theoretical framework of this study is illustrated in Fig. 1 . The middle circle introduces Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, which includes the five elements of positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment and was used to analyze the perspective of nurses’ professional self-concept. The inner circle introduces Bandura’s SCT, which was used to guide the construction of themes for the factors influencing nurses’ professional self-concept.

The theoretical framework of nurses’ professional self-concept and its influencing factors

Study design

This study employed a qualitative descriptive design to examine nurses’ perceptions of their professional self-concept and its influencing factors. This study adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting in a qualitative research (COREQ) checklist [ 28 ] (Table S1 ).

Study participants and sampling

This study was conducted in Guangdong Province, China, from January 23 to April 23, 2023. A total of 15 nurses, including three men and 12 women, were invited from six general tertiary-level hospitals in two cities (Shenzhen and Guangzhou) of Guangdong Province. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) age ≥ 18 years; (2) holding a nurse certificate; and (3) being a clinical nurse. The exclusion criteria are as follows: (1) being an intern or trainee nurse; (2) being a student or being on leave for one month or more; and (3) nurses who could not be contacted. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to invite participants to this study. Predetermined criteria were included according to the diversity of social demographic factors, such as working years, professional titles, and work departments, to obtain as rich data as far as possible. Participant selection was conducted by trained research team members. Invitations were distributed through WeChat, face-to-face, or by telephone to nurses. Snowball sampling was used to recruit more participants. The researchers explained the study’s purpose, precautions, and confidentiality principles to potential participants through WeChat or face-to-face conversations. Participation in the study was voluntary, and all participants provided written informed consent before participation.

Guest et al. [ 29 ] suggested that sample sizes for qualitative research are not predetermined; instead, sampling is considered to be saturated when no new data emerges, that is, when there are multiple repetitions of the data collected. They argued that for most research that aims to understand common perceptions and experiences, data saturation occurs after 12 interviews. As data saturation is a subjective judgment, we recruited additional interviewees after completing interviews with the initial 12 participants to ensure that our study achieved genuine data saturation, aiming for the highest level of comprehensiveness and quality. Thus, 17 participants were initially invited; however, two nurses declined to participate. Finally, 15 participants completed the interviews.

Determining the interview outline

Based on the research purpose and a review of relevant literature, an initial interview outline was drafted. Two nurses were selected for the pre-interviews, and a final interview outline was developed after a group discussion. Two researchers (CYM and LQS) conducted a pilot test with two nurses separately, and neither of the nurses was invited to participate in the formal study. After the two pre-interviews, the formal interview outline was adjusted, improved, and finalized (The Interview Guide was developed for this study, see Table S2 ).

Data collection

We conducted one-on-one, in-person, semi-structured interviews to gain insight into nurses’ perspectives and experiences. This approach fostered a comfortable environment for interviewees, encouraging them to share their personal opinions. Before the interviews, the researchers contacted the participants and clearly explained the research objectives, then arranged interview times and locations at the participant’s convenience. Locations free of distractions, such as conference rooms in the participants’ clinical department, their homes, or a quiet environment were selected.

During the interviews, the participants were informed of the necessity of recording the interview process. The purpose, process, and confidentiality principles of this study were explained again. Written informed consent was obtained. Each interview lasted 35–60 min. When necessary, the interviewer employed questioning, rhetorical questioning, and repetition techniques to confirm the participants’ responses and ensure clarity.

In the formal interview process, CYM conducted each interview while observing, listening to, and recording the interviewees’ expressions, voices, and intonation as well as clarifying and verifying uncertain information to improve the accuracy of the data. The interview guide consisted of open-ended questions that allowed participants to fully elucidate their viewpoints, perceptions, and experiences. At the beginning of each interview, the participants were asked to introduce themselves, including their department, working years, working position, and working experience, and then to explain their perceptions of “professional self-concept” and the “related influencing factors”. The researcher remained linguistically and nonjudgmental neutral in the interviews to observe and record. To express our gratitude, we also gave a gift card worth ¥100 to each participant who completed the interview.

Data analysis

This study used qualitative thematic analysis to examine the nurses’ perceptions of the professional self-concept and its influencing factors. A thematic analysis method [ 30 ] was used to extract the factors affecting the professional self-concept among nurses, which consisted of the following six steps: (i) familiarization with the data, (ii) generating initial coding, (iii) searching for themes, (iv) reviewing the themes, (v) defining and naming, and (vi) generating reports. After obtaining consent, the recording was conducted using IFLYTEK recording equipment. Within 48 h after the interview, the researcher transcribed the recorded data into Microsoft Word by repeatedly listening to the recording content. The transcribed text was sorted, classified, coded, and analyzed using Nvivo 12.0 software.

Details process of data handling and analysis

In the first step, CYM listened to the recorded data several times, read the transcribed text repeatedly, and noted any transcribed errors for timely correction. This process involved extracting relevant content from the transcript and adding the interviewer’s expressions in brackets based on the participants’ verbatim statements. Afterward, meaningful units were extracted from the transcribed text by condensing and summarizing recurring “words” or “sentences” as appropriate using the inductive analysis. XHL and CQL revised their interpretations of the findings if disagreements occurred during analysis. Once the open coding data were complete, CYM generated a list of categories and initial subthemes. Next, CYM, CQL, WYT and XHL reviewed all codes, categories, and initial subthemes that emerged from the transcripts. CYM and CQL then merged the items according to the categories developed from SCT theory using deductive analysis into relevant themes and subthemes. The combination of inductive and deductive approaches has been mentioned in previous studies [ 31 ]. As the team members held different views, the process was repeated until a consensus was reached. Finally, we used a table to report the entire thematic analysis findings process (Table S3 ), with quotes translated into English by CYM and XHL.

Ethical approval

Before recruitment, we informed our study’s participants about the purpose, method, and content of the study. All participants were asked to sign a written consent form before the interview. In addition, the researchers used case numbers to anonymize the interview data and protect the interviewees’ privacy. All data used in the interviews were processed anonymously. Apart from de-identified records, no other relevant personal information was revealed. The study conformed to the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Guangzhou Medical University (No. 202210003). This work is part of our overall research. Participation was entirely voluntary. Participants had full autonomy regarding whether to take part in this anonymous study.

Trustworthiness and credibility

To improve the reliability of this study, we recruited participants with different characteristics, such as age, and nursing department, until we reached data saturation. After transcribing and collating the data, the researcher promptly checked and confirmed with the interviewees in cases of uncertainty in the information to ensure the authenticity and completeness of the data. The researcher kept detailed records of all the raw data and analyses and recalled and understood the interviews by listening to the recorded content several times and reviewing the translated text, thereby ensuring the credibility of the data. The detailed descriptions of each category enriched the interpretation of the data and enhanced transferability. In addition, themes and subthemes from the analyses were independently analyzed by two researchers to test the reliability of the results. We later contacted some participants, asked them to re-verify the content again, and asked them whether any corrections were needed. Moreover, if the participants asked us for the interview records, we provided them with the relevant details and content. However, owing to time constraints, we did not repeat the interviews.

No new topics were found after interviewing the 15 participants. The study sample was from six hospitals in two cities (Shenzhen and Guangzhou) of Guangdong Province, China. The participant’s characteristics are presented in Table 1 . The interviews lasted 35–64 min and averaged 51 min long. The participants included 12 women and three men; Of them, 14 (93.34%) participants had a bachelor’s degree, and one had a postgraduate degree. The working hospitals included three hospitals each in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Based on the SCT, we identified the following themes and subthemes by coding the interview transcripts: personal factors, occupational-related behavioral factors, work environment and external factors (Fig. 2 ). Data analysis generated 82 codes through the meaningful text, forming 18 initial subthemes in eight categories.

The summarizes of factors affecting nurses’ professional self-concept

Nurses’ perceptions of professional self-concept

Codes were classified into four descriptive themes: professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge (See Table S4 ). A total of 15 nurses were interviewed, and the majority (11/15) stated that this was the first time they had heard the term “self-concept”; however, few differences existed in their perceptions of professional self-concept. Most nurses felt that their self-concept reflected their role as health promoters, with a sense of identification with their role or profession. They stated that self-concept involves professional nursing skills, professional knowledge, humanistic care, and the influence of their thoughts and attitudes on their work behaviors. For instance, Participant A8 (nurse, woman, 23 years old) said, “Being engaged in the nursing profession involves several aspects. First, it requires an understanding of one’s behavior in a professional context. Nurses need to be self-aware, knowing who they are in this role. They must decide how to act and regulate their behavior effectively. This process involves an ideological aspect as well, which is developing a self-perception and attitude that are appropriate for their professional responsibilities”. In addition, some participants emphasized the importance of cultivating mental health literacy when mentioning this concept. “First, we should develop a concept of self and focus on ourselves. Then, we should stay positive, and let that positivity influence our work. That’s also how you bring a positive influence to the patients” (A10, nurse in charge, woman, 33 years old) .

Factors influencing nurses’ professional self-concept

Theme one: personal factors, subtheme one: psychological qualities.

In this study, several nurses considered psychological quality to be an important personal factor affecting their professional self-concept, particularly mindset, resilience, self-regulation, compassion, responsibility, and leadership.

Given the challenging and stressful nature of nurses’ work environment, nurses with a positive mindset tend to be motivated and driven in their work; therefore, they are motivated in their professional development. One participant stated, “Maintaining a positive and optimistic mindset is crucial for nurses to handle challenging things, such as emotional fluctuations when patients’ family members do not understand. Without it, nurses may risk facing increasing distress and potentially experiencing a sense of despair in their profession” (A14, Nurse practitioner, woman, 32 years old).

Resilience, which encompasses the ability to effectively control one’s emotions and maintain composure under perceived stress, adapt flexibly to the environment, and understand others, is key to an individual’s professional development. One participant stated, “To smooth your career path in nursing, it’s vital to learn how to read situations and understand others’ perspectives. Avoid losing your temper whenever possible and maintain control over your emotions. I believe mastering this skill is crucial and will significantly benefit your professional life. These insights are based on my personal experiences and advice” (A12, woman, nurse-in-charge, 29 years old).

Self-regulation

Effective self-regulation is necessary because individuals may experience setbacks at work. For example, one participant said, “When dealing with psychiatric patients who express constant negativity, often due to resentment from necessary restraints upon admission, it’s vital to learn self-regulation to cope with their adverse emotions and behaviors” (A11, nurse practitioner, woman, 35 years old).

Compassion refers to putting oneself in the patient’s position. One participant reported, “It is essential to remember that compassion and empathy are crucial, especially when interacting with patients. We should see them as more than just patients–they are pregnant women and babies. Being warm and caring towards people is a fundamental quality, regardless of your profession” (A15, nurse practitioner, woman, 45 years old).

Responsibility

Responsibility is considered a fundamental component of prudence and mental well-being and constitutes an essential quality that nurses should possess. “In our profession, where we handle life, being cautious and responsible is fundamental. In nursing, exercising discretion and possessing a strong sense of responsibility are basic requirements. If you’re accountable to your patients and dedicated to your profession, you’ll naturally be more meticulous, which ultimately benefits the patients” (A12).

Nurse leadership is fundamental to realizing a nurse’s values, and its development is essential for the successful practice of the nurse professionals. Although some nurses felt that leadership was more often found among senior nurses, one participant stated, “While much of what I have mentioned may not seem directly related to authority or majesty, as you accumulate years of experience in your profession, it inherently represents a form of leadership”(A11). This was equally important for younger nurses. Leadership can be a collection of personal qualities, intelligence, and character, as well as a drive and self-leadership to become a better and better version of oneself. One participant said, “Been on the job for six months now, and I’m pretty much-handling things on my own. Got the hang of the basics, no need to bother them (either leaders or colleagues) for every little thing” (A8).

Subtheme two: attitude towards the nursing profession

Commitment to the nursing role.

Nurses’ commitment to their roles was reflected in their engagement. For instance, some respondents said that they were devoted to daily work, such as checking a patient’s information and asking for their name before giving an injection to ensure that the correct person is being treated. “It has become a muscle memory; it cannot be erased, and I feel so involved that I forget that feeling of self (laughs)” (A3, nurse, man, 28 years old). Some respondents even reported that they were always in an engaged state at work. “From the beginning to the end of my work day, I am in a state of total mental tension. I would say that this is commitment” (A2, nurse, woman, 24 years old).

Self-identity in nursing

Most nurses appreciated their profession and were willing to work in these roles. One participant said: “Nurses are a profession that I feel has a sense of value and presence as well. I mean, I am proud to be doing this for a living”(A2). “People may think that nurses are only assistants to doctors, but in fact, doctors need to rely on us nurses instead…Nurses know better what patients need and the problems they need to solve” (A1, nurse, man, 24 years old).

Effective communication styles

Effective communication styles could reflect nurses’ positive attitudes toward nursing care. One participant said, “Effective communication is also important. Even if you excel in your professional skills and have a caring attitude, it will not work without good communication. Being outgoing and having a genuine connection with patients are equally necessary. Developing strong communication skills is a must”(A9, nurse in charge, woman, 33 years old).

Theme two: occupational-related behavioral factors

Subtheme one: role-oriented behavior, sense of role-achievement.

The source of nurses’ sense of achievement is reflected in the fact that their nursing work helps patients, producing not only a sense of individual value but also social value. “I remember a particular incident with an overweight male patient who had difficult-to-locate veins. Other colleagues had tried and failed to draw his blood without causing him pain and bruising, leading to his dissatisfaction. However, during my night shift, I successfully drew his blood. He was amazed at how painless it was and expressed his surprise, saying, ‘Is it done already? It didn’t hurt at all!’ (pop-eyed with excitement). He then praised me in front of my colleagues and leaders and during the clinical rounds. This incident boosted my confidence and pride in my skills, making me feel more assured in demonstrating my capabilities! (big smile and with a gleam in his eye)” (A3).

Nurses’ behavior on time allocation conflicts

The time conflict involved in nursing tasks primarily includes nurses’ task allocation and learning and working time allocation. For instance, one participant said, “When I’m eating and a new patient arrives, I face a dilemma: continue my meal with only half an hour left, or attend to the patient? It’s a conflict of interests. At such moments, it’s crucial to consider our role. As a nurse, during my 8-hour shift, I need to prioritize my professional responsibilities over personal needs. Wearing the nurse’s uniform means not always doing what I want; it’s about balancing conflicting interests while staying true to our nursing role” (A11).

Subtheme two: knowledge-oriented behavior

Knowledge reserves are essential for nurses’ perceptions, clinical judgments, and decision-making, particularly for new nurses and nurses with little experience (e.g., less than ten years). For instance, one participant said: “In clinical work, you often encounter things not taught in school or books. It can be really tough when patients ask about these areas, because you don’t always know the answers and you can’t just guess” (A8).

In this study, several participants were fully aware of the importance of knowledge and referred to self-directed learning behaviors. “I am not very familiar with some specialties of my department, such as Central Venous Catheter (CVC) and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) . Then, I might check the relevant operating guides to understand how it works” (A5, nurse, woman, 25 years old).

Theme three: work environment and external factors

Subtheme one: external evaluation and perceptions of nurses.

Social stereotypes can significantly impact all aspects of life, particularly individuals’ confidence and motivation. For instance, when discussing the status of nurses, one participant said, “When you say that you are a bachelor’s degree nurse, people are amazed. There are some (patients), of course, most (patients) nowadays probably do not have that point of view anymore, but there will still be a lot of (patients), some even who call you ‘waiter’ all the time…” (A10) .

In addition, gender stereotypes exist about the role of nurses, in addition to stereotypes in terms of social hierarchy, as demonstrated by the fact that most people think of nurses as women. One participant said, “While I am comfortable with my role as a male nurse within the hospital, I am aware that outside the hospital, the perceptions and comments of others can affect my confidence” (A3) .

The value placed on nurses by outsiders (e.g., peers and the general public) motivates and encourages individuals to remain committed to this path. “Since the epidemic, I feel the status of nursing staff has elevated. There’s a greater sense of respect for the nursing profession now compared to before” (A12) .

Subtheme two: work atmosphere

Individuals are affected by an excellent work environment. “The work environment where I am situated is relatively tidy, and the atmosphere among my colleagues is quite positive and energetic. It is an enthusiastic and forward-thinking team. Most people are eager to pursue their goals rather than thinking of nothing. I find this atmosphere to be quite favorable” (A12).

Subtheme three: school education

Schooling plays a critical role in shaping nurses’ perceptions of professional self-concept. “The school’s emphasis on humanistic qualities, theories, and education significantly shapes one’s growth. It is essential to clearly explain the duties and roles of nurses and how they contribute to society…” (A10).

Subtheme four: perceived supports

First, the platform support impacts nurses’ professional development. One participant said, “Whether a professional nurse or a consultant nurse, both need a suitable platform to grow and excel. Acknowledging that some platforms might not be as good may limit the diversity of a nurse’s insights into clinical conditions and problem-solving” (A13, Nurse in charge, woman, 45 years old).

Second, the support of leaders is vital for nurses. One participant said, “When I first joined, I was the only new one, without peers to confide in. My leader provided me with her own methods of psychological guidance, which helped me quickly adapt to the environment” (A14).

Peer support can influence nurses’ motivation, thereby playing an integral role in their professional development. “During the day shift, there’s always someone available to assist; you’re never left to handle everything on your own” (A2).

Third, patient support is a source of motivation for nurses and a recognition of their professionalism. “When I get that kind of patient affirmation, I actually feel that this career is very good ” (A8).

Furthermore, nursing is a unique profession, and the attitude and care of family members also significantly affects the concentration and energy of individuals engaged in nursing work. “My family members may say that they will take care of the child instead of going for a walk today” (A15).

This study explored nurses’ perceptions of their professional self-concept and its influencing factors using the PERMA theory and SCT. Nurses regarded professional self-concept in four aspects: Identity, competence, care, and knowledge. Factors influencing professional self-concept were categorized into three themes: personal, occupational-related behavioral, work environment and external factors (Fig. 2 ). This study enriches the understanding of Chinese nurses’ perceptions of professional self-concept and its influencing factors. These findings can guide future interventions to develop and improve the nursing team and provide a foundation to further assist nursing managers in developing interventions and training to support and motivate nurses.

According to the participants, professional self-concept is multi-dimensional. The development of nurses’ professional self-concept was considered an important component of personal career development, as reflected in nurses’ goals in terms of professional competence and professional identity. This was in line with Ni et al.’s [ 32 ] conceptual understanding of career development. This further emphasizes the crucial role of nurses’ professional self-concept in their career development. In addition, participants highlighted the vital impact of mental health literacy (i.e., humanistic qualities and care) when discussing professional competencies. This concept has recently gained attention [ 33 ], particularly considering the stress of modern life. Mental health literacy is regarded as individuals’ knowledge and beliefs about recognizing, managing and preventing mental health problems [ 34 , 35 ]. For nurses, improving mental health literacy not only means developing positive attitudes and practices, but it is also an important expansion of their professional self-concept. By developing mental health literacy, nurses can be helped to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity and importance of their own professional roles, thereby facilitating their professional growth and personal development [ 34 ]. Furthermore, the nurses participating in this study emphasized the prominent roles of caregiving and professional knowledge in their professional self-concept. This is linked to the pivotal role of nurses as healthcare providers in the medical and health fields, where they undertake responsibilities as caregivers and health educators. This alignment with prior research is consistent with delineating the dimensions of nurses’ professional self-concept [ 6 ], suggesting that nurses still have substantial room for growth in professional care and knowledge.

Nurses’ mindsets, psychological qualities, and attitudes as an internal driver for the development of their professional self-concept

Regarding personal factors, we found that nurses’ mindsets and psychological qualities are a more significant part of the process of their professional self-concept development and career promotion. This was consistent with the findings of previous research [ 5 , 7 , 32 ]. According to Madrid et al., individuals’ positive or negative emotions at work may affect their self-perceptions and job satisfaction [ 36 ]. Nurses with a positive mindset have also been found to be able to work creatively. This may be because people with high levels of happiness accumulate more positive emotions, are satisfied with their lives, and can positively influence their organizational performance, which in turn positively affects the quality of care delivery [ 37 ]. Moreover, nurses with positive psychological qualities, such as resilience, and empathy, tend to maintain consistent positive expectations about future outcomes, which then leads to more positive outcomes that enhance their mental health, job satisfaction, professional self-concept [ 38 , 39 , 40 ], and career decision-making [ 41 ]. However, individual attributes take longer to develop and may be influenced by the environment, education, and experience [ 36 ]. Therefore, the joint efforts of nurses, families, and society, such as using a positive psychological intervention [ 42 ], are required to help nurses develop positive psychological and qualities to better promote the development of professional self-concept. For example, schools emphasize theoretical and humanistic qualities at the organizational level, including education and hospital management, whereas hospitals concentrate on operational and individual competencies. Teachers are key to shaping students’ qualities, values, and professional growth. Therefore, new teachers must possess a depth of knowledge and humanistic qualities to enrich students’ practical experiences and cultivate solid interpersonal abilities for effective, positive clinical adaptation [ 43 ].

Furthermore, nurses are the mainstay of clinical care, and their attitudes are key factors in shaping the overall quality of care. A positive, optimistic, and confident attitude toward life can lead to quality nursing care and inspire nurses to commit to their work [ 44 ]. Although the majority of the participants in this study indicated that they maintained a focused and devoted attitude towards their nursing work, some participants mentioned potentially negative attitudes owing to work pressure or for other reasons. A survey of 357 nurses in five hospitals in Ethiopia found that only 46.3% of nurses were optimistic about their careers [ 45 ]. This finding suggests that nurses should enhance their professional role clarity. In addition, a survey of 1,179 Austrian nurses found that they had moderate to positive attitudes towards caring for patients aged > 80 years [ 46 ]. However, previous research has also found that nurses’ attitudes towards others, such as caring for older people, are complex, with both positive and negative aspects [ 47 , 48 ]. Thus, consistently positive attitudes towards nurses should be developed. Ethical training and continuous educational opportunities should also be provided [ 45 ].

Besides, previous studies have shown that nurses’ attitudes stem from their self-perception of the profession and that self-identification is an important part of this perception. Most of the nurses in this study still had a high level of acceptance of nursing as a profession and felt that it was a very rewarding job to have. This result was similar to that of previous studies in that those with high self-identity tended to have stronger self-confidence, had a clearer understanding of their abilities and values, were more likely to have stable and healthy relationships and were motivated to achieve their goals and aspirations. However, surveys conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that most nurses needed to promote their self-identity [ 49 , 50 ]. For instance, Zhang et al. reported that, among 348 Chinese nurses, most reported that their professional self-identity was low or moderate [ 49 ].

In addition, some nurses in this study also reported that they needed to further improve their communication skills. To further enhance nurses’ professional self-concept, nurses’ psychological problems should be recognized early, and psychological intervention support and emotional management training should be provided. Moreover, relevant education and training, such as strengthening effective communication and interpersonal skills, should be provided, thereby inspiring nurses to be more passionate and committed to nursing and to maintain their long-term positive attitudes.

Stimulating the autonomy of nurses’ occupational-related behavior is a synergistic force that improves their professional self-concept development

According to the SCT framework, an individual’s behavior plays a key role in their professional development. This study concluded that nurses’ occupation-related behaviors influenced their professional self-concept, with role-oriented behavior being the main aspect. This study examined nurses’ perceptions of job fulfillment and motivation, as well as their willingness to actively choose to take on the nursing role in the event of a conflict between family roles and time allocation. Nurses expressed that their motivation towards professional development was connected to the meaningful work they gained from their work, which is consistent with the results of previous studies [ 51 ]. Nurses’ intrinsic autonomy must be stimulated to develop and nurture this behavior. Studies have shown that individuals with a higher level of autonomy are more likely to take on responsibility and are more flexible, proactive, open to challenges, and adaptable to the content and demands of their work. Consequently, nursing managers can develop training programs to assist nurses in adapting to and developing their professional roles. In addition, regarding role conflict, some nurses indicated that they would be willing to meet patients’ needs over their own. However, choosing a role may be challenging owing to work-family conflict [ 52 ]. Thus, nurses require help to balance work and family life, including developing their coping strategies, organizational policies, and culture [ 53 ].

Moreover, nurses’ occupation-related behaviors are manifested as knowledge-oriented behaviors. In this study, they were manifested as nurses being aware of their own inadequacies and acting accordingly, such as seeking advice from others on job content or expertise. Previous studies have also found that nurses’ knowledge and skills in certain specialized areas require improvements [ 54 ], and that nurses need help to better cope with the challenges they face through more educational and clinical practice opportunities [ 52 ]. Furthermore, previous research has emphasized the importance of knowledge in providing adequate care, including health promotion and disease prevention. Nurses also need to be able to locate the required knowledge and its sources. Nurses should not limit their knowledge to textbooks; they should also know how to apply it and translate it into action to develop their competencies [ 55 , 56 ].

Accordingly, nurses’ occupational-related behaviors can be promoted through the development of their professional competencies, such as the development of cyclical work plans, setting specific self-improvement goals, and proactive pursuit of various learning opportunities.

Creating a favorable environment that enhances nurses’ perceived support and sense of belonging is an external motivation to enhance their professional self-concept

In this study, a favorable environment and external related factors, including the work environment in which an individual is placed, others’ perceptions, atmosphere, and perceived support, may serve as extrinsic motivations for an individual’s career development and professional self-concept.

First, others’ perceptions of the nurses’ roles are crucial. Some nurses felt that others’ perceptions of nursing roles could be considered one of the factors influencing their professional self-concept. Kallio et al. [ 51 ] found that these perceptions significantly affected nurses’ physical and mental health and influenced their job retention. Negative perceptions of nurses’ roles by others may lead to role conflicts. The public’s perception of the role of nurses has changed from the original daily auxiliary work, such as giving injections and medicines. However, establishing and maintaining a good image among nurses is a long-term process that requires joint efforts of the nursing community and the outside community.

Second, a favorable working environment, including providing a group of nurses with an adequate sense of support and belonging, is an important component of their psychological needs for self-actualization [ 57 ]. A positive working atmosphere, with harmonious interpersonal relationships and mutual trust among members, enhances team cohesion and contributes to team development. In line with the findings of Drott et al. [ 58 ], we found that the interactive relationships between leaders and their subordinates as well as employees’ supportive aspects can affect individuals’ development. A qualified leader can think differently and provide help and guidance to subordinates, thus motivating and driving the entire nursing team in the department [ 59 ].

Additionally, schools emphasize theoretical and humanistic qualities at the organizational level, including education and hospital management, whereas hospitals concentrate on operational and individual competencies. School and clinical education play important roles in the early formation and long-term development of nurses’ professional self-concept, which is in line with previous studies [ 60 , 61 ]. Teachers play a central role in shaping student qualities and professional values, imparting education, and influencing their clinical adjustment and professional development. Hence, nursing teachers should possess a solid foundation of knowledge and humanistic qualities to influence students’ clinical adjustment and professional development effectively. Furthermore, they should enhance nursing students’ practical experiences and cultivate solid interpersonal skills to positively impact their clinical adaptation [ 43 ].

In addition, favorable social support contributes to nurses’ career development. This study found that nurses who perceived themselves to have greater support from society, organizations, and peers could face work stress and challenges using positive strategies. This was consistent with the findings of Liu et al. [ 62 ]. Moreover, Cao et al. [ 63 ] suggested that a positive work environment motivates individuals to work harder to achieve their career development. For instance, a positive coworker relationship could promote career development by allowing individuals to feel safe in their group, trust others, and learn from each other [ 64 ]. Moreover, in a leadership relationship, Kallio et al. [ 51 ] reported that support for nurses’ career development by nursing managers is very important, as nurses’ perceived limitations in their career development are one of the reasons that lead them to choose to leave the nursing profession. Thus, nursing managers should be able to provide nurses with career planning assistance, targeted motivation, and encouragement to participate in various competitions and training opportunities. This would help them recognize their strengths and develop motivation to grow in their nursing careers.

Limitations

This study provides a rich understanding of Chinese nurses’ perceptions of their professional self-concept and the influencing factors. These findings further enrich the theoretical framework of professional self-concept. These factors may be beneficial for advancing nurses’ career development. However, this study had some limitations. First, the interviewer attempted to recall and document the interviewees’ facial expressions during the one-on-one interviews. However, capturing and recording all the participant’s facial expressions and movements was difficult, resulting in some potential oversights. Second, some nurses declined to participate because of time constraints associated with face-to-face communication. The gender bias in the sample, which was predominantly made up of women and had a small sample size, caused the research methodology and purposeful sampling, to restrict the generalization of the results to be broader nursing population. Third, the results of this study may be biased towards exploring the factors influencing nurses’ professional self-concept, and personal bias associated with the influence of the environment, such as others’ opinions on nurses, may be present. Interviewers’ interpretation and construction may have affected the data collection and analysis, and some of the content may not have been explored in-depth. Third, quotes were translated from Chinese into English, and the meanings of the translated quotes may differ slightly from the original meanings in Chinese. Moreover, although the results of this study shed light on Chinese nurses’ perceptions of the components and factors of professional self-concept, this study did not describe the interrelations between the components and factors. Therefore, the findings of this study should be interpreted carefully.

This study provides new insights into nurses’ perceptions of professional self-concept and its influencing factors based on PERMA theory and SCT. First, nurses emphasized professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge as the primary components of professional self-concept, which indicates that nursing managers should pay closer attention to these areas. Second, according to nurses, three themes and eight subthemes in personal, behavioral, and external aspects that affect nurses’ professional self-concept have been identified. Adopting differing positive methods in accordance with these themes and factors, such as promoting nurses’ positive qualities, attitudes, and behaviors and establishing a good support system, can be used as a foundation to enhance nurses’ professional self-concept and development. Additionally, it needs to be highlighted that enhancing nurses’ professional self-concept requires not only the nurses themselves, but also the joint efforts of patients, their families, the healthcare system, and society as a whole.

Data availability

All the raw data (including participants’ voice files and the texts of the interviews) will be confidential and will not be able to share publicly. However, the codes that emerged during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the nurses who participated in our study.

This research was funded by grants from (1) The Key Project of Nursing Psychology Scientific Research Planning Subjects in 2022 by the Nursing Psychology Professional Committee of China Association for Mental Health (CAMH); (2) The Key Discipline Project (Nursing) of Guangzhou Education Bureau; (3) Research Innovation Project for Postgraduate Education in the School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University (HY202221).

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School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510182, China

Chuyuan Miao, Chunqin Liu, Ying Zhou, Liqin Song, Joanne W.Y. Chung, Wenying Tan & Xiaohua Li

Department of Nursing, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510150, China

Xiaofang Zou

Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, 999078, China

Joanne W.Y. Chung

Department of International Culture Education, Chodang University, Muan, 58530, Republic of Korea

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Contributions

CYM: collected data, analyzed, and drafted the manuscript. CQL: analyzed and revised the manuscript. YZ: collected data, designed and supervised the study. XFZ: collected data and supervised the study. LQS: collected data and added some ideas to the manuscript. JWYC: designed, revised and supervised the study. WYT and XHL: collected and analyzed data. DL: revised the manuscript. YZ and JWYC should be considered the co-corresponding authors. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

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Correspondence to Ying Zhou or Joanne W.Y. Chung .

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Miao, C., Liu, C., Zhou, Y. et al. Nurses’ perspectives on professional self-concept and its influencing factors: A qualitative study. BMC Nurs 23 , 237 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01834-y

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Received : 18 December 2023

Accepted : 01 March 2024

Published : 09 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01834-y

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Professional self-concept
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The following are ten bad qualities nurses should avoid. 1. Not taking ownership of oneself: Successful nurses understand the importance of taking personal responsibility for their actions. Lack of willingness to accept ownership for one's behavior, actions, and attitude can be detrimental to a nurse's reputation and can impact professional ...
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7. Integrity: In nursing, integrity means being honest and ethical regarding patient care. Good nurses trust their judgement and ensure safety is always a top priority in the workplace. 8. Patience: Managing multiple tasks with tight deadlines can be stressful for nurses, so having patience is essential for success.
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Defined as characteristics, traits, abilities, talents, strengths, values, beliefs, or morals -- qualities in a good nurse span the personal and professional realms. These six qualities stand out. You're a person who deserves a high level of respect. Kindness, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, emotional stability, empathy, and compassion are ...
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A good nurse is able to identify with a patient's situation, understand it, and feel it in order to give the patient quality of care that they deserve. 2. Flexibility. Because no one day is like the last a good nurse needs to be able to adapt to different circumstances.
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Cite This Essay. Download. Pursuing a master's degree in adult nursing is a responsibility and a dream that I owe to myself. I want to be an example to my kids and show that single mothers can be successful and follow their dreams, contribute to society, and make a change. I have many friends who are nurses, and these people inspire me.
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Some of the qualities indispensable for a nurse to be successful are compassion, respect, ability to stay calm under pressure, experience, and a solid knowledge base. Compassion is one of the fundamental nursing qualities, it can be simulated, and it can't be taught. One of the dangers of working in an environment of pain, loss, and prolonged ...
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Nurses' perceptions of professional self-concept. Codes were classified into four descriptive themes: professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge (See Table S4).A total of 15 nurses were interviewed, and the majority (11/15) stated that this was the first time they had heard the term "self-concept"; however, few differences existed in their perceptions of professional self ...
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In the essay qualities about that make a good nurse it is inappropriate to write that it should be responsible, but maybe late for work. Another example - a doctor's assistant should be good, but ...
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The Qualities Of A Nurse Leader Essay In nursing, we grow every day; learning to be a strong professional takes many skills. Some people are born with, and some acquired through practice and research. It is important in being a good democratic leader to establish rules effectively with peers and subordinates. Leadership involves