Nursing Professional Identity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Becoming a good nurse is a mandatory goal for each nurse and a daily challenge. Nurses have the responsibility to maintain the highest level of professional integrity and quality not only to protect patients and their families but also to positively influence nursing students. In fact, students learn how to become good nurses if they really experience that from all nurses they meet during their training. It could be useful to take a "general picture" of nurses who work every day into our hospitals.

Aim: To evaluate the level of nursing professional identity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed. An anonymous structured questionnaire was administered to nurses in a hospital Rome.

Results: 334 nurses participated and they were mainly female (80%); mean age: 37.11ys (SD 8.49); 15.87% had health professionals in family, and nursing profession was the first choice for the 72.16%; 93.71% had family support. In nursing profession, empathy and both human and technical requirements were important for more than 94.91%. 84.73% would repeat the nursing choice, and 79.64% would recommend that. Only 64.97% was satisfied about their profession.

Conclusions: Nursing profession is a controversial profession, with motived and passionate professionals but still unsatisfied. Professional identity is a delicate and complex topic, and an essential part that consistently influences the personal attitude to reach the best nursing practice.

Nursing implications: Professional identity is one of the first aspects to take into account to better understand in which way nurses could influence colleagues, patients and their families, and finally nursing students during their daily practice.