Chapter 9
PROFESSIONAL and PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT
NURSING as a PROFESSION
I. Introduction:
Professional Nurse completed a basic nursing education
program licensed in his/her country or state to practice
professional nursing. The primary responsibility is promotion
of health and prevention of illness. Collaborate with other
health care providers. Establish linkages with community
resources. Coordinate with the health care team and ability
to work cooperatively with others.
II. Learning Objectives:
Given a relevant situation:
1. The students is expected to utilize concepts, principles,
professional and personal development or guide in the
resolution of problems and issues in nursing practice.
III. Core Content of the Chapter:
Definition of Terms:
1. Professional
- employee engaged in work predominantly intellectual and
varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual,
mechanical, or physical work.
- involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment
in its performance.
- a character that the output produced or result accomplished
cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time.
- requiring knowledge of an advance type in a field of
science or learning acquired by a prolonged course of
specialized intellectual instructions.
(specialized education and expertise, autonomy,
commitment, societal responsibility for maintenance of
standards of work)
- a calling in which its members profess to have acquired
special values, knowledge, training or by experience so that
they may guide others in that special field.
2. Professional Adjustment
- the growth of the whole individual and development of all
his/her capacities, physical, mental, social and spiritual
towards efficient and effective performance of his/her
profession.
3. Adjustment
- an educational process referring to changes in behavior
towards better life, better relationships and better
contribution to society.
4. Professional Competency
- The ability to use knowledge, skills, activities and make
judgment to enable a professional nurse to manage or deal
with problems that arises in the practice.
5. Profession
- an occupation or calling requiring advanced training and
experience in some specific or specialized body of
knowledge which provides service to society and that special
field.
- Prestigious occupation with a high degree of identification
among members that requires lengthy and rigorous
education in the intellectually demanding and theoretically
based course of study;
- engages in rigorous self-regulation and control;
- that holds authority over client’s;
- and that puts service to society above simple self-interest.
- a calling by which members profess to have acquired
special knowledge by training, by experience or both so that
they may guide or advice or serve others in that field an
occupation usually involving relatively long and specialized
preparation on the level of higher education and governed by
its own code of ethics
6. Nursing
- is an occupation requiring a unique body of knowledge and
skills and which serves society.
7. Professional Nurse
- is a person who has completed a basic nursing education
program and is licensed in his/her country or state to practice
professional nursing.
8. Professional Nursing
- an art and a science in which certain principles are applied
in the skillful care of the sick in appropriate relationship with
the client and the physician and with others who have related
responsibilities.
- it is concerned equally with the prevention of illness and
conservation of health.
9. Professionalism
- Demonstration of high level personal, ethical, and skill
characteristics of a member of a profession
Qualifications and Abilities of a Professional Nurse
A professional nurse must possess specific qualifications
and abilities.
A. Professional Preparation:
The professional nurse must:
1. Have a license to practice nursing in the country;
2. Have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing; and
3. Be physically and mentally fit.
B. Personal Qualities and Professional Proficiencies:
The personal qualities and professional proficiencies of a
nurse include:
1. Interest and willingness to work and learn with
individuals/groups in a variety of settings;
2. A warm personality and concern for people;
3. Resourcefulness and creativity as well as a well-balanced
emotional condition;
4. Capacity and ability to work cooperatively with others;
5. Initiative to improve self and service;
6. Competence in performing work through the use of
nursing process;
7. Skill in decision-making, communicating and relating with
others and being research oriented; and
8. Active participation in issues confronting nurses and
nursing.

Professional Adjustment
- Growth of the whole person in the development of his
capabilities to make him fit to assume his position.
- Preparation of a Student Nurse for the responsibilities of
professional and social life (participate in the community), by
developing capabilities in a way that would make her fit for
the practice in nursing.
Educational Preparation for Nursing
Baccalaureate Nursing
Graduate Education in Nursing
- Major purpose
1. Prepare nurses in improving nursing care through
advancement of nursing theory and science.
2. Prepare nursing leaders by generating higher levels of
competence and by teaching, administering and
investigating professional practice.
Master’s Degree Program
- Generally, takes 1 ½ to 2 years
- Masters in Arts, Master in Nursing, Master in Science in
Nursing, and Master of Science
- Pursue an area of clinical specialization and elect an area
of role and development
Doctoral Degree Program
- Titles awarded are Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of
Nursing Science (DNS), Nursing Doctorate (ND)
- Preparation for various positions such as administrators of
nursing colleges, nursing research specialists, consultants of
nursing services, nursing education programs or hospital
services.
Continuing Education for Nurses
Continuing education – refers to formalized experiences
designed to enlarge the knowledge and skills of professional
nurses
Forms of Continuing Education:
1. Graduate school
2. Seminars - workshops/lectures
3. Conventions - gathering of professionals
4. Distance learning/self-directed learning package-school of
Correspondence
5. On the job training for specialization/4 weeks
6. Authorship - ownership of intellectual property
7. In-service education – planned program for staff nurses by
the employer
CPE (Continuing Professional Education)
According to RA 10912 (Continuing Professional
Development Act of 2016):
Required CPD credit units per year: 15 units
Professional Identification Card
Renewal: every 3 years; 45 CPD units required
BON Resolution No. 01 Series of 2008
- Created the CPE Council for nursing
Objective of Continuing Education
1. To provide and ensure the continuous education of a
registered profession with the latest trends in the profession.
2. To raise and maintain the highest standard and quality of
the practice for the profession.
3. To make the nurse globally competitive.
4. To promote the general welfare of the public.
Factors in Society that Promote Need of Nurses to
Continue Education
1. An aging population results in older clients with more
complex health problem
2. Skilled nursing care is needed with the advent of home
care nursing.
3. Nurses need to be knowledgeable about the cultural and
social influences on health.
4. Newer technology and scientific discoveries.
5. New diseases related to social and environmental
problems.
Core Competency Standards for Nursing Practice
Committee Members
1. BON
2. CHED Technical Committee on Nursing Education
3. PNA
Project was conceptualized – April 2001
Initial draft presented – June 2003
Refinement done January 18, 2005
Date of Effectivity – August 2005
Revised CCS - May 2009
Legal basis – RA 9173, Art.3, Sec.9 (c) The Board shall
monitor and enforce quality of standards of nursing practice
in the Philippines and exercise the powers of necessary to
ensure the maintenance of efficient, ethical, and technical,
moral and professional standards in the practice of nursing
taking into account the health needs of the nation.
Rationale:
1. Effects of globalization
New technology comes in to our country
2. New expectations for contemporary nursing practice
Nurse Anesthetist
First Assistant to the surgeon
Nurse entrepreneur
3. Changes in dynamics of health science and information
technology
4. Demographic changes
Study of population of a certain place
Overcrowding
Increase demand for health care
Migration
5. Changes in the health care program
6. Increasing and more exacting (strict) demands from the
consumers of health care.
7. Surge of overseas employment opportunities for Filipino
nurses.
Nursing Relief Act - only Filipinos can be employed;
abolished in 1995
Significance
1. Guide in developing the curriculum in nursing
2. Framework for developing test syllabus for entrants into
the nursing profession
3. Tool performance evaluation among nurses
4. Basis for advance practice and specialization
5. Framework for developing a training curriculum for nurses
6. Yardstick for unethical and unprofessional practice of
nursing.

Key Areas of Responsibilities

I. Patient Care Competencies (70%)
1. Safe and quality nursing care
2. Communication
3. Collaboration and teamwork
4. Health education

II. Empowering Competencies (10%)

5. Legal responsibilities
6. Ethico-moral responsibilities
7. Personal and professional responsibilities

III. Enhancing Competencies (10%)

8. Records management
9. Management of resources and environment

IV. Enabling Competencies (10%)

10. Quality Improvement
11. Research