CHARACTERISTICS OF PROFESSION Although nursing has been called a profession for many years, an assessment of characteristics of a profession indicates

that it should more accurately be considered as emerging profession. Characteristics of a profession have been defined as: Authority to control its own work. E clusive body of speciali!ed knowledge. E tensive period of formal training. "peciali!ed competence. Control over work performance. "ervice to society. "elf#regulation. Credentialing system to certify competence. $egal reinforcement of professional standards. Ethical practice. Creation of a collegial subculture. %ntrinsic rewards. &ublic acceptance. Apart from this the characteristics of a profession can be categori!ed as following: Intellectual: 'his character is reflecting commitment to serve society. 'his category has three components: a. Body of knowledge: professional practice is based on body of knowledge derived from e perience (leading to e pertise) and research (leading to theoretical foundation for knowledge).'his knowledge base contributes to *udgment and rationale for modifying actions according to specific situation. +owever, the education has often emphasi!ed proven methods for responding to particular kinds of situations e.g. clients may be discharged without self care teaching because the doctor did not write an order. b. Specialized education: ,ursing transmits knowledge through speciali!ed education. +owever, there are five levels of basic education for registered nurses, all of which prepare for one licensure e amination. 'hree of five levels (diploma, associate degree and baccalaureate degree) accept high school graduation where as other two (master-s degree and doctoral degree) accept college with liberal arts ma*ors. c. C itical and C eati!e T"inking: A logical and critical thinking process is one essential component of professional practice. 'he nursing process is a problem solving approach. %t includes: Collect and organi!e information derived from multiple sources. .ecide what is needed, based on that information. "elect and implement one approach from among many possible approaches. Evaluate the results of the process. Pe #onal: 'his category emphasi!es on autonomy. Autonomy means the practitioners have control over their own functions in a work setting. Autonomy involves independence, a willingness to take risks and responsibility and accountability for one-s own actions as well as self#determination and self#regulation. 'he autonomous practitioners are also obligated to collaborate with others for the benefit of the patient. Inte pe #onal: ,ursing is a significant therapeutic interpersonal process. %t functions

cooperatively with other human processes that make health possible for individuals in the communities. 'he nurse collaborates with the patient, significant others and health care providers in the formulation of overall goals and plan of care and in the decisions related to care and delivery of services. CRITERIA OF PROFESSION Bi$le and Bi$le C ite ia fo P ofe##ion% /enevieve and 0oy 1i ler who were against the status of 2,ursing as a &rofession 3456, appraised nursing according to their original seven criteria as follows:# 3. A profession utili!es in its practice a well defined and well organi!ed body of knowledge, which is on the intellectual level of the higher training. 7. A profession constantly enlarges the body of knowledge its uses and improves its techni8ues of education and service by the use of the scientific method. 9. A profession entrusts the education of its practitioners to institutions of higher education. 5. A profession applies its body of knowledge in practical service, which is vital to human beings and social welfare. 6. A profession functions autonomously in the formulation of professional policy and in control of professional activities there by. :. A profession attracts individuals of intellectual and personal 8ualities who e alt service above personal gain and who can recogni!e their chosen profession as life long. ;. A profession strives to compensate its practitioners by providing freedom of action, opportunity for continuous professional growth and economic security. After e amining all the criteria of profession and other related concepts and aspects <world health organi!ation= has already recogni!ed 2,ursing as a &rofession-. PRESPECTI&E OF N'RSIN( PROFESSION% At ,ational $evel: .uring the &ost %ndependence period there has been enormous change and development in the field of medicine, medical technology, health care and nursing. "ome vital recommendations to the 1ohre Committee relevant to nursing profession are given below: 3. Stipend# to t"e nu #ing #tudent#: %n order to prevent economic barriers in the way of suitable persons entering the nursing profession, the committee suggested the provision of 0s.:> per month for pupil nurses. 7.Nu #e#) *idwi!e# and +ai#: 'he committee suggested that by 34;3, the number of trained nurses available in country should be raised to ;, 5>,>>>. As essential step towards the achievement of this ob*ective was the removal of the e isting unsatisfactory conditions of training and service. 'he committee made proposals to improve the situations. 9. T aining of Nu #e# and *idwi!e#: %n view of the e treme shortage of nursing personnel the committee recommended that the first group of 3>> training centers, each

taking 6> pupils, should be started two years before the +ealth ?rgani!ation began to be established, that another set of 3>> training centers should be created during the first two years of the schemes and that a third group of the same number of training centers should be established before the third year of the second puperium. 5. *ale Nu #e#: @ale nurses should be trained and employed in large numbers in the @ale wards and @ale ?ut &atient .epartments of &ublic hospitals, thus releasing women workers for other work. 6.Pu,lic Healt" Nu #e#: 'he committee also made specific proposals with regard to the training of &ublic +ealth ,urses. 'hese should be fully 8ualified nurses with training in midwifery as well. :.*idwi!e#: 'he number of midwives actually available for midwifery duties in the country was probably 6>>>.'he committee laid down certain fundamental re8uirements which should be met before an institution could be organi!ed as a training centre for @idwives. ;.+ai#: 'he continued employment of women as dais was inevitable. 'he committee advocated the training of dais as an in trim measure until an ade8uate number of midwives would become available. A.Nu #ing Staff: 'he report recommended to produce another category of ,ursing +ealth &ersonnel called Au iliary &ersonnel. Au iliary ,urse @idwife training was started to meet the health needs of the country. Establishment of %ndian ,ursing Council: As a result of 1ohre Committee recommendations, %ndian ,ursing Council was established in 345; to regulate the standards of ,ursing Education. ,ursing Council made three important decisions: a) 'here should be only two standards of training of /eneral ,ursing and @idwifery: i. 'he full course of /eneral nursing to be for three years followed by a minimum of nine months of midwifery. ii. A course of Au iliary ,urse @idwife for two years. b) 'he minimum entrance re8uirement of /eneral ,ursing Course to be @atriculation and for Au iliary ,urse @idwife to be ;th or Ath standard of education. c) 'he Au iliary ,urse @idwife Course to replace various courses like Bunior /rade ,ursing Certificate and courses other than for nurses. +e!elop-ent of nu #ing education in India% 'he Au iliary ,urse @idwifeC /eneral ,urse @idwife &rogrammed: a) 'he %ndian ,ursing Council at its meeting in 346> came out with some important decisions relating to future patterns of ,ursing 'raining in %ndia. ?ne of the important decision was that there should be two standards of training of ,ursing and @idwifery: A full course of 9 yrs in ,ursing and minimum of : months of @idwifery. A course of Au iliary ,urse @idwives of 7 yrs which would replace various courses for Bunior /rade Certificate.

'he first course of A.,.@ was started at "t.@ary-s +ospital 'aran 'aran, &un*ab in 3463.%nitially a very few training centers undertook to give this course but the financial aid was given by /ovt. ?f %ndia under the scheme for preparing personnel for &rimary +ealth Centers gave a great impetus to the training program. 'he entrance 8ualification was raised from ;th class passed to matriculation. 'NI&ERSIT. /E&E/ PRO(RA**ES% Ba#ic B0Sc0 Nu #ing% 'he need for providing basic training in nursing at Dniversity $evel was felt by the members of ',A% from 345> onwards. 1."c. ,ursing (+ones.) was started at .elhi in Buly 345: in "chool ?f +ospital Administration which was started in 3459.'his school was renamed as College ?f ,ursing which is now called 0a*kumari Amrit Eaur College ?F ,ursing in34;7.'his college is located at $a*pat ,agar, ,ew .elhi. A similar course in 1."c. ,ursing was started at C@C Gellore, @adras Dniversity, and 'amil ,adu in 345: by the Boint Church "ociety of England, D.".A and Canada. Po#t Ba#ic1 Po#t Ce tificate B0Sc0 Nu #ing : 'he need for higher training for certificate nurses was also stressed by the @udaliar Committee in 34:7.For up gradation of professional standard, two year &ost 1asic Certificate 1."c. .egree &rogrammed for nurses with .iploma in /eneral nursing and @idwifery was started in .ec.34:7 by the "chool of ,ursing, Dniversity of 'hiruvananthpuram. POST2(RA+'ATION E+'CATION% *0Sc0 Nu #ing Education: 'wo year course in @aster of ,ursing was started at 0a*kumari Amrit Eaur College of ,ursing, ,ew .elhi in 3464.%n 34:4H @."C ,ursing was started at C@C Gellore affiliated to @adras Dniversity. 'he @."c. ,ursing Curriculum was prepared and prescribed by %ndian ,ursing Council in 34A: which is implemented by all the colleges. @."c. in &sychiatric ,ursing was also started in "ept. 34A9 at ,%@+A,", 1angalore. 'his college is affiliated to 1angalore Dniversity. *0 P"il P og a--ed: 'he inspection committee constituted by %,C under statute 9>(5) for the inspection of the college, visited 0AE College of ,ursing, ,ew .elhi on "eptember 39, 34;; and advised the principal to form an @. &hil committee to assess all the re8uirements for the said &rogrammed. 1ut due o some administrative reasons the @. &hil &rogrammed could be started only on ?ct.36, 34A: after due approval of the @. &hil Committee members. 'he &rogrammed is of 3 yr for regular candidates and 7 yr for part time candidates. P"0 + P og a--ed: &h. . &rogrammed was started in few colleges of nursing like College of ,ursing &/%, College ?f ,ursing C@C Gellore, and College ?f ,ursing Affiliated to @angalore Dniversity and at 0AE College of ,ursing, .elhi Dniversity etc. from 344> onwards. &h. . &rogrammed in &sychiatric ,ursing is also there in ,%@+A,", 1angalore, for their own faculty. AT (/OBA/ /E&E/% Int oduction% 'here are various educational routes for becoming a &rofessional 0egistered ,urse. %nitially hospital "chools of nursing were developed to educate nurses to work within those institutions. A##ociate +eg ee Education: 'he associate degree program in the Dnited "tates is a 7 yr program that is usually offered by a Dniversity or Bunior College. 'his program focuses on the basic sciences, theoretical and clinical courses related to the practice of nursing. +iplo-a Education: 'he diploma program in the Dnited "tates is a 7#9 yr hospital based program. .iploma programs focus on the basic sciences and on theoretical

and clinical courses related to nursing practice, usually with a substantial clinical component. %n D.", diploma programs are declining in numbers. %n Canada, diploma programs are offered in community colleges or hospitals and are 7 yr programs. Baccalau eate Education% 'he baccalaureate degree program usually encompasses 5 yr of study in a college or university. 'he program focuses on basic sciences and on theoretical and clinical courses, as well as courses in social sciences, arts and humanities to support nursing theory. %n Canada, the degree of 1achelor of sciences in ,ursing (1."c. nursing) or 1achelor in ,ursing (1,) is e8uivalent to the degree of 1achelor of "ciences in ,ursing (1",) in the Dnited "tates. 0, completion programs are available at many colleges and universities. 'hese programs are designed to assist the practicing 0, in obtaining a baccalaureate degree in ,ursing. Acc editation: 'o be accredited, nursing programs must meet certain criteria established by the ,ational $eague for ,ursing Accrediting (,$,AC).'his voluntary accreditation is available for basic nursing education programs and masters degree programs in nursing. /icen#u e: %n the D.", 0, candidates must pass the ,ational Council $icensure E amination for 0egistered ,urses (,C$EI#0,), which is administered by the individual "tate 1oard of ,ursing. 0egardless of educational preparation, the e amination for 0, licensure is e actly the same in every state in Dnited "tates. Ce tification% 1eyond the ,E$EI#0,, ,ational ,ursing ?rgani!ations such as A,A, have many types of certification that the nurse can work toward. After passing the initial e amination, the nurse maintains certification by ongoing continuing education and clinical or administrative practice. *a#te # +eg ee P epa ation% A person completing a graduate program can receive the degree of @asters in Arts (@A) in ,ursing or @asters in "cience in ,ursing. 'his provides the advanced clinician with strong skills in nursing sciences and research based clinical practice. A @asters degree in nursing can be valuable for nurses seeking roles of nursing educator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse administrator or nurse practitioners. +octo al P epa ation: 'he first nursing doctorate program was opened in 3469 at Dniversity of &ittsburgh. ?ther programs emphasi!ed on basic research and theory and award the degree of .octor ?f philosophy (&h. .). Continuing and In2#e !ice Education : Continuing education involves formal, organi!ed and educational programs preferred by state ,urses Associations and Educational and +ealth Care %nstitutions. ?ther goals include helping nurses become speciali!ed in a particular area of practice and teaching nurses new skills and techni8ues. /icen#ed P actical Nu #e Education% A licensed practical or vocational nurse is trained in basic nursing techni8ues and direct client care. 'he $icensed &ractical ,urse ($&,) or $icensed Gocational ,urse ($G,) practices under the supervision of a 0egistered ,urse (0,) in a hospital or community health practice setting. BIB/IO(RAPH.% 3. 1asavanthappa 1.' 2,ursing Administration- Ed 9rd &ublished 1y Baypee &ublishers pp#3#3;. 7. +istory and 'rends in ,ursing in %ndia- &ublished 1y 'rained ,urses Association of %ndia pp#3#77. 9. Eay Eittrell Chitty 2&rofessional ,ursing Concepts and Challenges- Ed 5th &ublished by Elsevier "aunders pp#7#7;.

5. $eddy "usen and &epper B. @ac 2Conceptual 1ases ?f &rofessional ,ursing- Ed 5th &ublished 1y $ippincott pp#5#33. 6. &otter and &erry 2Fundamentals of ,ursing- Ed 6th Gol. 3st &ublished 1y @osby +arcourt %ndia pp#9;:#9A>. :. "orensen and $uckman-s 2basic ,ursing: a psycho physiological Approach- Ed 9 rd &ublished by J.1 "aunders pp#:#3A. ;. 'he Foundations of ,ursing- Gol. 3 "t &ublished by 1.% &ublications &vt. $td. pp#56#;3. A. A.www.google.com.