importance of professionalism in healthcare essay

Professionalism in Healthcare

This essay will discuss the importance of professionalism in healthcare. It will cover aspects such as ethical practice, communication, empathy, and continuous learning. The piece will explore how professionalism impacts patient care, healthcare teamwork, and the overall efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services. On PapersOwl, there’s also a selection of free essay templates associated with Employment.

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The Medical Protection Society defines a profession as a “calling or vocation involving a degree of skill, learning or science”. Professionalism is a set of core values, behaviors, and beliefs that are based around integrity, duty, honesty, and competence in clinical skills. (Sarah Whitehouse, 2013) Professionalism in the healthcare workplace is based on putting patients’ needs first and leaving them feeling confident in their providers. This has been shown, through research, to have an effect on patient well-being and recovery.

Professionalism is a set of attributes and behaviors that can be taught to employees and can also be assessed.

Organizations should promote professionalism amongst their staff.  The Mayo Clinic website states that entrepreneurialism can be detrimental to professionalism. If the business of healthcare is over-stressed it can lead to a reduction in quality care because doctors and other workers feel rushed, overworked, and unable to perform to the best of their abilities and have a lack of education to keep skills current. There should be a balance between regulations and business influences. (Brennan, 2014) There are both corporate and individual approaches to professionalism that result in improved patient and community trust, safety, satisfaction, sense of purpose, and learning environment. Having a set of corporate values enhances understanding between workers and aids teamwork. Maintaining professionalism depends heavily on the actions, and words of managers and leaders such as physicians who set a precedent. If they are seen to go against organizational values it results in cynicism, dysfunction and substandard care. (Brennan, 2014)

Maintaining a professional image encompasses many factors: 1. Making sure that patients are treated with respect whether they are cooperative and friendly or negative, complaining and difficult. 2. Maintaining the privacy of patients in the waiting room, in a consulting room, hospital bed or elsewhere. This includes keeping charts where they are not out in public and never discussing patients with people outside of the healthcare team or designated healthcare proxies. 3. Using manners and being courteous to coworkers, and patients. Maintain eye contact, be aware of your tone of voice and facial expression. 4. Not complaining when given assignments by supervisors 5. Keeping your skills current learning new technologies and medical developments 6. Keeping your appearance neat and in good condition 7. Avoiding gossip about coworkers, patients or their families. 8. Texting, web surfing and taking phone calls only during personal time. (How to Improve Your Professionalism in a Healthcare Job, 2018)

Bedside manner is an important part of maintaining professionalism. The Sullivan Luallin Group created a protocol with the acronym C.L.E.A.R. in order to remind healthcare professionals of the important tenets of good communication. Connect- be friendly, make eye contact, use the patient’s name & simple manners such as please and thank you Listen- keep eye contact, actively listen, record information, repeat for accuracy Explain- be patient answering questions, speak slowly, describe procedures in a way that can be understood Ask- if the patient understood, do they have any more questions and is there anything else they need Re-connect- make sure the patient is ok if waiting, direct them carefully and part with a friendly comment (Britt, 2013)

Due to upheavals in healthcare systems because of the introduction of the Affordable Healthcare Act, The Foundation for Medical Excellence formed an interprofessional workgroup of physicians, nurses, administrators, and patients (I was a member) that developed and refined the Charter on Professionalism for Healthcare Organizations It is a guide to aid community members, boards of trustees, policymakers and all healthcare workers assess and discuss matters in healthcare professionalism in four focus areas: patient partnerships; organizational culture; community partnerships and operations and business practices. (Mason, 2017) Hopefully, with a heightened awareness of the need for professionalism and education of workers in the healthcare industry, the quality of patient care will be improved and satisfaction in the workplace increased. 

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Professionalism in the Health Care Industry Essay

Introduction, what it means to act professionally, purpose and importance of professional conduct in the workplace, general requirements of a professional, professionalism in the health care industry.

Professional conduct or acting like a professional is a discussion that is gaining more importance today as ethical behaviour and integrity gain more prominence in the professional world. For employees to be viewed as professionals, they have to conduct themselves and their work in a manner that displays an understanding of ethical rules and guidelines that govern the actions of a professional. These rules and guidelines are what is referred to as professional codes of conduct.

Acting like a professional is important for employees in the various professions around the world as it adds credibility and importance to the work the employee is performing. Apart from credibility, professionalism enables an individual to build up their reputation as well as the reputation of the profession so long as they follow the professional codes of conduct. The purpose of this article will be to look at the importance of acting like a professional to the employee/professional, to the business or company and to the society as a whole. The professional area that will be focused on will be the health care industry.

Gildenhuys (2004) deals with the aspect of acting professionally by defining the meaning of a professional and professionalism. He defines a professional to be a person who practices a vocation or calling that is mostly related to a scientific field or an advanced learning field of work. A professional is also a person who has a relationship with a profession by demonstrating the skills and knowledge of the particular professional field and also practicing the ethical standards outlined by the governing body of the profession. Gildenhuys (2004) defines professionalism as the qualities that make up a profession. These qualities include integrity, competency, capability and proper ethical conduct (Gildenhuys 2004)

. Professionals are viewed to be people who are regulated by the mandatory training they undergo to perform their work. Professionalism is the character and standards that professionals are supposed to display while performing their duties. Professionalism is related to the concept of a professional as it displays the outcome of the demands of a professional job.

While people can be associated with various professional disciplines, they cannot be referred to as professionals if they do not display the high standards of conduct that come with that particular profession. The demonstration of professional knowledge, experience and capabilities in one’s professional field is termed to be an exhibition of professionalism. Professionalism can also be the display of adherence to work standards which every professional is expected to follow. Every professional field has its own rules and standards that govern the performance of work (Medical Products, 2009).

The purpose of the general code of professional conduct is to ensure that the standards for professional conduct and work performance are adhered to and followed during the course of carrying out the professional work. The code of conduct is meant to inform professionals about the standards of professional conduct that are required from them as they practice their professions. The purpose of the code of conduct is to inform the public and employers of the standards of professional conduct that they should expect from a professional worker (Brooker 2007).

The purpose of the code of conduct is to provide guidelines on the expectations of professional conduct which require that professionals should be ethical in their behaviour towards the public, employers and other professionals and also have integrity while performing their duties. Professionals should also maintain high work performance standards in their duties in line with the rules that govern how they perform their work. This will ensure that their professional reputations as well as the reputations of the general professions they are in are maintained (Barker, 2007).

The importance of professionalism in the workplace is seen to be a demonstration of value and command which shows the premium of the profession in the job market. Professionalism is seen to be important to an organization as professionals are seen to be the positive drivers of result delivery. Professional attitudes in a work setting are able to steer positive growth within the organization which will in turn lead to organizational success and improved performance. The presence of professionals in the workplace has an impact on the organizational work culture as the professionals are focused on achieving positive results for the company (Hutagalung, 2009).

Professionalism is also important when it comes to improving the productivity of organizational workers. Professionals are seen to improve the productivity of a company because of their work ethic and the work standards that they are meant to adhere to. Their focus on work ensures that tasks are performed within the set timeline and the work is performed in an efficient way. Such work ethics ensures that the productivity of the organization is improved among the professional employees. Apart from productivity, professionalism is also important in increasing the quality of work performed by not only the professionals in the organization, but all the workers.

Professionalism in quality is important because professionals know how to perform their work while at the same time delivering quality results. They provide unmatched quality in their work because of the extensive and advanced training they have received to perform their work at the highest possible standards. Professionals are also known to be dedicated to performing their work as their codes of conduct stipulate that they should perform their jobs to create the high levels of output. Quality in job performance is therefore seen to be a criterion that governs the professionalism of a professional employee in the workplace (Hutagalung, 2009).

The importance of professional conduct in the work place is that a professional environment acts as a catalyst that will be used to attract and retain employees in an organization. Professionalism in the workplace creates an environment that will allow the company’s employees to grow and have some form of career progression in their line of work. This comes about from the competitiveness in the workplace as well as the job market that requires employees to continually improve their work qualifications to be able to progress in their careers. Professionals enhance the competitive nature of organizations and they also create a balance in terms of which workers get to advance in their jobs within the organization (Hutagalung, 2009).

Professionals have a lot of experience which makes it difficult for an organization to make them indispensable. The kind of advanced training they receive ensures that the skills and knowledge they possess continue to become relevant while they carry out their duties. It is important for companies to acquire professionals from different fields such as law professionals, engineers, and education professionals and use their experience, skills, knowledge and capabilities to advance the operations of the organization. The importance of professionals in the work place should not be undermined by companies as professionals ensure that there is growth.

For a person to be termed as professional, they have to comply with certain professional requirements. Professionalism requires a person to possess some specific knowledge and skills that have been developed for a particular occupational field. These skills and knowledge are acquired by conducting extensive research and having practical experience in the particular professional field. Another requirement for a professional is to have advanced education and training on the specific occupational job. The advanced education is a prerequisite for a professional to gain employment in the particular job field they have been trained for (Gildenhuys, 2004).

Another requirement for professionals is that they should observe the ethical codes of conduct that their conduct when they perform their professional duties and when they interact with members of the public and the society. They are also required to observe high levels of competency and integrity when they perform their duties. They should not be seen to engage in activities that will comprise their integrity and the moral compass of their professions (Inui, 2007). Professionals are also required to display a sound and acceptable image to their employers and the people they interact with while they perform their professional duties. This is meant ensure that the reputation of their professions is not damaged but kept intact. Professional institutions should support the activities of professionals to ensure that there is development in the professional area (Gildenhuys, 2004).

The issue of professional conduct in the health care industry around the world has arisen because of the proposed health care reforms to medical delivery systems in certain countries around the world. Blumenthal (2010) in his analysis of the vital role that professionalism plays in the health care industry with particular focus on health care reforms notes that the implementation of these reforms will not succeed if the professionalism of health care providers is not improved. Blumenthal notes that the society believes that health care providers rely on their advanced knowledge and skills to treat their patients. Professionalism in the health care industry is therefore seen to be an antidote that prevents failures and problems in the medical industry (Blumenthal, 2010).

The codes of conduct that govern health care providers such as nurses and doctors require that these professionals should protect and support the health care needs of their patients and clients as well as the wider society. The professional codes of conduct that govern health care providers also require them to perform their duties in a way that will justify the trust and confidence the general public has placed on them to perform their duties with the highest level of professional standards. Nurses, doctors, and physicians are required to be accountable for their actions when they deal with patients and they also have a duty of care to these patients which requires them to provide the safest and most reliable treatment (Brooker, 2007).

The personal commitment by health care providers is usually placed on having expert knowledge and proficient skills in their professions. This arises because of the ever changing medical profession that sees new innovations coming up everyday. Medical practitioners are therefore required to make a commitment towards improving the level of their competencies by constantly updating their skills and knowledge. The practitioners are also meant to have a commitment to their patients by keeping their health status and records confidential. This enables them to form appropriate relationships with their patients (Brennan, 2002).

Many doctors view professionalism as the autonomy granted to them to perform their duties without any interference from other quarters such as the medical governing authority. Autonomy is not however a fundamental right for any health care provider but it is a legal and moral privilege granted to these professionals by the wider community. This means that the health care specialists have to earn this privilege by observing the codes of conduct set out for them by the relevant authorities (Blumenthal, 2010).

Such conduct will entail observing altruism which requires medical professionals to resolve conflicts that might arise as they perform their duties. Altruism requires the medical professionals to put the interests of their patients before their own personal interests. They are also expected to show a commitment to self improvement by mastering any new information or techniques that are related to the medical profession. The professionals are also required to practice peer review which means their work places them in a position to supervise the work of their colleagues to prevent cases of poor professionalism when offering services to customers (Blumenthal, 2010).

Professionalism in the health care industry is seen to be a catalyst for change. Medicine changes and grows as a society also undergoes changes and growth. Peer review, self improvement and altruism ensure that the medical field continues to evolve so that advances and research in this professional area can be incorporated into the field. Professionalism in the medical industry also ensures that the reputation and integrity of medical practitioners and the medical profession is held intact.

Barker, N. (2007). Professionalism in Medicine: A student perspective . Web.

Blumenthal, D. (2010). The vital role of professionalism in health care reform . Web.

Brennan, T. (2002). Medical professionalism in the new millennium: a physician charter. Annals of Internal Medicine , Vol.136, No.3, pp. 6-243.

Brooker, C. (Ed) (2007). Churchill Livingstone’s dictionary of nursing . Oxford, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Gildenhuys, J.S.H. (2004). Ethics and professionalism: the battle against public corruption . Victoria, Stellenbosch: Sun Press.

Hutagalung, M. (2009). Importance of professionalism in the workplace . Web.

Inui, T. (2007). Viewpoint: educating for professionalism in medicine . Web.

Medical Products (2009). The meaning of professionalism . Web.

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• Lack of Professionalism in the Workplace and the Detrimental Effects on Clients
• The Concept of Professionalism
• Ethics and Professionalism Concepts in Healthcare
• Tools and Practices in Long-Term Care Quality Assurance
• Wayne Memorial Hospital's Learning Needs Assessment
• Program Evaluation in Healthcare
• Organizational Design and Culture in Hospitals
• Deming's "PDSA" Cycle in the Lehigh Valley Hospital

• Open access
• Published: 07 February 2023

What is nursing professionalism? a concept analysis

• Huili Cao 1 , 2 ,
• Yejun Song 3 ,
• Yanming Wu 1 ,
• Yifei Du 1 ,
• Xingyue He 1 ,
• Yangjie Chen 4 ,
• Qiaohong Wang 1 , 4 &
• Hui Yang 1 , 4  

BMC Nursing volume  22 , Article number:  34 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Nursing professionalism plays an important role in clinical nursing. However, a clear conceptual understanding of nursing professionalism is lacking.

Walker and Avant’s strategy was used to analyse the concept of nursing professionalism. We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, for studies published from 1965 to 2021. Quantitative or qualitative studies published in English that focused on nursing professionalism were included in the study.

The three attributes of nursing professionalism are multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented. Based on the analysis, nursing professionalism is defined as providing individuals care based on the principles of professionalism, caring, and altruism.

Conclusions

This study offers a theoretical definition and conceptual model of nursing professionalism that may be applied to develop standardized assessment tools or nursing professionalism training programs.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

The COVID-19 outbreak has exposed deficiencies in the underinvestment of the global health system, including the shortage in nursing resources and nursing staff, and a similar situation is noted in China ( https://www.icn.ch/news/investing-nursing-and-respecting-nurses-rights-key-themes-international-nurses-day-2022 ). An unbalanced number of nurses and patients, high work pressure, lack of social occupational identity and other reasons have led to job burnout, low job satisfaction, and even the resignation of many nurses. Research has also shown that the lack of nursing professionalism adversely affects patient care and patient outcomes [ 1 ]. Ohman [ 2 ] pointed out that lower levels of professionalism may cause negative outcomes, such as turnover and attrition and lower productivity.

In recent years, researchers have tried to solve the above problems through professionalism.

However, nursing professionalism plays a more important role in clinical nursing. Some studies have shown that professionalism can improve the professional knowledge and skills of nurses and ameliorate reductions in institutional productivity and quality [ 3 ]. Higher levels of professionalism can improve nurses’ autonomy and empowerment, increase their recognition and facilitate organizational citizenship behaviours, establish nursing care standards and even improve quality services [ 4 , 5 ].

Nursing professionalism has been discussed for several decades. Hall (1968) developed the Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ]. Miller et al [ 7 ] (1993) first specified the 9 standards criteria of nursing professionalism (educational background; adherence to the code of ethics; participation in the professional organization; continuing education and competency; communication and publication; autonomy and self-regulation; community service; theory use, development, and evaluation; and research involvement.). Yeun et al. (2005) summarized five themes regarding nurses’ perceptions of nursing professionalism: self-concept of the profession, social awareness, professionalism of nursing, the roles of nursing services, and originality of nursing [ 8 ]. Yoder defined nursing professionalism based on six components: acting in the patients’ interests; showing humanism; practising social responsibility; demonstrating sensitivity to people’s cultures and beliefs; having high standards of competence and knowledge; and demonstrating high ethical standards [ 9 ]. Although some researchers have explored the concept of professionalism. How can professionalism be evaluated in nursing clinical practice? Few studies have shown a clear conceptualization of nurses’ professionalism [ 10 , 11 ]. To nurture nursing professionalism, the concept of professionalism must be clarified.

Given that the meaning of professionalism varies across time, contexts, or cultures, it is difficult to define, quantify or measure professionalism [ 12 , 13 ]. The operational definition of nursing professionalism in studies has shortcomings. Sullivan et al. [ 14 ] found professionalism to be a multidimensional concept, but some papers have addressed only one dimension, such as values [ 15 ] or behaviours [ 16 ]. Moreover, professionalism is considered a complex concept. The links and dynamic processes between these different inner characteristics have not been included in the concept. Thus, a comprehensive definition of nursing professionalism, including its characteristics and the relations between them, is necessary.

Recognizing and understanding the concept of nursing professionalism may be an essential step towards providing quality care for people. It may also provide more information for further developing nursing professionalism for nurses.

Method of concept analysis

Walker and Avant’s method used linguistic philosophy techniques to contribute to the philosophical understanding of a concept [ 17 ]. The W & A method is considered a mark of the positivist paradigm, which views the concept as a stable factor that can be reduced or extracted from its context of application [ 18 ]. This study used Walker and Avant’s method, which assumes that nursing professionalism is a relatively mature and stable concept (numerous studies on nursing professionalism have been published to date). This approach to conceptual analysis, although not perfect, is helpful in clarifying the concept of nursing professionalism.

Using the structured method of Walker and Avant enables conceptual clarity to be obtained based on an inductive identification of the concept’s attributes, antecedents and consequences. The concept analysis helps to clarify meanings and develop operational definitions, considering evidence from a wide range of information resources for further research or clinical practice [ 17 , 19 ]. These features make this method particularly useful for the analysis of the concept of ‘nursing professionalism’. The conceptual attributes as well as antecedents and consequences are based on the research team's analysis of the literature using Walker and Avant’s strategy and are not the product of a priori theoretical categories.

Walker and Avant’s [ 17 ] eight-step method includes the following: 1) selecting a concept; 2) determining the aims or purposes of analysis; 3) identifying all uses of the concept; 4) determining the defining attributes of the concept; 5) constructing a model case; 6) constructing borderline, contrary, invented, and illegitimate cases; 7) identifying antecedents and consequences; and 8) defining empirical references.

Selection criteria

The inclusion criteria were as follows: related to the concept of nursing professionalism; included nurse professionalism, nursing spirit, or nurse spirit; written in the English language; qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods or systematic reviews; published between 1965 and 2021 (when professionalism was first introduced by nursing in 1965); and published in books or dictionaries. We excluded articles published in nonpeer reviewed journals, editorials and letters to the editor.

Data sources

We searched several online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, for articles published from 1965 to 2021. We searched the words that appear in the title, abstract, and keyword section of the studies.

(((((((((Nursing professionalism[Title]) OR (Nursing professionalism[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nurse professionalism[Title])) OR (Nurse professionalism[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nursing spirit[Title])) OR (Nursing spirit[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nurse spirit[Title])) OR (Nurse spirit[Title/Abstract])).

TI Nursing professionalism OR AB Nursing professionalism OR TI Nurse professionalism OR AB Nurse professionalism OR TI Nursing spirit OR AB Nursing spirit OR TI Nurse spirit OR AB Nurse spirit.

TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nursing professionalism) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nurse professionalism) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nursing spirit) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nurse spirit).

Any quantitative or qualitative studies published in English focusing on nursing professionalism were included in the study. Two researchers independently screened titles and abstracts to determine the selection criteria for electronic retrieval and application. The study was included only when both researchers agreed that the study met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. If the two researchers’ judgements were different, a third person was consulted to resolve the issue. Researchers identified the different usages of the concept and systematically recorded the characteristics of the concept that appeared repeatedly [ 17 ].

We used definitions and examples in the systematic record (Table 2 ) to define a cluster of antecedents, attributes and consequences (Figs. 1 and  2 ) frequently associated with the concept [ 20 ].

Flowchart of the study selection process of the concept analysis

We identified 6013 studies on nursing professionalism. After excluding duplicates, irrelevant studies, studies that were not original scientific studies or articles, and studies published in languages other than English, 138 studies were selected for analysis. Tables 1 and 2 show some typical literatures used in this study.

Uses of the concept

Dictionary definitions of the concept.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines professionalism as ‘the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person’ [ 48 ], whereas the Cambridge Dictionary [ 49 ] defines professionalism as ‘the combination of all the qualities that are connected with trained and skilled people’. These definitions are generic and difficult to use to clarify the factors involved in nursing professionalism.

Definitions of the concept reported in the literature

Hwang et al. [ 50 ] defined professionalism as commitment to a profession and professional identity level. Health-care workers demonstrate professionalism through attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours, which reflect approaches to the regulations, principles, and standards underlying successful clinical practices [ 33 ]. Nursing professionalism reflects the value orientation, concepts of nursing, work attitude and standards of clinical nurses [ 51 ].

Subconcepts

The Nightingale Spirit, named in honour of the founder of professional nursing, refers to the spirit of altruism, caring, and honesty [ 52 ]. In the past, the Nightingale Spirit advocated that nurses are willing to dedicate themselves, but the term currently encompasses more innovation [ 53 ]. E-professionalism is defined as evidence provided by digital means, attitudes and behaviours reflects the traditional models of professionalism [ 54 ]. Nurses use the internet to communicate about work or daily life, blurring the boundaries between individuals and professions; thus, e-professionalism applies to nurses [ 55 ].

The defining attributes of nursing professionalism

The defining attributes of the concept aim to understand its meaning and differentiate it from other related concepts [ 17 ]. The key defining attributes are as follows.

Nursing professionalism is multidimensional

Nursing professionalism is a three-dimensional concept based on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours that underlie successful clinical practice [ 33 ].

Professionalism can be conceptualized as a ‘systematic body of knowledge’ with complex configurations of work expertise [ 21 ].

Professionalism refers to the attitude that represents levels of recognition and commitment to a particular profession [ 22 ]. Hall [ 6 ] noted that nurses’ attitudes have a high correspondence with the behaviours of the respondent. Measuring professionalism at the cognitive level can be thought of as measuring potential professionalism at the behavioural level. Researchers noted that given the reduced restrictions of environmental constraints, measuring professionalism at the cognitive level may be more precise than measuring it at the behavioural level [ 23 ].

Nursing professionalism is often described as a set of professional behaviours [ 11 ]. Some researchers judge whether nurses exhibit professionalism through their behaviours. Miller [ 24 ] (1988) developed the Wheel of Professionalism in Nursing Model. The model is considered a framework for understanding professional behaviours among nurses. Kramer [ 56 ] (1975) quantified professionalism by assessing the number of professional books purchased, subscriptions to journals, and the number of articles published.

In addition, the perspective of professional identity formation complements the behaviour-based and attitude-based perspectives on professionalism [ 57 ].

The formation and development of professionalism are dynamic processes

Nursing professionalism is an inevitable, complex, varied, and dynamic process [ 58 ].The professionalism concept is considered ever-changing, replacing static or definitive views [ 59 ].

Socialization process

Nursing professionalism is instilled through a process of socialization in formal nursing education [ 25 ]. Nurses’ socialization process begins with formal, entry-level education to acquire knowledge and skills.

Yeun et al. [ 8 ] (2005) discussed the developmental process of nursing professionalism in which the individual’s thoughts and beliefs are formed by socialization factors through perception. These thoughts and beliefs may in turn influence the individual’s professional image or self-concept, thereby influencing nurses’ actions and performance.

Process of interaction

The dynamic of professionalism is also reflected in the process of interaction. Dehghani et al. [ 26 ]noted that nursing professionalism means the appropriate interaction of the individual and the workplace and the maintenance of interpersonal communication.

Culture oriented

One study showed that altruism is an essential element of medical professionalism in Asia or North America but not Europe [ 27 ]. In China, medical professionalism was influenced by its longstanding Confucian traditions [ 28 ]. Therefore, any definitions of professionalism should match its rooted culture and be validated with respect to the culture and context in which it is applied [ 60 ].

The connotation of nursing professionalism

Professional, having a systematic nursing knowledge system.

The nursing process is considered a method for solving problems or dilemmas in a logical and scientific manner [ 11 ]. Freidson [ 29 ] (2001) noted that professionals perform their specialized work only with the required training and experience. Professionals have specific, tacit, almost esoteric knowledge to do their work [ 61 ]. Miller et al. [ 7 ] considered that a formal university education with a scientific background is critical for professionalism in nursing.

Professional certification

Nurses actively seek specialty certification given their personal commitment to the nursing profession [ 30 ]. Specialty certification promotes nursing professionalism. When attaining the highest levels of clinical knowledge, nursing professionalism also indicates personal responsibility and dedication to best practices [ 31 ].

Lifelong learning and participation in continuing education

Due to professional and ethical obligations, nurses should sustain continuous professional growth and development to maintain individual competence. Professional growth in nursing requires lifelong learning. Lifelong learning includes continuing education and self‐study, seeking advanced degrees, etc. [ 62 ].

Continuing education is one of the indicators of professionalism. Professionals keep up with the latest developments in the field and partake in continuing education. Additionally, continuing education is as important as other criteria for increasing professionalism in nursing [ 7 , 32 ]. Ongoing education brings fresh knowledge to health care, consequently leading to more efficient and quality service for people.

Evidence-based practice

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a hallmark of professionalism [ 33 ]. Dollaghan [ 63 ] (2004) reported that we identify and use the highest quality scientific evidence as an integral part of our efforts to provide the best patient care; EBP is a knowledge base that responds to specific clinical issues in a clear, intelligent, and serious manner while considering clinical practice in the context of the highest-quality scientific evidence available.

Innovation in nursing helps to improve patient care quality and improve nurses’ job performance [ 64 ]. Shen et al. [ 34 ] noted that innovative education plays an important role in the professional quality of undergraduate nursing students.

Striving for excellence

Striving for excellence is a requirement and attribute of nursing professionalism. There is a growing need in nursing practice to possess knowledge and skills in quality improvement science, translational research, and implementation science [ 35 ]. Clinical nurses have the same responsibilities as nursing scientists.

Caring is considered the core attribute of nursing professionalism

The practice of caring is central to nursing [ 65 ]. Caring is defined as the moral ideal of nursing [ 36 ]. Therefore, caring is an important core attribute of nursing professionalism.

Creating a caring-healing environment

Nurses devoted to creating a caring-healing environment embody professionalism. Caring means nurses should create a healing environment at all levels by providing a supportive, protective environment as well as a corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment for patients. People’s basic needs include a clean environment, comfort measures, safety concerns, and feeling safe or protected [ 65 ].

Displaying kindness/concern/empathy for others

A nurse is defined as someone caring for the ill within the hospital setting [ 66 ]. Caring means showing or having compassion, concern and empathy for others [ 37 ]. Caring behaviours are an interactive and mental process between patients and nurses [ 38 ]. Displaying kindness and concern for others is shown by love, compassion, support and involvement [ 39 ].

Using all methods of knowing support and involvement

‘Human problems reside in ambiguity, paradox, and impermanence’. Therefore, suffering, healing, miraculous cures, and synchronicity are all part of knowing support and involvement.

Researchers suggest that nursing comprises Caritas Nursing, Energy Nursing, Transpersonal Nursing, Holistic Nursing, or Contemplative Nursing…… It goes beyond ordinary nursing. Nursing should have higher standards with excellence for caring, healing, and peace in the world. Therefore, caring means using all methods of knowing support and involvement [ 65 ].

Embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and practising loving

Nursing is a special profession. Nurses confront special circumstances daily and witness people’s struggles with life and death. Everyone has his or her own specific story about his or her experiences and predicaments. Each person seeks his or her own meanings to find inner peace and balance in the midst of fear, doubts, despair, and unknowns. Therefore, the care of nurses is not to blindly sacrifice their own needs but to be a real nurse, embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and caring for patients [ 65 ].

The central tenet of professionalism is to put the needs and best interest of others over self-interests. Altruism is an engagement in caring acts towards others without expecting something in return [ 67 ].

Patients first

To be altruistic means to put others’ needs before your own. Altruism is the selfless concern for others and doing things with the other person’s well-being in mind [ 40 ].

During pandemics, nurses were considered to have a high sense of duty and dedication to patient care [ 41 ]. Front-line nurses perceive high work engagement, especially in self-dedication [ 42 ]. Grøthe et al. [ 43 ] showed that cancer patients in a palliative unit appreciate nurses who have the most dedication and expertise characteristics.

Public service

Due to a strong sense of civic and social responsibility, nurses participate in public service. Nurses volunteer as participants in summer camps, schools, or health-care teams. Nurses are also committed to responding to large-scale crises, such as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, as well as national and international relief efforts, such as tsunamis and Hurricane Katrina [ 44 ].

Disaster and infectious disease rescue

Individuals involved in providing disaster relief face many challenges, experience fatigue and personal suffering, and encounter numerous personal stories of life and death [ 45 ]. Nurses have played a significant role in the fight against infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic [ 68 ]. Nurses are closest with patients. Nurses provide intensive care, regularly assessing and monitoring airways, tubes, medications, and physical therapy. Nurses are also devoted to reducing complications. Nurses assist with daily living activities when patients are unable to care for themselves [ 46 ].

Community service

In addition, emphasizing professionalism means respecting values and commitment to community service delivery [ 69 ].

According to Walker and Avant [ 17 ], cases help further clarify concepts.

Model cases (a real case example)

Model cases help demonstrate all the defining attributes of a concept and helps to better articulate its meaning [ 17 ].

MS A is a 63-year-old nursing director. She worked in clinical nursing and management for 42 years. As she progressed from a new nurse to a nursing expert, she gradually poured her enthusiasm (Multidimensional: Attitudes) into nursing work (Dynamic). She believes that the core of nursing professionalism in China is dedication and responsibility (Culture oriented). In 2020, COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, China. She led a team to Wuhan to provide support (Multidimensional: Behaviours), reflecting the spirit of altruism (Altruism). She actively promoted exchanges and cooperation among disciplines and the development of academic conferences. She guided students to pay attention to practical innovation and develop evidence-based innovations (Professional). Although she is retired, she still imparts knowledge and experience to students everywhere (Multidimensional: Behaviours). She stated that the development of nursing professionalism is very difficult and requires nursing education and role models. (Multidimensional: Knowledge). The role of a nurse is like that of a mother, bringing care to the people (Caring).

Borderline cases (a real case example)

Borderline cases provide the examples that contain the most defining attributes of the concept [ 17 ].

B is a novice nurse. When working in the infection ward, she was so worried about being infected. She was reluctant to care for patients and wanted to escape from the ward environment. Fortunately, her nurse manager fully understood her situation and helped her adapt to work and reduce her anxiety. B observed that her nurse manager had been helping patients solve problems and giving them comfort and hope. This prompted her to think about what nursing truly means. In 2020, she volunteered to help COVID-19 patients (Altruism).

Related cases (a real case example)

Related cases are related to the concept but do not contain all its defining attributes [ 17 ].

C is a novice nurse. After graduating from nursing school, he became a nurse in the emergency department. He saw many patients who died or recovered, which made him realize the importance of caring (Caring). He said that emergency nurses need strong professionalism (Multidimensional: Attitudes). He participated in social service activities (Multidimensional: Behaviours), for example, promoting knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (Altruism) in the community. After working for five years, he returned to school for a master’s degree to help the head nurse conduct nursing research or evidence-based practice (Professional). In his Asian cultural milieu, his is embarrassed about his identity as a male nurse (Culture oriented), but he believes he can do well.

Contrary cases (a fictional case example)

A contrary case does not include any defined attributes of the concept [ 17 ].

D is a nurse in paediatrics. She disliked nursing when she was a nursing student and even did enjoy communicating with patients (poor dynamics). She was exhausted after work and felt her life was out of balance. One of the values of the hospital where she worked was dedication, which confused her (Poor culture orientation). She considers it unrealistic to require professionalism (Poor nursing professionalism knowledge) and thinks that taking care of new-borns is particularly troublesome (Poor nursing professionalism attitudes), so she is always careless in her work (Multidimensional: poor attitude). D’s child felt ill last week, so she secretly reduced a patient’s medicine (Poor nursing professionalism behaviours) and took the remaining medicine home for her child (lack of altruism). She stopped doing so after her colleagues sensed something strange. One day, a baby kept crying; D reported it to the doctor and did not make further observations (Poor professional). When the shift nurse took over, she observed abnormal limb activity on one side of the child. The child’s family asked the nurse to bear legal responsibility. D said it was no big deal; she no longer wanted to be a nurse (Poor dynamic, professionalism not established).

• Antecedents

Antecedents are events that occur before the intended concept [ 17 ].

Macro antecedents

Jin [ 28 ] suggested that the conceptualization of professionalism is influenced by culture. Employees defined organizational culture underlies an organization’s values and beliefs [ 70 ]. Nursing professionalism may be supported by a variety of cultures, so a firm understanding of and personal congruence with each particular culture is essential [ 71 ].

Religious beliefs

Religiosity is another contributing factor in the cultivation of altruism [ 72 ]. Taylor noted that nurses’ job motivation and views of the patient and nursing services are affected by their religious beliefs [ 73 ].

Micro antecedents

Snizek [ 74 ] (1972) reported that devotion to work is a professional value originating from a sense of calling to the field. Liaw et al. [ 75 ] (2016) found that nursing students who had caring and compassionate qualities as the most common personal characteristics strongly believed that they were called to nursing.

Individuals who pursue excellence in the workplace may be described as motivated and devoted to their work. Attree [ 76 ] (2005) noted that nurses’ perceived lack of autonomy over their practice could impact quality of care.

Personal characteristics

Nursing professionalism is influenced by various factors, such as educational background, personal interests, professional satisfaction, and professional values [ 77 , 78 , 79 ]. In each country, nurses with higher educational levels may have a higher level of professionalism [ 22 ]. Professionalism is thus a trait related to personal character and upbringing [ 80 ]. Researchers [ 81 ] have demonstrated that professionalism is positively associated with female gender, striving for professional goals, and acceptability. One study found that people’s values tend to shift to emphasize altruism over personal gain as they age [ 79 ]. Nursing professionalism is closely associated with personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) [ 82 ].

Consequences of nursing professionalism

Consequences are events or incidents that are the result of the occurrence of a concept [ 17 ].

Consequences for patients 

Professionalism is one of the decisive factors that critically influences patient satisfaction [ 50 ]. Professionalism can also improve practising nurse career development and the quality of service [ 81 ].

Consequences for nurses

Studies have shown that professionalism and a sense of belonging with colleagues and managers affect the satisfaction [ 83 ] and retention rate of nursing students in academic institutions [ 84 ]. Izumi et al. [ 85 ] (2006) found that good nurses felt pride and happiness in caring for patients closely related to their professionalism.

Empirical references

As the last step to concept analysis, empirical references can further clarify the concept and facilitate its measurement [ 17 ].

Hall’s professionalism inventory scale

Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ] identified five attitudinal attributes of professionalism: (a) use of professional organizations as major referents, (b) belief in public service, (c) self-regulation, (d) a sense of calling to the field, and (e) autonomy. Nursing researchers used Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale to measure professionalism in nursing [ 22 , 47 ]. Snizek [ 74 ] (1972) modified the professionalism scale to more closely match the clinical context of nursing and better reflect the professionalism of nursing staff.

Kramer’s index of professionalism

Kramer (1974) [ 86 ] constructed an index of professionalism that includes indicators of behaviours, such as the number of professional books published, subscriptions to professional journals, hours spent on professional reading, continuing education, participation in professional organizations, number of professional publications, speeches given, committee activity, and participation in research.

The behavioural inventory for professionalism in nursing (BIPN)

The Behavioural Inventory for Professionalism in Nursing [ 7 ] (BIPN) identifies professional behaviours and values among nurses. The nine categories in the BIPN are (1) educational background; (2) adherence to the code of ethics; (3) participation in the professional organization; (4) continuing education and competency; (5) communication and publication; (6) autonomy and self-regulation; (7) community service; (8) theory use, development, and evaluation; and (9) research involvement.

Definition of the concept

Based on the present analysis, we define nursing professionalism as follows: ‘Nursing professionalism is a multidimensional concept manifested by the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours that underlie successful clinical practice. Nursing professionalism is dynamicized through a process of socialization in formal nursing education. This feature is also reflected in the process of interaction. Therefore, nursing professionalism should match its rooted culture.

The connotations of nursing professionalism include professional, caring, and altruism. These connotations are detailed as follows:

Possesses a systematic nursing knowledge system; professional certification

Exhibits lifelong learning and participation

Participates in evidence-based practice

Demonstrates innovation

Strives for excellence

Creates a caring-healing environment

Displays kindness/concern/empathy for others

Uses various methods of knowing support and involvement

Embraces the unknowns and miracles in life and practices loving

Patient-first

A conceptual model of nursing professionalism is shown in Fig.  2 .

Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of nursing professionalism

Defining the connotation of nursing professionalism

Nursing professionalism has been defined as professional, caring, and altruistic.

Professional values are characteristic of nursing professionalism. Nursing work requires rich knowledge and scientific evidence-based work to improve the quality of nursing services for patients. Nurses need lifelong learning, qualification certification, and participation in academic and practical activities.

Caring is regarded as the core of professionalism. This study suggests creating a caring-healing environment, displaying kindness/concern/empathy for others, employing all methods of knowing support and involvement, embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and practising loving to care for people to obtain high professionalism. This study notes that nursing professionalism emphasizes care for the individual patient and that the nurse does everything possible to create a caring and healing environment for patients. In different health systems worldwide, nurses have incorporated caring about nursing professionalism into everything they do. This characteristic is consistent with Nightingale's view that “Nurses need to be sensitive. A nurse must use her brain, heart and hands to create healing environments to care for the patient’s body, mind and spirit” [ 87 , 88 ].

Nursing has an altruistic nature, and people interested in helping patients are attracted to this profession [ 89 ]. However, some studies have shown that altruistic care is equated with self-sacrifice, self-denial, and unidirectional and unconditional care [ 90 ]. Care for a nurse’s own needs is equally important, but nurses should be able to put aside their own needs when required to focus on the needs of others [ 91 ]. Nurses should view self-care and altruism as dialectical. Self-realization and providing care for others are not conflicting concepts [ 92 ].

Defining the attributes of nursing professionalism

In this study, we defined nursing professionalism as multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented.

Nursing professionalism is a multidimensional concept that includes knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. Previous studies have defined professionalism as the degree of commitment by individuals to the values and behavioural characteristics of a specific career identity [ 6 , 7 ]. However, current research on nursing professionalism is mostly single dimensional. The Behavioural Inventory for Professionalism in Nursing (BIPN) is based on Miller’s model and is used to measure professional behaviours among nurses [ 7 ]. Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ] identified five attitudinal attributes of professionalism. This study highlights that it is also necessary to focus on the knowledge dimension of professionalism. Nursing students and nurses should first understand the nursing professionalism that is necessary to become a nurse, which may be the first step in developing professionalism. Nursing students and nurses need to know the values that are necessary to practice the nursing and not have vague impressions. Some studies have shown that nursing students or nurses learn values and norms in informal trainings [ 93 ]. Therefore, this study suggests that the development of assessment tools for the knowledge dimension of professionalism is also necessary. Multidimensional evaluation tools are not available for nursing professionalism. Thus, clarifying the multidimensional nature of nursing professionalism will contribute to the development of multidimensional evaluation tools.

Moreover, understanding the dynamics of professionalism is helpful for cultivating nursing professionalism in stages and steps. Inquiries into medical professionalism should be integrated into the culture of social media interaction [ 94 ]. Nursing educators and managers should dynamically cultivate nursing professionalism in their interactions.

Differences in the connotation of nursing professionalism are noted in different cultures. This study suggests that the cultivation and evaluation of nursing professionalism need to consider the cultural attributes of different regions and countries.

Future research directions

Exploring the antecedents of nursing professionalism can help schools or hospitals cultivate nursing professionalism and develop courses and specific measures.

The macro antecedents of nursing professionalism include culture and religion, and the micro antecedents include calling, autonomy, and personal characteristics. Some researchers have explored methods to cultivate nursing professionalism; for example, role modelling, feedback, group discussions, case-based discussions, reflection, holding ethical rounds, and reports potentially represent more effective methods [ 95 ]. Some researchers have tried to enhance professionalism through social media [ 96 ]. One of the findings this study is that nursing professionalism is complex and its cultivation difficult. Studies have shown that didactic lectures are ineffective for teaching professionalism [ 97 ]. The development of true nursing professionalism requires national advocacy and the immersion of a good professional environment that incorporates professionalism into daily nursing practice. Role modelling is considered an effective method for developing professionalism in nursing [ 98 ]. Therefore, this study suggest that studies should be actively conducted to deeply discuss the causes and processes affecting professionalism and to cultivate and intervene at macro and micro levels as well as the key time periods and populations that form professionalism to truly shape the formation of professionalism. Moreover, an environment for building professionalism [ 99 ] is very important. Williams [ 100 ] (2015) considered that the development of professionalism should begin as early as the first semester of an undergraduate nursing course. One of the themes of nursing students’ professional identity development is ‘doing-learning-knowing-speaking’. Students should develop professionalism in all these areas of nursing practice.

The relationship between nursing professionalism and health outcomes or nurses’ human resources needs to be further studied.

Our research suggests that the ultimate goal of nursing professionalism is to serve patients with professional knowledge and special professional quality. The public has become increasingly aware of certain possibilities, limitations, and consequences of professionalism. COVID-19 significantly increased the discussion of professionalism and patient outcomes.

Improving professionalism has a positive impact on job satisfaction, professional quality of life, and the willingness to continue in the profession [ 101 , 102 , 103 ]. Therefore, it is important to improve support for nurses, create a good environment for professionalism, and establish a training system for professionalism, thus paving the way to enhance training in professionalism and create opportunities for nurses.

Implications for nursing management

In April 2020, the World Health Organization (2020) issued the First State of the World’s Nursing 2020 [ 104 ]. The report highlighted that nursing professionals are the largest occupational group in the health sector, numbering 27.9 million worldwide. Nurses spend more time with patients than any other health care professionals [ 105 ].

Worldwide, nursing professionalism is considered important and associated with expectations. This study clarifies the concept of nursing professionalism and contributes to a framework for developing a theoretical model as well as instruments to measure the concept. A conceptual model of nursing professionalism may increase nurse managers’ insight into nurses’ behaviours and values, creating a good working environment.

Nurse managers should integrate nursing professionalism into their philosophy, mission, and objectives and provide necessary resources, tools, and projects to develop professionalism among nurses. Nurses should cultivate professionalism to provide good nursing services to patients. Further research should explore the relationship between nursing professionalism and patient health outcomes and formulate effective training programs for professionalism.

Limitations

This conceptual analysis has some limitations. First, research on nursing professionalism published in English may be conducted in different countries and cultures. However, it is also necessary to obtain a more comprehensive and mature concept of the study of different national languages. Second, the lack of research on the combination of all elements of professionalism may lead to overestimation of the impact of these subelements on professionalism. Third, the concept analysis focused on the research process and the researchers’ perspectives, possibly reflecting a lack of other professional understandings of nursing professionalism in medical groups. In addition, the concept analysis included a risk of selection bias, extraction bias, and analysis bias because the study selection process, data extraction, and analysis were all conducted by two researchers. Despite these risk, the studies were all described accurately and systematically.

Nursing professionalism is one of the important foundations of clinical nursing. It is multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented. Based on the analysis, nursing professionalism has been defined as providing people care based on principles of professionalism, caring, and altruism. The definition, attributes, antecedents, consequences, and reference analysis of the experience of nursing professionalism determined in this study provide a theoretical basis for future research. This information can be used to evaluate nursing professionalism, develop assessment tools, or generate theory-based training courses and interventions.

Availability of data and materials

Data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Hui Yang for the great efforts made in designing the research. We would like to thank linbo Li for providing valuable suggestions for this study.

Postgraduate Education Innovation Program of Shanxi Province in China (No. 2020BY067).

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Hl C and HY made substantial contributions to conception and design. HL C, YJ S, YM W, YF D Collectioned and analysis the data. Hl C was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. XY H, YJ C, QH W revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Cao, H., Song, Y., Wu, Y. et al. What is nursing professionalism? a concept analysis. BMC Nurs 22 , 34 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01161-0

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Home > Resources > Career Advancement > Demonstrating Professionalism in Healthcare Settings

Demonstrating Professionalism in Healthcare Settings

• Published May 10, 2021
• Updated May 3, 2024

Regardless of the industry or sector, a “professional” can be considered one who earns a living by practicing a vocation that requires a degree of skill, learning or science. However, being a professional is about more than being compensated for the skill, more than the education and credentials earned to perform the skill. Education and experience perfecting skills can provide a good foundation, but without appropriate conduct and mindset, they don’t add up to “professionalism.” True professionalism is characterized by behavior and attitude. In healthcare, specialized knowledge and expertise are essential—medical professionals quite literally hold a patient’s life in their hands. But demonstrating professionalism in healthcare also requires the ability to communicate this expertise in an easy-to-understand way, with honesty, compassion, confidentiality and trust.

What is Professionalism in Healthcare?

In defining “professionalism” within the healthcare setting, various medical colleges, accreditation and governing bodies set standards of professionalism for working in the field, often dictated by medical specialty. In the report, “Doctors in Society: Medical Professionalism in a Changing World,” the UK’s Royal College of Physicians defines professionalism in healthcare as: “A set of values, behaviors, and relationships that underpins the trust the public has in doctors.” The report determined that those doctors and healthcare staff who demonstrate professionalism are committed in “day-to-day practice” to:

• Continuous improvement
• Collaboration with colleagues

Many of these values and behaviors are also specified in the “professionalism charter” developed from the Medical Professionalism Project, a collaborative effort by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, the American College of Physicians Foundation and the European Federation of Internal Medicine. This professionalism charter has been adopted by many major professional physician organizations.

Why is Professionalism Important in Healthcare?

The patient—their safety, security and positive health outcomes—is ultimately why professionalism in healthcare is so important. “Professionalism is an important component of medicine’s contract with society. Not only do we need to make good decisions for our patients based on the evidence in the literature, but we need to apply those decisions in a way that is professional and ultimately helps our patient,” writes Lynne M. Kirk in the research report, “Professionalism in Medicine: Definitions and Considerations for Teaching.” The need and expectation of professionalism at every level of healthcare are critical, and preparation and training extend to those healthcare professionals who may not work in patient-care roles, such as those in healthcare analytics and health informatics . “As with all other health professions, the work of health informaticians affects the health, safety, and effectiveness of those working and being cared for within the system of healthcare delivery,” states the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Accreditation Committee, part of the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information (CAHIIM). For these reasons, professionalism should be emphasized even before an aspiring healthcare professional enters the field.

How Do You Show Professionalism in Healthcare?

While accrediting bodies such as CAHIIM, medical colleges and boards may set standards and expectations of professionalism, as Lynne M. Kirk states, “Just presenting students with lists of what is involved in professionalism may be daunting,” and less than effective. How can professionalism in healthcare go from being more than lists of rules and competency expectations to demonstrated actions that are second nature for healthcare professionals? By becoming practiced behaviors and ingrained values. Recognizing what should be done and why can be black and white when demonstrating and evaluating cognitive skills and actions—either you gathered all the needed data, or you did not; either you followed procedure steps, or you did not. Demonstrating competency in professionalism tends to go into the gray area of noncognitive skills, where evaluating effectiveness can easily become subjective and debatable. For aspiring health informatics professionals, the AMIA/CAHIIM accreditation standards guide educational institutions in evaluating graduates in both the hard cognitive skills, called Foundational Domains, and the noncognitive skills, called Graduate Level Domains. Professionalism is one of the three Graduate Level Domains (along with Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership). An individual’s competency is measured by how they demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes/abilities in the domain of Professionalism.

The AMIA Accreditation Committee expects a graduating student entering the field of heath informatics to be able to, “Define and discuss ethical principles and the informatician’s responsibility to the profession, their employers, and ultimately to the stakeholders of the informatics solutions they create and maintain.” Demonstrating knowledge of ethical principles and responsibility can include recognizing that patient-provided personal information and health data receive the same protections as biomedical, health outcomes and patient care data, and that patients have the right to know what is in their electronic health records and how and when this information is used, as stated in AMIA’s Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct .

Skills should “demonstrate professional practices that incorporate ethical principles and values of the discipline.” The “values of the discipline” are very much driven by professional interactions and respect for others—patients, colleagues and employers. When put into action, the “professional practices” should ensure that protected patient health information and data are “transmitted, acquired, recorded, stored, maintained, analyzed, and communicated in an appropriately safe, reliable, secure, and confidential manner,” and that data usage is in legal compliance with privacy and security policies, laws and informatics standards. In working with colleagues and superiors, providing guidance and accountability to peers to ensure patient safety, privacy and data security is maintained and alerting superiors to potential information or systems issues that could lead to a data breach is expected. This includes communicating concerns in a professional, respectful way and avoiding gossip and uninformed criticism.

Attitudes/Abilities

The new graduate entering the field should “demonstrate awareness of the value of information literacy and lifelong learning, maintenance of skills, and professional excellence.” In this area, “professionalism” is demonstrated through a commitment to continual development as a health informatics professional and as contributor to the growth of the field. This can include mentoring students and junior colleagues, promoting inclusion and diversity within the workplace and the field, disseminating new knowledge and discoveries that can advance the field and encouraging “the adoption of informatics approaches supported by adequate evidence to improve health and healthcare.”

Develop Professionalism in a Master’s in Health Informatics Program

As stressed by the American Medical Informatics Association, “in health informatics, there is a particular emphasis on preserving the confidentiality, privacy, and security of patient and other health data and information and balancing it with appropriate stakeholder access.” Therefore, the level of excellence expected of a health informatics professional is high, not just in their technical skills and knowledge but in the professional quality of their work and treatment of others—patients and colleagues alike. An AMIA and CAHIIM accredited program in health informatics will ground students in core competencies of the domain areas and prepare them to demonstrate professionalism in their healthcare careers. See how the Master of Science in Health Informatics from USF Health can help to develop your professionalism and support your career goals. Explore the Program

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Health Care — The Importance Of Professionalism And Communication In The Healthcare Field

The Importance of Professionalism and Communication in The Healthcare Field

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Healthcare providers and patients: an essay on the importance of professional assertiveness in healthcare today

Affiliations.

• 1 Centre de Santé et des Services Sociaux de Laval, Montréal, Québec.
• 2 Département de médecine de famille et de médecine d'urgence, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
• 3 Medical Simulation Centre, Centre d'Apprentissage des Attitudes et Habiletés Cliniques (CAAHC), Université de Montréal.
• PMID: 37040516
• PMCID: PMC10101662
• DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2023.2200586

Professional assertiveness can enable the healthcare provider to confidently share their expertise without seeming authoritarian to the patient. Professional assertiveness is an interpersonal communication skill that helps express opinions or knowledge while respecting similar competencies in others. For healthcare providers, this compares to sharing scientific or professional knowledge with their patients while respecting their person, ideas, and autonomy. Professional assertiveness also connects the patient's beliefs and values with actual scientific evidence and healthcare system constraints. The definition of professional assertiveness might be easy to understand, but it remains challenging to apply in clinical practice. In this essay, we hypothesize that the practical difficulties healthcare providers encounter with assertive communication stem from their misunderstanding of this style.

Keywords: Healthcare system; Professional assertiveness; communication; healthcare provider; patient.

• Assertiveness*
• Communication
• Delivery of Health Care
• Health Personnel*

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