Course Orientation: Introduction to Professionalism and Communication

Overview of this Chapter:

Welcome to the foundational chapter on professionalism and course orientation, a critical starting point for your journey in this course. In today’s dynamic and ever-evolving healthcare environment, professionalism is not merely a requirement but a cornerstone of effective and ethical practice. This chapter is designed to introduce you to the principles of professionalism and to guide you through the essential aspects of this course, ensuring you are well-prepared to meet the challenges ahead.

Professionalism encompasses a range of behaviors, attitudes, and values that are fundamental to the integrity and credibility of the healthcare profession. It involves not only the demonstration of competence and accountability but also the cultivation of empathy, respect, and effective communication skills. As you progress through this chapter, you will explore the various dimensions of professionalism, including the importance of adhering to ethical standards, maintaining patient confidentiality, and committing to lifelong learning. This chapter also serves as an orientation to the course structure and expectations. Understanding the course outcomes is crucial for aligning your efforts and achieving success.

As you engage with this chapter, reflect on your own perceptions of professionalism and consider how they align with the expectations of this course. Your commitment to embracing these principles will not only enhance your academic success but also lay the foundation for a fulfilling and impactful career as a professional nurse.

I. Introduction to Professionalism and Communication in Nursing Practice

A. Orientation to Course

Navigating the course:

Understanding and effectively utilizing the various resources and tools provided in this course is essential for your success. The course syllabus and weekly schedule of the semester serve as your roadmap, outlining the topics, expectations, and deadlines you’ll encounter throughout the course. It ensures you stay on track and fully prepared for each week’s objectives. The course’s Blackboard is our central platform for communication, assignment submissions, and accessing course grading rubrics; it’s where you’ll find announcements, grades, and other vital information. The Open Educational Resources (OER) provided are carefully selected to enhance your learning without the burden of additional costs, offering a wealth of knowledge that complements your studies. The ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute) resources are specifically designed to reinforce your understanding through practice assessments and study tools, helping you to gauge your progress and readiness. Lastly, the Assignments , and Classroom Discussions and Group Learning Activities, guided by detailed rubrics, are integral to your learning experience. These activities are not just about fulfilling course requirements; they are opportunities to critically engage with the material, collaborate with peers, and demonstrate your understanding in a structured and measurable way to prepare for your next courses and your practice as a future health professional. Reviewing the rubrics carefully will help you understand the criteria for success and guide your efforts toward achieving the highest standards in your work.

Navigating this Open Educational Resource:

Open Educational Materials (OER) are freely accessible, openly licensed resources that support teaching and learning. These materials include a wide range of content, such as textbooks, lecture notes, assignments, and multimedia resources, all designed to enhance your understanding of course concepts without additional costs. Our course’s OER package includes a digital textbook, which covers all the key topics and theories you’ll encounter. This textbook is complemented by links to high-quality online resources, such as videos, articles, and case studies, allowing you to explore subjects in greater depth.

Additionally, the OER materials include interactive activities like quizzes, simulations, and discussion forums, where you can engage with the content and apply your knowledge in practical scenarios. These activities are designed to reinforce your learning and provide instant feedback, helping you to track your progress.

To access these resources, simply log into our Blackboard course site, where you’ll find a link of each week’s topics and learning activities. Within each BB section/week, you’ll find direct links to the digital textbook, interactive activities, and supplementary materials. By utilizing these resources, you’ll have the flexibility to learn at your own pace while engaging with a diverse array of educational content.

B. Academic Integrity and Academic Success

“Academic integrity means acting with the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility in learning, teaching and research” (Exemplary Academic Integrity Project, 2013). It is the foundation of academic success and professional practice, especially in nursing, where honesty, responsibility, and ethical behavior are paramount. As a Registered Nurse, maintaining academic integrity not only ensures that you acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for safe and effective practice but also builds the trust and respect that society places in the nursing profession. Nurses are among the most trusted professionals, and this trust is rooted in the consistent demonstration of integrity both during their education and throughout their careers. Upholding these principles fosters a culture of accountability and excellence, essential for delivering high-quality patient care and maintaining the profession’s esteemed reputation.

II. Overview of Professionalism and Communication in Nursing Practice

a. Professionalism in nursing means providing top-quality care to patients, while also upholding the values of accountability, respect, and integrity. (American Nurses Association, “Recognition of a Nursing Specialty,” Aug. 2017). T

b. Professional communication is an important part of becoming a nurse and being a nursing student. You are entering a “profession” which means there are certain expectations in terms of your professional conduct specifically in terms of how you communicate.

^{“Effective communication within the interprofessional team is one of the hallmarks to providing safe, quality care. Communication between individuals, groups, and organizations will either lead to successful interactions with high outcomes, or miscommunication, leading to poor quality, errors, unsafe care, and sentinel events (unexpected death or injury)”.}

Professional communication involves a level of formality and is an important component of your post-secondary nursing education. It is different than the informal communication that you may engage in with your friends and family. It also applies to your verbal and written communication including emails.

c. Principles of professional communication includes being truthful, accurate, clear, and both concise and comprehensive. For example, you should say or write something in a succinct and short way while also including all relevant information. You should also have a professional tone that is conveyed through appropriate greetings, complete sentences, and grammar. In order to be professional, you need to know your audience; both the content and form of your message should be tailored to your audience.²

III. The History of Nursing

A. Evolution of nursing practice:

The evolution of nursing has been a dynamic journey marked by significant advancements and transformations that have shaped the profession into what it is today. Nursing, as we recognize it in the modern era, began to take form in the mid-19th century with the pioneering work of Florence Nightingale. Her efforts during the Crimean War not only introduced the importance of hygiene, sanitation, and compassionate care in healthcare settings but also laid the foundation for nursing as a distinct and respected profession. Nightingale’s establishment of the first scientifically based nursing school in London in 1860 marked a pivotal moment, formalizing the education and training of nurses and setting the stage for the development of nursing standards and practices.

As the 20th century unfolded, nursing continued to evolve in response to societal needs, scientific discoveries, and technological advancements. The roles of nurses expanded significantly beyond bedside care to include specialized fields such as surgical nursing, midwifery, mental health, and public health. The establishment of nursing licensure and professional organizations further solidified the role of nurses as critical players in the healthcare system. The latter half of the century saw the emergence of advanced practice roles, such as Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists, which allowed nurses to take on more complex responsibilities, including diagnosis and treatment. Today, nursing is recognized as a profession grounded in evidence-based practice, critical thinking, and holistic care, continually adapting to meet the challenges of an ever-changing healthcare landscape.

View this short video: History of Nursing

Please enter your M # to access this through MC library. History of Nursing: Development of Nursing in the United States:

https://montgomerycollege.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=16705&xtid=276587

B. Evolution of Professional Nursing Practice: Review 

Nursing practice has evolved over the centuries, beginning with Florence Nightingale in the 19th century conducting her own research on caring for soldiers in the Crimean War. In the 21st century, contemporary nursing practice of healthcare delivery became complex, requiring a highly educated nursing workforce to meet the needs of a diverse, aging population.⁸

Review: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-delhi-professionalnursing/chapter/professional-nursing-practice/

C. Historical Influences on Nursing Practice

Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing  practice promoted the concept of nurses as a professional, educated workforce of caregivers for the sick. Florence’s nursing  interventions were simple; she focused on providing a clean environment, clean water, and good nutrition to promote healing, such as providing fruit as part of the care for the wounded soldiers. With these simple actions, the mortality rate of the soldiers decreased from 60% to 2.2%.  Nightingale believed in the importance of placing a patient in a environment that promoted healing where they could recover from disease. She promoted this knowledge as distinct from medical knowledge.¹

Florence’s emphasis on the value of the environment formed many of the foundational principles that we still use in creating a healing health care setting today. She also insisted on the importance of building trusting relationships with patients and believed in the therapeutic healing that resulted from nurses’ presence with patients. She promoted the concept of confidentiality, stating a nurse “should never answer questions about her sick except to those who have a right to ask them.” These nursing  concepts formed the foundation of nursing  practice as we know it today.¹ 

For more information on Historical Influences on Nursing Practice: https://getlibraryhelp.highlands.edu/c.php?g=1240417&p=9077688

Since 1897, Johnson & Johnson has been proud to support nurses through employment, platforms, partnerships, training and millions in scholarships and grants. Because nurses change lives. And that changes everything.

IV.  Assignment Review

Resources:

References and Attributes:

1. Brief History of Nursing: Retrieved from https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Fundamentals_(OpenRN)/01%3A_Scope_of_Practice/1.02%3A_History_and_Foundation

2. American Nurses Association (2017). “Recognition of a Nursing Specialty,” : https://www.nursingworld.org/~4989de/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/scope-of-practice/3sc-booklet-final-2017-08-17.pdf
3. Academic integrity: Retrieved from :https://usq.pressbooks.pub/academicsuccess/chapter/academic-integrity/
4.  Lapum, J., St-Amant, O., Hughes, M. & Garmaise-Yee, J.  Introduction to Communication and Communication Theory in Nursing: https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/communicationnursing/chapter/professional-communication/
5. Exemplary Academic Integrity Project (EAIP): Embedding and extending exemplary academic integrity policy and support frameworks across the higher education sector (2013). Plain English definition of academic integrity. Office for Learning and Teaching Strategic Commissioned Project 2012-2013. http:www.unisa.edu.au/EAIP
6. Interprofessional  Communication: Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-delhi-professionalnursing/chapter/communication/

7. Professional Nursing Practice: Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-delhi-professionalnursing/chapter/professional-nursing-practice/

8. Influences on Contemporary Nursing Practice: Retrieved from https://getlibraryhelp.highlands.edu/c.php?g=1240417&p=9077688