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Redefining the concept of professionalism in nursing: an integrative review Cover

Redefining the concept of professionalism in nursing: an integrative review

Open Access
|Dec 2021

Abstract

Objective

In today's world with sweeping changes, nurses are responsible for providing high-quality and cost-benefit care, which would almost be impossible unless they achieve their high professional status. To date, no precise and comprehensive definition of professionalism in nursing has been evidently proposed. In fact, many of the previously proposed definitions are either complicated or ambiguous. Moreover, there is no consensus in the literature on an exhaustive definition for “a professional nurse.” The present study aimed to illustrate the concept of professionalism in nursing and identify its defining characteristics.

Methods

In this study, concept analysis was conducted using Whittemore et al.'s method for the integrated review. A comprehensive search of electronic, scientific databases including Eric, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, PsychoINFO, Embass, MagIran, IranDoc, SID, and IRANMEDEX was carried out using the keywords such as professionalism, professional behavior, nursing professionalism (NP), professional attribute, and nursing.

Results

In the present study, a comprehensive search of 11 electronic databases retrieved 5738 articles. Then, 2837 duplicate articles were removed by endnote (version 8). Based on a preliminary examination of the titles and abstracts as well as the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1517 articles were excluded. In addition, 137 articles were removed for scientific reasons. Finally, 52 articles in English and Persian were selected. Content analysis of the articles revealed four major themes, namely, individual prerequisite, professional prerequisite, appropriate structure, and socio-individual factors.

Conclusions

Professionalism in nursing is a major, multidimensional concept according to the literature that included individual prerequisites, professional prerequisites, appropriate structures, and socio-individual factors. In fact, professionalism in nursing comprises a wide range of personal characteristics, self-regulation, professional values, striving to acquire and enhance professional expertise, professional interactions, social, professional, and legal responsibility, and creation of a sense of belonging, and professional development.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2021-0033 | Journal eISSN: 2544-8994 | Journal ISSN: 2097-5368
Language: English
Page range: 327 - 340
Submitted on: Feb 10, 2021
Accepted on: Mar 26, 2021
Published on: Dec 30, 2021
Published by: Shanxi Medical Periodical Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 times per year

© 2021 Azadeh Azemian, Abbas Ebadi, Leila Afshar, published by Shanxi Medical Periodical Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.