PROFESSIONAL SOCIALIZATION IN NURSING

In home health, professional socialization occurs in several forms. It comprises the new roles and values a nurse acquires once they enter into the nursing profession. They include sacrifices, decision making skills and the choices that are often made in order for a patient’s welfare to be prioritized. It is the foundation on which the principles of nursing are laid in an individual.

There are various ways in which professional socialization is implemented in home health. First, there are the values of nursing. These values are learned, developed, clarified and internalized. These are the values that mould the professional practice and behavior of nurses. Studies argue that values increase the quality of care and enable nurses to realize the rewards of nursing as a caring profession.

Two processes help nurses learn their roles. First, there is the process of interaction with colleagues and significant others. Through this process, nurses understand what is expected of them and the best ways to do it. Second, nurses learn from role playing, instruction, modeling, instruction and role negotiation. There are multiple ways through which this is done.

In the sociologic nature of professional socialization, a nurse is exposed to two aspects, structural and cultural. In the structural nature, nurses’ individual roles are rules in the form of hospital policies, job descriptions and doctors’ orders. Cultural conditions, on the other hand, are the systems of ideas that are prevalent in the society and are usually expressed in words, ceremonies and symbols.

In nursing, professional education is a continuous process that does not end with the curriculum, but continues through the years of practice. In the home health setting, education continues as situations present themselves in different forms. Different situations require different reactions with which nurses accustom themselves throughout their profession.

Professional socialization contributes to more effective service by sharpening the skills of nurses. The exposure to different situations also makes them better able to understand and handle a variety of situations (Goriup & Pajnkihar 86)

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In a predominantly male physician profession, patients are more likely to trust the service of a male expert than that of a female practitioner. Male practitioners are, therefore, regarded to be more competent than their female counterparts. With this regard, nurses are regarded even less competent compared to the predominantly male physicians. This has often translated to less information being offered to them and hence a lower chance to learn and a limited exposure to patient issues.

However, the situation is changing, and the percentage of female specialists is gradually increasing and showing the possibility of surpassing that of their male counterparts (Noori & Weseley 275). With their increasing proportion, comes the trust the trust accorded to them by patients. According to Noori and Wesely (p275), patients of female physicians have reported greater satisfaction than those treated by the male specialists. The trend is rising, and the probability of an increase in the trust of female practitioners is imminent. This will result in higher learning experience for female nurses.

The role of nurses in the nursing industry continues to be misinterpreted and misunderstood. Nurses are still perceived as the ones whom do the dirty jobs and patients think that a degree is unnecessary for a satisfactory nursing service (Lai and Lim).

In conclusion, professional socialization comprises of activities that seek to shape the roles of a nurse during her career. It often involves an adoption of nursing values, exposure to different situations, direct instructions and work definitions. It is important for a nurse to integrate into the nursing profession and make their contribution as required.

Works Cited

Goriup, Jana, and Pajnkihar, Majda. “The Importance Of Men’s Role In Health Care Education.” International Journal On New Trends In Education & Their Implications (IJONTE) 5.2 (2014): 87. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 29 June 2014.

Lai, Pei Kuan, and Pek, Hong Lim. Concept of Professional Socialization in Nursing. International Medical University, Malaysia, 2012. Internet resource.

 Noori, Kamyar, and Allyson Weseley. “Beyond Credentials: The Effect Of Physician Sex And Specialty On How Physicians Are Perceived.” Current Psychology 30.3 (2011): 275-283. Business Source Complete. Web. 29 June 2014.