Profession or Occupation There are many factors to why we debate whether nursing is a profession or an occupation. A swift search on the internet shows an overwhelming amount of nurses, tenured and new, heavily sided on the “profession” end of the spectrum. While a few differing perspectives, also from individuals claiming to be in the healthcare field, felt equally strong that nursing is an occupation due to the lack of autonomy and decision-making abilities because instructions and directives are handed “down” by doctors.
Profession or Occupation
In my opinion, nursing is absolutely a profession. At the surface, the dictionary defines ‘profession’ as requiring a specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation. (Merriam-webster.com, 2015).
Factor One
According to Donna Cardillo, a columnist for Nurse Spectrum, NurseWeek, nurse.com and deemed as a Career Guru for Nurses, released a blog on her opinion between the two. Donna’s solid argument states, “nurses have specialized education and training validated by “professional licensure” in each state. We have a code of ethics and established practice standards we are bound to adhere to, a violation of which can result in our license being revoked or sanctioned.” As a homecare nurse for the past 4 years, I understand the importance of ethics and practice standards. Homecare nurses typically work alone, on-site and one-on-one with their patients. The work is often done without the direct supervision of a physician or other supervising nurses. Homecare nurses are required to make quick and critical decisions relying solely on their training and experiences. When an emergency arises, a homecare nurse not only remedy the situation but also may have to give directives to family members and keeping everyone calm and safe. I would not have been able to perform my job so effectively without the