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Nursing Self-evaluation: Goals, Strengths, and Development Opportunities

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

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Personal and professional goals, areas of strength, areas for improvement, continuing education and professional development.

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Career Advice > Professional Development > Upskilling and Promotions > 5 Tips to Write a Personal Philosophy of Nursing

5 Tips to Write a Personal Philosophy of Nursing

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You’ve studied nursing theories in school, but what’s your vision of patient care? A personal philosophy of nursing outlines the core values, beliefs, and principles that guide your practice and decision-making. You can think of it as your personal mission statement, helping you to stay grounded in what matters most as you navigate the challenges of healthcare.

Writing your personal philosophy can be challenging — it requires deep introspection, knowledge of care standards , and ethical principles. In this article, we’ll share practical tips to help you write a meaningful essay that captures your unique approach to nursing. We’ll also share a personal philosophy of nursing example to spark your creativity.

What Is a Personal Philosophy of Nursing?

Like a motivational letter that you might write when applying to nursing school, a personal philosophy of nursing paper is a dynamic and evolving document that serves as a foundation for your nursing practice. It highlights your core values, guiding how you handle day-to-day tasks, handle ethical challenges , and interact with patients, families, and colleagues.

What are the key components of a nursing philosophy? Here are some essential elements you may want to cover:

So, when might a nurse find it necessary to write a personal philosophy of nursing essay? Here are a few examples:

• Nursing school : You may write a personal philosophy as part of your coursework to build self-awareness and clarify your professional values.
• Advanced education programs: You might need to submit this essay when applying for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program.
• Job applications : You may be asked to demonstrate how your values align with the healthcare facility when applying for nursing positions.
• Nursing interviews : You’ll find this resource helpful during interviews to discuss your approach to patient care and ethics.
• Ethical dilemmas: You’ll be able to refer to your personal philosophy when facing complex situations where decision-making doesn’t seem so simple.
• Transitioning to leadership roles: You’ll be able to define the impact you want to create in your healthcare organization as you move into management or supervisory positions .
• Professional development: You’ll benefit from revisiting your personal philosophy and refining it based on new experiences, having tangible evidence of how much you’ve grown and evolved.

How to Write a Personal Philosophy of Nursing: 5 Tips

Let’s dive into the key steps of how to write a nursing philosophy that embodies your professionalism , dedication to healthcare, and personal integrity.

1. Strong Introduction

Start by briefly introducing the purpose of the essay, and explaining the importance of nursing philosophy. A clear nursing philosophy serves as a compass, helping you stay true to your values, ensure consistency in delivering high-quality care , and align your day-to-day actions with your long-term goals.

Nursing is not just a profession; it is also a calling that requires compassion, dedication, and a profound commitment to the well-being of others. In a constantly evolving healthcare landscape, having a clear philosophy allows me to navigate ethical dilemmas, foster strong patient relationships, and advocate for the needs of those in my care. It serves as the foundation of my practice, driving me to work with integrity and create a positive impact on my patients and the medical community as a whole.

2. Define Nursing

The next step is to define what nursing means to you. This is where you dive deeper into your personal beliefs about nursing, exploring the core aspects that make the profession unique and meaningful to you.

To deepen this reflection, consider the nursing metaparadigm , which consists of four key elements:

• Person: The recipient of care, seen as a whole being with unique needs and experiences.
• Environment: The external and internal factors that influence the person’s health and well-being.
• Health: A dynamic state of well-being, which is more than just the absence of illness.
• Nursing: The actions taken by the nurse to support patients in achieving optimal health outcomes.

Nursing is the art and science of caring for individuals with compassion, guided by evidence-based practices. I view my patients as unique beings requiring holistic care, each having distinct needs and beliefs. My role as a nurse is to use my clinical knowledge and soft skills to help my patients achieve maximum levels of wellness. I do this through advocacy, education, and connecting them to the right resources. Just as hitting rock bottom can spark a new beginning, illness can be an opportunity to create a healthier life. I strive to support my patients during these vulnerable moments to help them rise stronger.

3. Relevant Nursing Theories

Incorporating relevant nursing theories into your personal philosophy of nursing can provide a theoretical framework that supports your beliefs and practices. Discuss famous nursing philosophiesthat resonate with you and how they influence your approach to nursing.

New to nursing theories? Here are a few you might find helpful:

• Florence Nightingale Nursing Theory
• Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Theory
• Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing Theory
• Virginia Henderson’s Nursing Theory
• Betty Neuman’s Nursing Theory
• Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring
• Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory
• Jean Watson’s Nursing Theory

Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Theory has significantly shaped my nursing philosophy by emphasizing the importance of patients taking an active role in their own health and well-being. By incorporating this theory into my practice, I strive to create an environment where patients feel empowered and capable. This encourages patients to take charge of their health, and with the right resources and education, create long-lasting changes in their lives.

4. Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is a vital aspect of nursing. The healthcare field is always evolving, and staying updated on the latest practices, technologies, and research is essential for providing the best care. Write about how you plan to grow professionally, whether through formal education, attending workshops, or engaging in self-directed study.

Thinking about the ways you can continue learning in your nursing career? Here are some suggestions:

• Take continuing education courses.
• Attend nursing conferences .
• Join professional organizations for nurses .
• Obtain relevant nursing certifications .
• Pursue advanced practice degrees .
• Consider leadership opportunities .
• Share your knowledge as a nurse educator .
• Participate in research studies .

I’m committed to lifelong learning and actively seek ways to deepen my knowledge, whether it’s through attending conferences or pursuing continuing education courses. I strive to embody leadership qualities in every role I take on, demonstrating high-quality care and professional integrity by example. I also value feedback from peers and mentors, as it fosters collaboration and shared learning. This openness helps me refine my skills and stay current in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

5. Contribution to the Nursing Profession

What’s your vision for the future of healthcare? Reflect on how you plan to contribute to the nursing profession. This could involve mentoring new nurses , advocating for policy changes, engaging in research, or participating in community health initiatives. Share the impact you want to create in the medical world and how your personal philosophy of nursing will guide these contributions.

As a nurse, I believe it’s crucial to give back to the profession and the community. I am deeply passionate about mental health and aspire to participate in community health initiatives in the substance abuse sector, focusing on prevention, education, and support for those affected. By partnering with local organizations, I hope to raise awareness about substance abuse challenges and provide resources for individuals and families on their recovery journeys. I also advocate for policies that ensure access to care. Through these efforts, I hope to foster a supportive environment for those in recovery.

Looking to Upgrade Your Nursing Career?

Now that you’ve written a personal philosophy of nursing, you’re ready to apply it in a brand-new role. IntelyCare can connect you with quality nursing jobs that fit your values and ambitions.

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How to Write a Nursing Reflective Essay as a BSN Nursing Student

• Jermaine Huey
• November 29, 2023

In this article, we will provide you, as a BSN nursing student , with a comprehensive guide on how to write a compelling nursing reflective essay. Reflective essays are a personal reflection on your experiences in the nursing profession, and we are here to help you navigate this writing challenge.

What Is a Reflective Essay in Nursing?

A reflective essay in nursing is a powerful tool that allows nursing students to analyze their experiences, emotions, and actions related to their nursing practice. It provides an opportunity for self-reflection, critical thinking, and personal growth. Reflective writing can help nurses develop a deeper understanding of their own practice, improve patient care, and enhance their professional development.

Reflective essays in nursing differ from personal statements in that they focus on specific experiences and their impact on the writer’s growth and development. These essays require the writer to critically reflect on their actions, emotions, and thoughts, and identify ways to improve their practice. By examining their experiences and applying reflective frameworks, nursing students can gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.

When writing a reflective essay in nursing , it is important to follow a structured approach. This includes describing the incident or experience, analyzing personal thoughts and feelings, exploring the actions taken, and reflecting on the outcomes and implications. By structuring the essay effectively, nursing students can communicate their reflections in a clear and organized manner.

Key Elements to Include in a Nursing Reflective Essay

When writing a nursing reflective essay, it is important to include key elements that will make your essay comprehensive and impactful. These elements will help you convey your thoughts and experiences clearly, allowing the reader to gain a deeper understanding of your reflections on nursing practice.

Inciting Incident or Event The first key element to include in your nursing reflective essay is the inciting incident or event. This is the moment or experience that triggered your reflection and made a significant impact on your practice. It could be a challenging patient encounter, an ethical dilemma, or a personal realization. By describing this event in detail, you set the stage for your reflective journey. Personal Reflections Your nursing reflective essay should also include personal reflections on the experience. This is where you delve into your thoughts, feelings, and emotions related to the inciting incident. Reflect on how the event made you feel, what you learned from it, and how it has influenced your growth as a nursing professional. Be honest and vulnerable in your reflections, as this will allow the reader to connect with your experience on a deeper level. Vivid Setting and Descriptive Details To create a vivid and engaging narrative, include specific details that paint a picture of the setting and the people involved. Describe the physical environment, the interactions between healthcare professionals and patients, and any other relevant details that contribute to the overall context of the experience. This will help the reader visualize the situation and understand the complexities of the event. Actions Taken Finally, it is important to describe the actions you took in response to the inciting incident. Discuss how you applied your nursing knowledge and skills to address the challenges or opportunities presented by the event. Reflect on the effectiveness of your actions and whether there were any areas for improvement. This demonstrates your ability to critically analyze your own practice and make informed decisions. By including these key elements in your nursing reflective essay, you can create a comprehensive and impactful piece of writing that showcases your growth and development as a nursing professional.

How to Write the Introduction of a Nursing Reflective Essay

The introduction of a nursing reflective essay plays a crucial role in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the entire essay. It should provide a concise overview of the main points that will be discussed and create a sense of curiosity and engagement. Here are some tips to help you write an effective introduction for your nursing reflective essay:

• Start with an intriguing opening line: Begin your introduction with a captivating statement or anecdote that relates to the topic of your essay. This will grab the reader’s attention and make them eager to continue reading.
• Provide context and background information: Give a brief overview of the event or experience that you will be reflecting on in your essay. This will help the reader understand the context and significance of your reflections.
• Present a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly state the main purpose of your essay and the specific points or themes that you will be exploring. This will give the reader a preview of what to expect in the body of the essay.

By following these tips, you can craft an introduction that captivates the reader and sets the stage for a compelling nursing reflective essay.

“As I walked into the busy hospital ward on my first day of clinical rotation, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Little did I know that this experience would become a pivotal moment in my nursing journey, shaping my understanding of empathy, communication, and patient-centered care. In this reflective essay, I will delve into the details of this encounter and explore the personal and professional growth that resulted from it.”

With an attention-grabbing opening, providing context, and presenting a clear thesis statement, your introduction will set the stage for a compelling nursing reflective essay that captures the reader’s attention and lays the foundation for your reflections.

Nursing Reflection Essay Tips and Examples

Writing a nursing reflective essay requires careful consideration and thoughtful analysis. Here are some tips to help you craft an impactful and meaningful reflection essay as a BSN nursing student . Additionally, we will provide examples to illustrate how these tips can be applied.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Reflection Essay:

• Start by choosing a specific experience or event that had a significant impact on your nursing practice. This could be a challenging patient encounter, a critical incident, or a personal realization that transformed your perspective.
• Reflect on the experience and consider how it affected your emotions, thoughts, and actions. What did you learn from the experience? How has it shaped your growth as a nursing professional?
• Focus on the key aspects of the experience that were particularly impactful or meaningful to you. Avoid including unnecessary details or deviating from the main message of your reflection.
• Use specific examples, anecdotes, or patient scenarios to support your reflections. This will make your essay more engaging and relatable to the reader.
• Consider the ethical implications of the experience and reflect on how it has influenced your approach to patient care and decision-making.
• End your essay with a reflection on the implications of your learning for future nursing practice. How will you apply the lessons learned to provide better care and improve patient outcomes?

Now, let’s take a look at two examples of nursing reflective essays to further illustrate these tips:

“During my clinical rotation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I encountered a complex patient case that challenged my critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities. The patient was a middle-aged woman who had undergone a complicated surgery and experienced numerous post-operative complications. This experience taught me the importance of collaboration within the healthcare team and the significance of advocating for the patient’s best interests…”

“One of the most significant experiences during my nursing education was my time spent in the pediatric oncology unit. Witnessing the resilience and bravery of children facing life-threatening illnesses had a profound impact on my perspective as a nurse. It taught me the importance of providing holistic care, not only addressing physical needs but also supporting emotional well-being and promoting a positive environment for healing…”

These examples demonstrate how personal reflections, specific details, and professional insights can be incorporated to create a compelling nursing reflective essay. Remember to structure your essay in a clear and organized manner, ensuring that your reflections flow logically and coherently.

By following these tips and utilizing examples, you can create a compelling nursing reflective essay that showcases your growth and development as a nursing professional.

How to Conclude a Nursing Reflective Essay

The conclusion of a nursing reflective essay serves as the final reflection on the writer’s growth and learning from the experience. It is an essential part of the essay that summarizes the main points discussed and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. The reflective essay conclusion should bring closure to the essay by restating the thesis statement and highlighting the key takeaways from the essay.

To write a strong and impactful conclusion, start by restating the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner. This reminds the reader of the main focus of the essay and reinforces its significance. Next, summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs, highlighting the most important insights and reflections. This helps to reinforce the main ideas and ensures that they are not overlooked in the final reflection.

In addition to summarizing the main points, a thought-provoking statement or future outlook can be included to provide a sense of closure and leave the reader with something to ponder. This can be a reflection on how the experience has influenced the writer’s future practice or a call to action for continued personal and professional growth. By ending the essay on a strong and meaningful note, the conclusion enhances the overall impact of the nursing reflective essay.

A well-crafted conclusion is essential for a nursing reflective essay as it reinforces the main ideas, leaves a lasting impression on the reader, and provides a sense of closure. By following these tips, nursing students can create a powerful and impactful conclusion that enhances the overall effectiveness of their reflective essays.

Reflective Tools and Models for Nursing Reflective Essays

Reflective tools and models can provide structure and guidance for nursing students when writing reflective essays. These tools help organize thoughts and experiences, allowing for a more comprehensive and meaningful reflection. By utilizing reflection models , nursing students can enhance their reflective writing skills and deepen their understanding of their own growth and development as healthcare professionals.

Gibbs’ Reflective Model

“Reflective practice is both an art and a science that requires ongoing commitment and practice.” – Gibbs

Gibbs’ Reflective Model is a widely used reflection framework in nursing. It consists of six stages: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan. This model encourages a structured approach to reflection, allowing the writer to systematically explore their thoughts and emotions, analyze the situation, and identify areas for improvement or further development.

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model

“We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.” – Dewey

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model focuses on the importance of reflection as a tool for learning and growth. It emphasizes the need to actively engage with experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and to critically evaluate them in order to gain deeper insights and understanding. This model encourages nursing students to think analytically and develop a continuous learning mindset.

Kolb Reflective Model

“Knowledge results from the combination of grasping experience and transforming it.” – Kolb

The Kolb Reflective Model is based on the concept of experiential learning. It consists of four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. This model encourages nursing students to engage in a cyclical process of learning, where they actively participate in experiences, reflect on them, conceptualize their insights, and apply their learning in real-life situations.

Schön Reflective Model

“Reflection-in-action is the heart of the learning process.” – Schön

Schön Reflective Model emphasizes the importance of reflection in the midst of action. It focuses on the ability to think and adapt in real-time, making decisions based on professional knowledge and experiences. This model encourages nursing students to develop a reflective mindset that allows them to learn and grow while actively engaging in their practice.

Nursing Reflective Essay Example – Essay About Myself for Nursing Sample

Looking for inspiration for your nursing reflective essay? Here are some Nursing Reflective Essay examples that showcase different experiences, reflections, and growth in the nursing profession.

My Journey to Nursing: A Personal Essay From a young age, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of helping others. This innate desire, combined with my fascination with the human body and medical science, has led me to pursue a career in nursing. My journey towards this goal has been shaped by personal experiences, academic pursuits, and a deep-seated passion for making a difference in people’s lives. Early Influences My interest in healthcare was first sparked when I was 12 years old. My grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes, and I watched in awe as nurses not only administered her medical care but also provided emotional support to our entire family. Their compassion and expertise left a lasting impression on me, planting the seed for my future career aspirations. Academic Preparation Throughout high school, I gravitated towards science courses, excelling in biology and chemistry. These subjects not only fascinated me but also reinforced my decision to pursue a career in healthcare. I joined the school’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club, which allowed me to explore various healthcare professions and solidified my interest in nursing. Practical Experience To gain hands-on experience, I volunteered at a local hospital during my senior year of high school. This opportunity allowed me to observe nurses in action and interact with patients. I was struck by the nurses’ ability to blend technical skills with empathy, providing both medical care and emotional support. This experience confirmed that nursing was the right path for me. Personal Qualities I believe that my natural empathy, strong communication skills, and ability to remain calm under pressure make me well-suited for a nursing career. I’m a detail-oriented person who thrives in team environments, qualities that I understand are essential in the nursing profession. Future Goals As I embark on my nursing education, I’m excited to deepen my understanding of medical science and develop the skills necessary to provide exceptional patient care. In the future, I hope to specialize in pediatric nursing, as I have a particular affinity for working with children. Conclusion Nursing is more than just a career choice for me; it’s a calling. I’m committed to the challenging yet rewarding journey ahead, eager to learn, grow, and eventually make a positive impact on the lives of my future patients. I’m confident that my passion, combined with the education I will receive, will enable me to become a skilled, compassionate, and dedicated nurse. Nursing Reflection Examples Nursing Exemplar Essay Example 1: Providing End-of-Life Care As a nurse, I’ve encountered many challenging situations, but none have impacted me as profoundly as providing end-of-life care. My experience with Mrs. Johnson, a 78-year-old patient with terminal cancer, stands out as a pivotal moment in my nursing career. When I first met Mrs. Johnson, I was struck by her quiet dignity in the face of her prognosis. As her condition deteriorated, I found myself grappling with a range of emotions – sadness at her suffering, frustration at my inability to cure her, and a deep sense of responsibility to ensure her comfort and peace in her final days. One of the biggest challenges I faced was communication. How do you discuss death and dying with a patient and their family? I learned the importance of active listening, of being present not just physically but emotionally. There were times when words seemed inadequate, and I discovered that sometimes, a gentle touch or a moment of silence spoke volumes. Empathy became my most valuable tool. I tried to put myself in Mrs. Johnson’s shoes, to understand her fears and hopes. This approach helped me provide care that went beyond mere medical procedures – it allowed me to connect with her as a person, to honor her life story. The experience also taught me the critical importance of self-care. The emotional toll of end-of-life care can be immense, and I learned that to provide the best care for my patients, I needed to take care of myself too. Regular debriefings with my colleagues, mindfulness practices, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance became essential parts of my routine. Reflecting on this experience, I realize how much it has shaped me as a nurse. It has deepened my understanding of the human experience of dying and reinforced my commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care. While challenging, providing end-of-life care has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my nursing career, allowing me to make a meaningful difference in my patients’ final moments.

Examples of Nursing Reflection on Leadership

My journey into nursing leadership began unexpectedly when I was asked to step in as the interim charge nurse on my unit. Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility, but this experience became a profound learning opportunity that shaped my understanding of effective leadership in nursing. One of the first challenges I encountered was balancing the diverse needs of patients, staff, and the organization. I quickly realized that effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about fostering a collaborative environment where everyone’s expertise is valued. I implemented regular team huddles to ensure open communication and to collectively problem-solve. My leadership style evolved to become more transformational. I focused on inspiring and motivating my team, rather than merely managing tasks. This approach led to increased job satisfaction among staff and, consequently, improved patient outcomes. I saw firsthand how a positive work environment translates directly to better patient care. However, leadership also meant facing difficult situations. I had to address performance issues with some team members, which taught me the importance of clear communication, fairness, and documentation. These experiences helped me develop crucial conflict resolution skills. One of the most significant lessons I learned was the power of leading by example. When I demonstrated a strong work ethic, a commitment to excellence, and a compassionate approach to patient care, I saw these qualities reflected back in my team. Reflecting on my leadership journey, I recognize how much I’ve grown both professionally and personally. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, to be decisive when necessary, and to remain flexible in the face of the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Most importantly, I’ve come to understand that effective nursing leadership is about empowering others to deliver the best possible care to our patients.

Nursing Student Reflection Example on Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas

In my nursing career, I’ve faced numerous challenging situations, but one ethical dilemma stands out as particularly impactful. It involved a terminally ill patient, Mr. Davis, who had expressed his wish to discontinue life-sustaining treatment, a decision his family vehemently opposed. The core of this ethical dilemma lay in the conflict between two fundamental principles of medical ethics: respect for patient autonomy and beneficence (doing good for the patient). On one hand, Mr. Davis had clearly stated his wish to die peacefully without further medical intervention. On the other, his family believed that continuing treatment was in his best interest, hoping for a miracle. As the primary nurse, I found myself in the middle of this conflict. I had to navigate the delicate balance between honoring the patient’s wishes and addressing the family’s concerns, all while ensuring the best possible care for Mr. Davis. My decision-making process involved several steps. First, I revisited the ethical principles at play, consulting our hospital’s ethics guidelines. I also engaged in discussions with the healthcare team, including the attending physician and our hospital ethicist. Crucially, I facilitated open conversations between Mr. Davis, his family, and the medical team. These discussions were emotionally charged but essential. I focused on active listening, allowing all parties to express their views and concerns fully. Throughout this process, I maintained a neutral stance, serving as an advocate for Mr. Davis while also showing empathy towards his family’s perspective. I ensured that Mr. Davis was of sound mind and fully understood the implications of his decision. Similarly, I worked with the family to help them understand their loved one’s wishes and the concept of quality of life versus quantity. Ultimately, after many difficult conversations, the family came to accept Mr. Davis’s decision. We were able to shift the focus from life-prolonging treatments to comfort care, ensuring that Mr. Davis’s final days were peaceful and aligned with his wishes. This experience taught me valuable lessons about navigating complex ethical situations in nursing. I learned the importance of clear communication, the need for a systematic approach to ethical decision-making, and the value of collaborative efforts in resolving ethical dilemmas. Most importantly, this situation reinforced my understanding that in nursing, ethical dilemmas are often not about finding a clear “right” or “wrong” answer, but about balancing competing values and priorities to arrive at the most ethically sound decision possible. It strengthened my commitment to patient advocacy and reinforced the importance of continuous ethical education in nursing practice.

These examples demonstrate how nursing reflective essays can provide valuable insights into personal experiences, reflections, and professional growth. They serve as excellent references to help nursing students develop their own reflective writing skills and gain a deeper understanding of the nursing profession.

Writing a nursing reflective essay can be a transformative experience for BSN nursing students. It allows them to gain valuable insight into their own growth and development as future healthcare professionals. Throughout this comprehensive guide, we have provided expert information and guidance on how to write a compelling nursing reflective essay.

By understanding the purpose of a reflective essay and the key elements to include, nursing students can effectively showcase their personal experiences and reflections. Incorporating reflection models such as Gibbs’ Reflective Model or Kolb Reflective Model can also provide structure and depth to their essays.

At NursingWriters.net, we are dedicated to empowering busy nurses and providing them with the tools they need to excel in their BSN programs. Whether it’s writing a reflective essay or any other writing challenge, we are here to support and guide nursing students towards success.

What is a nursing reflective essay?

A nursing reflective essay is a personal essay where the writer reflects on their own experiences and how those experiences have shaped their growth and development in the nursing profession.

How is a reflective essay in nursing different from a personal statement?

While a reflective essay in nursing focuses on the writer’s personal experiences and reflections, a personal statement is more of a formal document that highlights the writer’s qualifications, achievements, and future goals in the nursing profession.

What are the key elements to include in a nursing reflective essay?

The key elements to include in a nursing reflective essay are the inciting incident or event, personal reflections on the experience, specific details to create a vivid setting, and a description of the actions taken by the writer. It is important to avoid including academic details and excessive focus on emotions.

How should I write the introduction of a nursing reflective essay?

To write an engaging and informative introduction for a nursing reflective essay, you can grab the reader’s attention with an intriguing opening line, provide context and background information, and present a clear thesis statement. Focus on the specific event or experience that will be the main focus of the essay.

How should I structure the body paragraphs of a nursing reflective essay?

The body paragraphs of a nursing reflective essay should have a clear structure. Use the first paragraph to present the thesis statement and provide background information on the event. Use subsequent paragraphs to explore your reflections, emotions, and actions taken. Use specific examples and anecdotes to make the essay more engaging.

How should I conclude a nursing reflective essay?

To write a strong conclusion for a nursing reflective essay, you can summarize the main points discussed in the essay, provide a final reflection on your growth and learning from the experience, restate the thesis statement, and leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or future outlook.

What are some tips for writing a nursing reflective essay?

Some tips for writing a nursing reflective essay include starting early, conducting thorough self-reflection, organizing your thoughts and ideas, and seeking feedback from peers or instructors. Pay attention to proper grammar and spelling, coherent writing style, and adhere to any formatting guidelines provided.

How can reflective tools and models help with nursing reflective essays?

Reflective tools and models provide structure and guidance for nursing students when writing reflective essays. Models such as Gibbs’ Reflective Model, Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model, Kolb Reflective Model, and Schön Reflective Model can be used as frameworks for organizing thoughts and experiences in a nursing reflective essay.

What are the benefits of reflective writing in nursing?

Reflective writing in nursing offers benefits such as enhanced self-awareness, improved critical thinking skills, increased empathy and understanding of patient experiences, and continuous professional development. It promotes lifelong learning and helps improve patient care.

Where can I find nursing reflective essay examples?

You can find nursing reflective essay examples that showcase different experiences, reflections, and growth. These examples incorporate personal reflections, specific details, and professional insights into nursing practice. They demonstrate the diversity of topics and experiences that can be explored in nursing reflective essays.

How can I write a nursing reflective essay for nursing school applications?

To write a nursing reflective essay for nursing school applications, reflect on your passion for nursing, personal experiences in healthcare settings, and future goals in the nursing profession. Address specific prompts and align the content with the nursing school’s values and mission.

How can writing a nursing reflective essay benefit BSN nursing students?

Writing a nursing reflective essay allows BSN nursing students to gain insight into their own growth and development as future healthcare professionals. It helps improve critical thinking skills, self-awareness, and understanding of patient experiences. It also promotes continuous professional development.

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Nursing Reflective Essay: Examples + Useful Writing Tips [2024]

Do you need to write a reflective nursing essay? Whether you are a nursing student or already working, we know that you may be too busy writing papers. We’ve prepared information for you about reflection models and nursing reflective essay examples, writing instructions, and templates for the outline. This article will teach everything you need to make writing your essay easier.

So, how do you write an academic reflective essay?

What Is a Reflective Essay?

15 best reflective essay topics: nursing, nursing reflective essay examples, reflective tools and models, reflective essay writing tips, reflective essay body paragraphs, how to conclude a reflective essay.

In a reflective essay, you express your thoughts based on your knowledge, beliefs, reflections, and experiences. A reflective essay is best described as an exceptional and personal essay: you will have a lot to think about, comprehend, and explain. You have to demonstrate the feelings that you have experienced before. It should be honest. If you have any opposing thoughts and feelings about the topic, you should write them.

The peculiarity of a reflective essay, unlike an analytical one, is in the expression of thoughts based on personal experience.

How long does a reflective essay last? It’s simple. It depends on your topic and how you express your thoughts. But you have to remember that this is a highly brief type of essay, and you can do it with a few pages.

You can check out the 100% free essay samples to see it all.

What Is a Reflection in Nursing Essay?

Nursing involves many aspects of work, and reflection is one of the critical tools for developing professional competence and personal skills. In nursing, reflection is important because it provides all the prerequisites for further personal growth. It is a reflection that will allow you to take a broader look at your strengths and weaknesses and assess your prospects.

Think of your nursing reflective essay as a chance to reflect on your career, skills, and personality, which will lead to further improvement.

• Empathy and support in nursing.
• Communication with patients is one of a nurse’s most important tasks.
• Nursing is the art of caring for the patient during illness.
• The key is not to cause harm but to help afterward.
• Time management in nursing.
• The Patient’s Interests Come First.
• Why did I become a nurse?
• Doctor- patient confidentiality in nursing.
• The importance of enhancing soft skills for the nurse.
• Nursing knowledge should not be limited to narrowly professional information.
• Reflective essay on the internship .
• Nursing culture and ethics .
• Deontology of nursing and its synthesis with my personal experience.
• Nursing clinical reflection essay.
• Nursing issues for the elderly.

To better understand what reflexivity is, let’s look at examples based on these articles:

Scientists from different fields of science invented many models to simplify the process of reflection. Below are reflection models you can use in your essay nursing writing practice.

Gibbs’ Reflective Model

In 1998, Graham Gibbs introduced his reflexive model to the world. Gibbs’ model is a cycle and, therefore, excellent for analyzing repetitive experience.

It covers 6 stages:

• Description. What happened? Don’t judge or try to conclude yet; just describe.
• Feelings. What were your reactions and emotions? Again, don’t begin to analyze them yet.
• Evaluation. What was good or bad about the experience? Make value judgments.
• Analysis. Were different people’s experiences similar or different in importance?
• Conclusions. What conclusions can you draw in a general sense from this experience and your analysis? What conclusions can you draw about your particular, unique personal situation or way of working?
• Personal action plans. What steps are you going to take based on what you have learned? What are you going to do differently in this situation next time?

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model

John Dewey believed that reflective thinking is the active, persistent, and careful evaluation of a belief or assumed form of knowledge, the grounds for that knowledge, and the additional conclusions to which knowledge leads.

John Dewey’s Reflective Model was one of the first and has been the foundation for many other models. He identified five steps of reflective thinking:

• Step 1: Identify the problem.
• Step 2: Investigate the issue.
• Step 3: Generate several possible solutions.
• Step 4: Evaluate the options and select the best answer from the combination of solutions.
• Step 5: Test and implement the solution.

Kolb Reflective Model

The Kolb Reflective Model or “Kolb cycle” focuses on transforming information into knowledge. The basic four steps of the Kolb model are as follows:

• Concrete experience. Anyone should already have experience in the field or area they want to learn.
• Observation and reflection . This stage implies analyzing the person’s experience and knowledge .
• Forming abstract concepts . A model describing the information and expertise is built at this stage . Ideas are generated, interrelations are made, and new information is added concerning how everything works and is arranged.
• Testing in new situations . The last stage implies experimentation and testing the model’s applicability and concept . The result of this stage is a direct unique experience. Then the circle closes.

Schön Reflective Model

Donald Schön’s reflexive model was described in the book ‘ The Reflexive Practitioner .’ He explained how professionals solve problems with a kind of improvisation that is perfected through practice.

Schön’s reflective model , like his writings, is based in many ways on the Dewey we already know

• Action reflection involves reflecting on an experience you have already had or an action you have already taken. It involves considering what could have been done differently and the positive aspects of that interaction.
• Reflection in action involves reflecting on your efforts as you make them and considering issues such as best practices throughout the process.

Bouds Reflective Model

David Bouds paired with Schön to explore the limits of reflective practice. This model is based on learning by doing. By analyzing his own experience, the practitioner begins to understand better how to improve certain things.

Bouds suggests that by reflecting, a person may be unconsciously learning. In reassessing the events of his life, he systematizes and classifies emotions, ideas, and results, as well as results, and compares past goals with results.

Past experiences, experiences, and ideas require constant analysis attention to feelings. This leads to new perspectives, commitment to action overall positive changes in behavior.

Driscoll Reflective Model

John Driskoll proposed a simple model of reflection at the beginning of the 21st century. It involves reflection through extended answers to questions we are already familiar with. The scholar linked the three basic questions to the stages of the experiential learning cycle and then added trigger questions that must be answered to complete the process of reflection.

Step 1: What? Sets out to recall what happened as objectively as possible, without criticizing anything that happened

• What exactly happened?
• What exactly did you do?
• Was anyone else involved?
• Was it a good experience? Or a bad experience? Or both? And why?

Step 2: So what? It requires you to slow down and start looking for patterns or meaningful moments. The key here is to bring in concepts that help shed light on what is going on.

• How did you feel at that particular moment?
• How did you react?
• Why did you react that way?
• Did you feel the same way about the situation then as you do now?
• Did you experience conflict with your values?
• Do you think past cases influenced your experiences in this situation?
• Who else was involved in the situation? How did they feel? And how did they react? And why did they react that way?

Step 3: Now what? Encourages beginning to transfer new knowledge into future situations and other contexts.

• What did you learn from reflecting on this situation/experience/incident?
• Could you have prevented the negative consequences?
• And how might you have done so?
• What would you have done differently if a similar situation arose in the future?
• What could you have done to better prepare for it?
• Where did things go wrong last time, and what would you focus on now?

5R Framework

The 5R Framework was developed in 2002 by a group of scientists as a universal system of reflection, later modified.

It focuses on five basic steps, each addressing one aspect of reflection. Thinking through the five stages, an individual will engage all of the major reflection components, allowing you to create a critically meaningful review based on your experience.

• Report. What do you see and hear? Write it all down.
• React. What do you think is happening? What works well and what doesn’t? How do you feel about the situation you are reflecting on? What is it about this situation that makes you feel this way?
• Relate. How do my perceptions of this situation relate to my personal and professional experiences? How do they relate to my knowledge and skills? Through what “lens” do you view this situation? From the perspective of classroom management or collaborative learning? Do you need professional development in terms of content knowledge?
• Reason. Do you relate your point of view to someone else’s and how it affects the situation? Does sound practice support your strategies, or do you use different approaches? How does your point of view affect how you understand the problem? Could another point of view be helpful?
• Reconstruct. What did you learn from this observation, and how will it affect your practice?

CARL framework

The CARL framework of reflection involves going through four stages: context, action, results, and learning. The vastness of this model gives a lot of information, and even at the first stage, you can already get a lot of valuable data. But this is also its main disadvantage because it makes the model more complex.

The framework has four steps:

• Context : Description of the context of the experience.
• Action : Explanation of the action taken.
• Results : Explanation of what your actions led to.
• Learning : Identification of the experience and knowledge gained.

Now that we’ve covered the basic concepts let’s write a reflective nursing essay.

Reflective Essay Outline

How to make a reflective essay? First, write an outline.

Any reflective essay is a statement of thoughts about something, and the outline acts as a sketch in which you write them down. Creating it is the first step to creating high quality and vivid essay.

What would make a good outline structure for a reflection essay? Structure all your knowledge. Write what you want to see in the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Here is the reflective essay outline template:

• Hook: Use a catchy statement to set the tone and introduce the article.
• Mention the main points.
• Thesis statement: Include all the important points and ideas in one statement.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the first idea in one sentence.
• Proof of topic or idea: Use authoritative sources to support the idea.
• Idea analysis: Apply logic and rational thought to the idea and information from the source.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the second idea in one sentence.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the third idea in one sentence.
• Repeat the statement of the thesis.
• Review the main ideas
• Final, concluding sentence

Reflective Essay Thesis

A thesis statement is a condensed version of the paper in which you must briefly explain your position. The point is for your audience to read it and understand your work.

To make a good thesis statement for a reflective essay, you need to formulate your thought on paper. To begin with, think well about the problem, and develop your attitude toward it. That’s why the thesis statement should be created after writing the outline. It is unnecessary to give everything out in advance to the reader because later, you will unfold this thought more broadly.

After successfully developing the thesis statement, you can proceed to the actual writing.

And so, below, you can see examples of the reflective essay introduction and conclusion. Learn what its body of it is.

How to Start a Reflective Essay? Examples

You need to start any paper in the right way. How to write a reflective essay introduction? Check these examples:

• Practice and theory do not always agree. Not all of the medical reference books that I have been able to study are fully applicable in practice. John Kimble’s case is a testament that it is often necessary to rely on them and consider the specific situation. He complained of dizziness, and the doctors advised him to get a blood iron test. The test showed that there was nothing wrong. But as it turned out later, this was an erroneous result because Kimble had eaten redfish rich in iron the day before, which temporarily raised the iron in his blood.
• I had always dreamed of becoming a nurse, but my fear of blood robbed me of all desire to study. But still, my passion and ambition made me pull my will into a fist. I had to change and forget what fear of blood was. I lived my dream, which helped me overcome one of my fears.
• A few years ago, I went through a severe emotional crisis. I had always dreamed of going to the University of California, as it is one of the most prestigious medical universities in the United States. But unfortunately, I failed my entrance exams, so I had to study at the university in my hometown. My failure seemed like a disaster, but now I realize it was a real blessing.

The essay’s body carries arguments, explanations of the topic, and the main body of information.

Each paragraph should begin with short introductory sentences, and the body of the sections should be divided into several parts. This will help you better structure what you have written and help the reader navigate through the text.

It is worth remembering about argumentation. There should be several things that you rely on in your position. Describe each of them in detail in a separate paragraph. Observe the semantic sequence. A mistake, in this case, will be to repeat twice the same argument in different words. It will give the reader the impression that there is nothing to say.

You should also remember about transitions in a reflective essay. Move smoothly from one aspect to another and take your time.

How to end a reflective essay? In conclusion, you should focus on pulling together all of the material, summarizing all of the points made and what you have learned. Try to include a few moments about why and how your attitudes and behaviors changed. Here are some examples:

• Was the practice of volunteer nursing helpful to me? Absolutely! I was grateful for these weeks because I learned a lot. But most of all, I have learned my Soft skills, which will help me get used to my professional activities.
• At that moment, I thought about who would be the priority in that situation, and I still believe it was the patient. If the same problem were to arise again, I think I would do nothing but speak up and justify my decisions. I recognize and know that time management and prioritization are essential skills in nursing, and I hope that my skills will improve with practice.
• I reflected on how personal values can affect professional practice from the incident. Still, it is crucial to consider that the organization has its own set of values to follow, regardless of personal values. Finally, in reflecting on the incident, I was able to discuss the importance of quality assurance monitoring and health care evaluation both in general and during the incident, which allowed me to consider what conclusions were drawn from the incident and how to prevent similar situations occurring again.

So, now you have examples and an idea for writing a reflective nursing essay. Writing your paper will become many times easier and faster.

If this article was helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues!

• Reflection toolkit: The University of Edinburgh
• Essay Conclusions: University of Maryland
• Thesis Statements: UNC Writing Center
• A short guide to reflective writing: University of Birmingham
• Outlining: Harvard College Writing Center
• Reflective Practice in Nursing: ZU
• Critical self-reflection for nurse education: NCBI
• Essay Structure: Harvard College Writing Center
• Essay Structure: UAGC Writing Center
• General tips for academic reflections: The University Of Edinburgh
• Reflective essays – ANU
• Writing An Essay Title – Illinois Valley Community College
• Nursing Essay Help: Medical Essay Writing Service in UK

Nursing: Self-Awareness to Professional Development Essay

Personal nursing philosophy, reasons for studying nursing, philosophy of nursing and professional development.

This paper seeks to explore the subject of my philosophy in nursing. The first part of the paper will explain in detail my philosophy of nursing that reflects my life’s values. The information will be of help for those who wish to become a nurse, as well as the difference he or she will make. The second part of the paper includes a poem communicating the reasons behind my nursing career. This will be an in-depth reflection on the values. Lastly, the study paper will discuss how the CNO standards are connected to my values. In nursing, knowledge is the central part of success. Every nurse needs to be acquainted with diseases and their processes. For one to be successful and effective in this field, he or she must be able to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during classes to the workplace. In nursing passing exams cannot be enough to classify a person as competent in the field. It involves a practical application being the application of the gained knowledge.

Reasoning holistically, continuously anticipating the needs of the patient, and prioritizing health care issues are necessary to a nurse. More so, lack of proper time management skills and poor organization in this profession will be detrimental especially with the daily duties one has on different shifts. My personal belief in nursing has also been compassion and caring getting it this from dealing with people who need care and support in hospitals. Connecting with patients on an emotional level is more salient than the physical connection.

Why I Study Nursing

I study all hours of the night

I put up such a strong fight

I do all these because one day I will celebrate a new life

And one day I will help a family not to mourn

It makes me have the strength of mind and bravery

It teaches me how to handle my disappointment

Some people will curse or bless me

But every day will teach me something new

Reasons why I love nursing

And I put more effort into my studies

Because one day, I will be a Nurse

To help people like you and me

When growing up, I always admired the nurses in their white uniforms and caps that I saw in movies. Over the years, my perception of nurses has changed, and having chosen the nursing career, I now understand what nursing entails. It is not just about a person in uniforms but someone who can make a difference in another person’s life. To me, nursing comprises such traits as kind heart and love conveyed through the expertise required to offer surroundings that sustain curing. My philosophy is that this can be possible by anyone as long he or she can offer care and sustain another person. Competent care alongside set guidelines will make one a successful and effective nurse. In the nursing field, everything is never the same.

Every day we come across different patients and different situations that make us learn more every day. My efforts to study are to help me in my future career as a nurse and be of help to other people. For competent services in the health care system, I will need to know the nursing sector, being the reason I studied nursing. It is hard to face the demands when caring for patients daily without the solid foundation of a personal ideology. Time management, respect, advocacy, and honesty are the four matters that any human deserves to have and are particularly essential in the health care field. For this to be done, a nurse will need to have respect, honesty, advocacy, and proper time management.

Competent caring is paramount in my approach to nursing so that I can fulfill my calling as a nurse. My values go well with the College of Nurses standards, which aim at protecting the patients’ interests first. Time management ensures the nurses attend to the patients first before any other business. Being caring and compassionate towards the patients comes with the nurse’s conduct and knowledge. My values in regards to the nursing field will improve a person’s competence and lead to better services in the health sector. Overall, it calls for personal devotion and vast knowledge for one to be competent as a nurse (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2006).

The standard of maintaining boundaries under the CNO connects with my values in nursing. Under this standard, nurses have the duty of successfully creating and sustaining the boundaries in the nurse-client relationship. Through the value of patient privacy as a nurse, I will be able to maintain and set proper boundaries within the relationship. Through this standard, the patient will be able to know the limits of their relationship and do not undermine the judgment and objectivity in the therapeutic nurse-client relationship. In addition, through knowledge and trust between the client and nurse, the relationship will have boundaries and hence a proper and efficient provision of services.

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2006). Practice Standard: Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, April 29). Nursing: Self-Awareness to Professional Development. https://ivypanda.com/essays/nursing-self-awareness-to-professional-development/

"Nursing: Self-Awareness to Professional Development." IvyPanda , 29 Apr. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/nursing-self-awareness-to-professional-development/.

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IvyPanda . 2022. "Nursing: Self-Awareness to Professional Development." April 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/nursing-self-awareness-to-professional-development/.

1. IvyPanda . "Nursing: Self-Awareness to Professional Development." April 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/nursing-self-awareness-to-professional-development/.

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StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

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Nursing professional development.

Barbara A. Brunt ; Melanie M. Morris .

Affiliations

Last Update: September 20, 2022 .

• Definition/Introduction

Professional development as a nursing practice specialty is defined by standards based on research and is critical to quality patient and organizational outcomes. The specialty of nursing professional development (NPD) has evolved over the years. The first educational focus in nursing started with the establishment of the first national nursing organization, the American Society of Superintendents for Training School Nurses, in 1893. In 1971, the American Nurses Association (ANA) established the Council on Continuing Education, and in 1974, Helen Tobin, often referred to as the "Godmother of Staff Development," published The Process of Staff Development: Components for Change. The first standards related to nursing professional development were the Standards for Continuing Education in Nursing, also published in 1974. The Journal for Nurses in Staff Development (now known as the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development) was published in 1985. In 1989, Belinda Puetz spearheaded establishing and incorporating the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO). NNSDO became the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) in 2012. ANPD's mission is to advance quality health care by defining and promoting nursing professional development practice. The goal of ANPD is to be acknowledged as the expert voice, advocate, and leading resource for nursing professional development practice.

Maloney and Woolforde described the history of nursing professional development, reflecting on the past, present, and future. [1] The article outlined the accomplishments and strategic focus of the specialty from 2010-2018. The major pillars of focus of the 2016 ANPD strategic plan were NPD role delineation (changed to role clarity), managing transitions, leadership, and ANPD value proposition. These were reaffirmed with the 2018 strategic plan. The 2021-2023 strategic plan, which can be found on the ANPD website, outlines three key priorities: maintain the position as a strong organization, partner with other organizations, and define and advocate for the NPD role. [2] Overall goals for each of these priorities included:

• ANPD will continue to thrive as a strong organization
• ANPD will build alliances with outside organizations (healthcare and others) that generate an advantageous return on investment for ANPD and its members
• ANPD will strategically position itself to advocate for the NPD specialty and provide members with resources, evidence, and research that equip them to demonstrate the value of their role. This will help prepare NPD practitioners for the future.

Starting in the 1990s, there was a tremendous increase in NPD activities and publications. ANPD published the latest Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice in 2022. This edition defines nursing professional development as "a nursing practice specialty that improves the professional practice and role competence of nurses and other healthcare personnel by facilitating ongoing learning, change, and role competence and growth with the intention of improving population health through indirect care." (p. 16). The 2016 standards edition introduced the concepts of interprofessional continuing education and interprofessional collaborative practice, as well as the need for evidence-based practice (EBP). The 2022 version included NPD practice judgment and population health as it described current practice and examined trends to forecast the future of the NPD specialty.

• Issues of Concern

Critical updates and changes in the 2022 standards can be found in the StatPearls companion reference, " Nursing Professional Development Standards ." The scope of practice for the NPD practitioner reflects the changing landscape in healthcare. The NPD scope of practice defines the who, what, where, when, why, and how that drives nursing professional development practice. It is reflected in the updated NPD practice systems model, which includes inputs, throughputs, and outputs. All NPD activities occur in the context of interprofessional practice and learning environments. NPD practitioners continuously use environmental scanning to ascertain internal and external opportunities and challenges within the organization.

Evolving trends in healthcare and nursing education have influenced NPD practice. There is a continued emphasis on interprofessional education, collaborative practice, and EBP. Due to the various positions that focus on education, there is a need for role clarity for NPD practitioners. The updated standards outline differences between NPD practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, academic clinical nurse educators, and academic nurse educators. Other trends affecting NPD practice include longer life expectancy, burgeoning patient technology, healthy practice, learning environments, and global events.

NPD practice changed focus during the pandemic, transitioning from in-person to virtual educational delivery formats. One strategy described by Reid et al is to prepare NPD practitioners to teach in a virtual environment. [3] They had a transition-into-practice program that had to be taught virtually, and many NPD practitioners identified they had little experience teaching in a virtual format. The organization developed a blended learning program to assist NPD practitioners in facilitating learning in a virtual environment.

Staffing redeployment during COVID-19 was an issue during the pandemic. Several approaches to address this were published. Fox and Richter described how their NPD practitioners were split into 3 teams to meet the demand for the orientation and training of frontline staff. One team was responsible for orienting new hire employees and travel nurses. [4] Another team trained staff for a different role or unit due to the low census in their unit. The third team was responsible for real-time education and support of all staff in the clinical units. They identified this as a hat trick when a player achieves 3 goals in a single game. The NPD team achieved 3 goals to meet the demands for ongoing education and training of all staff.

Another approach to surge staffing was identified by Kelley et al. [5]  Their organization changed from primary nursing to a team nursing model and introduced RN extenders and senior or graduate nurses for each level of care environment. RN extenders had to have at least 12 months of clinical experience, no corrective action in the last year, and completion of competencies in their current clinical setting. These employees assisted in monitoring changes in patient status, performing nursing tasks, providing patient education, documenting care, and reporting back to the RN team leader. Senior and graduate nurses with and without a professional RN license were also used. Many state boards of nursing initiated emergency care guidelines that allowed nursing students to assist in staffing without violating the State Nursing Practice Act.

NPD practitioners support the transition of nurses and other healthcare team members across learning and practice environments. With the new practice arenas come new roles for nurses. The Future of Nursing Report from the Institute of Medicine challenged nurses to assume new and expanded roles to help meet the evolving needs of the healthcare system. There are now nurse navigators, health coaches, community health workers, and many new roles in nursing informatics, telehealth, and patient safety. Nursing as a profession and associations such as ANPD are working to increase diversity in the field. We need diverse practitioners to help meet the needs of the diverse population.

Return on investment is another important concept impacting NPD. Ongoing restrictions and healthcare changes continue to reshape how healthcare organizations operate and how they measure success. Return on investment (ROI) is a key factor in the viability of any organization. NPD practitioners must establish and articulate the financial and clinical impact of NPD practice through ROI data. [6] [7]  NPD practitioners can use this method to evaluate education priorities and allocate resources based on statistically relevant data. Demonstration of ROI allows NPD practitioners to compete for limited resources. An updated known cost of outcomes table was included in the 2018 article. This helps NPD practitioners identify improved outcomes' financial value and calculate economic impact. This table is updated regularly; a copy of the 2020 edition can be found on the ANPD website.

Research in the field of NPD has increased. Harper et al. detailed the task force's work on redesigning ANPD’s small research grant process. [8] One of the purposes of this group was to develop a cost-effective framework to advance the scientific research base of the specialty. They identified a spirit of inquiry approach, a consistent, intentional, and applied professional curiosity, as a key element of modern NPD practice (p. 119). They collected data from randomly selected ANPD convention attendees using a round table discussion from Journal for Nurse in Professional Development editorial board members. They included an open-ended question about the ANPD annual convention evaluation beginning in 2016. Ten spirit-of-inquiry areas identified were:

• Determination of strategies that significantly increase the engagement of learners
• Types of technology that enhance learning
• Development of learning outcome metrics
• Strategies to sustain behavior change pursuant to NPD intervention
• Strategies that result in successful career and care continuum transitions
• NPD practices or programs that significantly impact outcomes (residencies, onboarding, competency management, life support, etc)
• Examine models (Lean, Six Sigma, etc) that create more efficient and effective NPD practices       a. Time studies       b. Interruptions
• Examine stakeholders’ views that impact the perceived value of NPD practice, role, and influence       a. Chief nursing officers       b. Managers       c. Chief financial officers       d. Academic educators
• Factors that increase the "buy-in" of stakeholders and target audiences
• Strategies that influence the adoption of interprofessional development (pp. 121-122)

Numerous studies have been conducted in these focus areas. Phillips et al described a longitudinal, quasi-experimental sepsis simulation pilot study on the impact of boost methodology on nurse knowledge retention. [9] Boost methodology was used to stimulate the recall of information. Boosts can be done in various ways, including question-and-answer, scenarios, video clips, or statements that connect learners to previously learned content. Their findings suggested that boost methodology may impact nurse knowledge retention. This could affect healthcare organizations by decreasing the need to reeducate staff and decreasing the burden of traditional education formats.

Harper et al conducted a study on preceptor practice in 2020. ANPD used a nonexperimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design using the practice analysis method to identify the roles and competencies essential to preceptor practice. [10] Using the Ulrich Precepting Model to identify the roles, knowledge, and activities necessary for preceptor practice, they surveyed 3,623 preceptors. Within the spheres of quality, safety, and evidence, the Ulrich model identified seven roles of preceptors within the context of nursing and the broader healthcare system. The 7 roles identified were teacher or coach, role model, leader or influencer, facilitator, socialization agent, evaluator, and protector. The study validated the 7 roles and compared those roles with the NPD practitioner roles identified in the standards.

The capacity of the NPD leader has expanded. The value of NPD relies heavily on the ability to show value across the board in ways that benefit the entire organization. There is a StatPearls article specific to the NPD leadership role in advancing the specialty practice of NPD. An important responsibility of the NPD leader is to help develop a department plan that supports the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. Leadership is not an organizational position but a personal, professional behavior. The Association for Nursing Professional Development has a Leadership Academy and an Evidence-Based Practice Academy to help NPD practitioners develop leadership skills.

As with any specialty, certification is available for NPD practitioners. In addition to the basic certification in nursing professional development offered through the American Nurse Credentialing Center, there is also advanced certification in nursing professional development offered through the Competency and Credentialing Institute. The advanced certification is portfolio-based. [11]  A description of the development of this certification can be found in the article by Harper et al. [12]

• Clinical Significance

NPD practitioners are critical in preparing healthcare personnel for current and future roles and helping individuals cope with an ever-changing healthcare environment. They facilitate the professional role development of nurses and other healthcare personnel, encouraging interprofessional education and collaboration. They become champions of scientific inquiry by promoting the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and the use of evidence to influence NPD practice, guide clinical practice, and improve patient care. They actively support, promote, and demonstrate NPD as a practice specialty.

• Nursing, Allied Health, and Interprofessional Team Interventions

The focus of NPD practice is the healthcare consumer or partner. All NPD activities occur in the context of interprofessional practice and learning environments. NPD practitioners work with members of the interprofessional team to achieve desired outcomes. The outputs of NPD practice include learning, change, and professional role competence and growth, which help achieve optimal care outcomes and population growth.

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Disclosure: Barbara Brunt declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Melanie Morris declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

This book is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ), which permits others to distribute the work, provided that the article is not altered or used commercially. You are not required to obtain permission to distribute this article, provided that you credit the author and journal.

• Cite this Page Brunt BA, Morris MM. Nursing Professional Development. [Updated 2022 Sep 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

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‘Specific factors can make or break the nursing workforce’

STEVE FORD, EDITOR

• Assessment skills
• Children’s nursing
• Hospital nursing
• You are here: Students

‘Making your personal development plan right for you’

06 February, 2019

Now in my final year of nursing, it is time for me and many other student nurses to write our final personal development plan.

A personal development plan (PDP) is something that you are supposed to write at the start of each year, detailing your goals for practice and theory and how you are going to achieve them.

I have found PDPs difficult to write, especially at the start of the year as all the modules are launching. My goal is to stay calm and not be overwhelmed by it all, as thinking about the end of the year seems impossible. But this is my final year writing PDPs and I have some tips to share.

Remember the PDP is for you

Although personal tutors at university will look at your PDPs, they are designed for you. The whole point of a PDP is to make it personal to you – not to write what you think your personal tutors wants to read.

The goals you want to set yourself should be things that you actually want to achieve. If the goal is personal to you, you are far more likely to put your energy into achieving it.

Make your PDP realistic

Being a student nurse is stressful and the last thing you need is to set yourself an unrealistic goal in either practice or theory – so be realistic.

Think about your current skillset and your goal. Then think about what needs to be done to get you to where you want to be and whether this will be realistic once you are juggling placement, university, family and friends.

Don’t make things hard for yourself as you can’t do everything at once. Consider all the little steps that will help you to get to where you want to be and take it each step at a time.

Talk to people about your PDP

If you’ve written about wanting a certain experience in practice within your PDP – for example spending time with a psychologist – then when you go into placement and have your initial interview, let them know about your burning interest to work with psychology or whatever you included in your PDP.

The same goes for theory. If you have written about being more critical in your assignments then speak with lecturers for advice on how you can do this.

PDPs are your goals for the year, so it is your responsibility to do things throughout the year that bring you closer to where you want to be.

Hannah Simpson is a third-year learning disability nursing student at De Montfort University

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• Open access
• Published: 06 August 2022

Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of becoming a professional nurse: a longitudinal study

• Susanne Lundell Rudberg 1 , 2 ,
• Margareta Westerbotn 3 , 4 ,
• Taina Sormunen 2 ,
• Max Scheja 5 &
• Hanna Lachmann 1  

BMC Nursing volume  21 , Article number:  219 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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During education it is essential for nursing students to develop professionalism in nursing. Nurses are placed in situations based on trust, and it is crucial that their patients have confidence in them to provide professional and safe care. A key period in nursing students’ development of a professionalism occurs during training when students gain knowledge and skills that separate nurses as professional healthcare workers from laypeople. The purpose of this study was to investigate nursing students’ experiences of professional competence development during education.

A longitudinal study was carried out using qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach. Thirty-four students enrolled in a Swedish three-year nursing program, from August 2015 to January 2017 were interviewed on four occasions.

The results revealed that students’ professional role developed gradually. The students’ started their education with dreams and a naive understanding of the profession, but their understanding of the complexity of the nursing profession gradually evolved. Students became theoretically equipped at the university and developed clinical skills through practice. Students’ focus went from mastering medical technology to a more holistic approach. Before graduating, students felt ready but not fully trained.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate a discrepancy between the content of the theoretical education and the clinical settings since students identified a lack of evidence-based practice. A solid theoretical education before entering clinical training offered students possibilities for reflecting on evidence-based practice and the clinical settings. The realization that there is always potential for professional improvement can be interpreted as an emerging awareness, and development of professionalism. It is clear that students could benefit from increased collaborative work between clinical supervisors and faculty staff at the university.

Peer Review reports

It is essential to maintain professionalism in the nursing profession [ 1 ]. Nurses are placed in situations based on trust, and it is crucial that the persons depending on these professionals have confidence in them to provide professional and safe care [ 1 ]. A key period in nursing students’ development of a professionalism occurs during training when they gain knowledge and skills that separate nurses as professional healthcare workers from laypeople [ 2 ]. However, there is limited theoretical knowledge of the aspects that constitute and drive the development of nursing students’ professional competence.

Professionalism and competence

The term ‘professionalism’ is used globally to describe professions with a nonspecific focus. There is no simple, generalizable definition of the multidimensional concept of professionalism, or a simple way of assessing it [ 3 ]. When applied to nursing, professionalism is associated with behaviors such as a belief in public service, autonomy and self-regulation, and a sense of vocation [ 1 ]. So the concept of professionalism is complex and maintaining professionalism is essential in the nursing profession [ 3 ]. Apart from being time specific and related to specific contexts, nursing students’ competencies, domains and levels vary by professional assignment, description, and country [ 4 ]. The governance of nursing education varies globally, and is controlled by national regulations [ 5 ]. It has become common to use a holistic view in defining nurse competencies, including behavior statements reflecting the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and judgments required for effective performance in the nursing profession [ 6 , 7 ]. Professionalism in healthcare is associated with a wide range of benefits, for example staff displaying higher levels of professional attitudes also seem to behave more professionally [ 8 ], and increased safety for patients [ 9 ]. To integrate quality into nursing education a framework has been developed comprising six nurse core competencies; person-centered care, evidence-based practice, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement and informatics [ 10 ].

Nursing students’ journey towards professionalism

Dr Benner describes the concept of professional development in the nursing profession as evolving from novice to expert in five stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent proficient and expert [ 11 ]. In health care, the learning process, and also the socialization to develop a professional identity, have often meant adopting standards and norms of the professional group [ 12 , 13 ]. Nursing students are socialized towards professionalism during training, being required to integrate the attributes of professionalism in their routine practice [ 1 ]. Students are motivated to learn when they feel included in the clinical environment, while experiences of exclusion and lack of belonging influences negatively on motivation to learn [ 14 ]. Deliktas et al. [ 15 ] found that undergraduate nursing students’ approach to the nursing profession is associated with humanism, also identified as conscience, coupled with an ambition to touch people’s lives. It requires great effort from the students together with substantial support from teachers and supervisors to develop a comfortable professional identity upon graduation [ 16 ]. Students’ journey to becoming an RN has been investigated previously [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. However, longitudinal studies of students’ experiences of professional development throughout the whole education are scarce.

The present study aimed at investigating nursing students’ experiences of professional competence development during education.

This study applied a descriptive longitudinal design involving qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach.

Settings and participants

Thirty-four students enrolled in a Swedish three-year nursing program, starting from August 2015 to January 2017, were followed longitudinally. The group comprised 28 women and six men, a distribution coherent with national statistics of students in health care in HE [ 21 ]. In respect of age, students ranged from 20 to 51 on enrolment. Fourteen students had previously attended HE, and ten had completed a university degree in another subject. Twelve reported living in a single household and eight had children of their own, whilst ten students shared a household with up to three children.

Data collection

A purpose sampling technique was used. During the first week of education, all students enrolled were invited to participate. Information about the purpose of the study was given orally after an introductory lecture and in writing on the university’s learning platform. Students were also informed about whom to contact if they had questions prior to the interviews. Students who signed a written informed consent were invited on four occasions (Fig.  1 ) to individual, semi-structured interviews carried out in an undisturbed conference room at the university. A total of thirty-four students participated in all interviews. A semistructured interview guide was designed to capture students’ ongoing professional development, including questions about their views of nurse core competencies at interviews two, three and four, ( supplementary file ). All four interviews were carried out by the first author and lasted five to 40 min. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim [ 22 , 23 ].

Overview of methods including generic categories, main categories, and overarching themes

The study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board, Stockholm (Registration no: 2015/894–31/5).

Data analysis

The interview transcripts were read several times making sense of the data as whole [ 24 ] and then analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach [ 25 , 26 ]. Data were divided into four chronological data sets, interviews 1–4. Each dataset was read again when conducting open coding, using NVivo software [ 27 ]. Identified codes were grouped into sub-categories labelled with a phrase that described the meaning content. Sub-categories were grouped by contextual meaning resulting in 19 generic categories. From this categorization, an abstraction was derived describing one main category of students’ experiences from each interview [ 28 ], Fig.  1 .

Individual patterns were analyzed to identify and validate shared patterns [ 29 ], Table 1 .

Finally, an overarching main theme of professional development was abstracted from the main categories and shared patterns, Table 2 . To ensure trustworthiness data was discussed among the authors in every step of the analysis until consensus was reached [ 22 ]

One main category was created from interviews performed at the same semester. Results are presented as four main categories: ‘Anticipation’; ‘Prepared for internship’; ‘Deepened understanding; ‘Insight’ with associated generic themes, summarized in the overarching theme: ‘Ready but not fully trained’, Fig.  1 .

Anticipation

In the first interview students expressed their conceptions, expectations and doubts regarding both education and the nursing profession.

Make a difference

Students voiced a desire to make a difference, to contribute to society, change structures, and help people. They also voiced expectations of receiving tools to deal with real-life problems and change the world for the better. For some students, this desire to make a difference had meant choosing to end a prosperous career in another field.

“I have expectations that you should be able to contribute something every day, to feel needed and important, an important cog in the wheel” (Student no 30).

Students also emphasized they were proud to become nurses and the profession was perceived depicted as incorporating aspects of emotionally rewarding personal development. Employment security was also underscored expressing beliefs that there will always be a need for RNs to help the sick and injured.

“I am going to have an occupation I’m proud of, when people ask what I do for a living I want to say that I am a nurse and it is the best job in the entire world, that is the strongest anticipation” (Student no 31).

Self-confidence

The students presented a picture of being aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, and expressed a belief in their personal capacity, looking forward to the challenges to come. Students explained the decision to become an RN saying that they had been told they had a suitable personality, but they underscored that the final decision had been their own. Some mentioned having a childhood dream of becoming an RN.

“Many have told me; you should become a nurse, but it was I who made this decision, because I did not want to become a nurse for a long time because I didn´t want to study” (Student no 1).

Doubts were identified in three areas: one´s true nature, life situation, and the nursing profession. Concerns of trying out if RN would be an appropriate occupation, being incapable, coming to dislike the profession or regretting having started the program were linked to ideas about self-awareness and personality. Responsibilities to significant others were mentioned as a potential obstacle in coping with the education. Doubts about the profession concerned poor working conditions including an overwhelming workload, becoming stuck in the middle and not being appreciated.

“That I shall never be able to relax but will always be sitting in the wrong chair all the time, and to have to struggle financially, no salary, will I be able to take extra shifts or not, yes worries, and if I should feel it isn´t my cup of tea too, it would be sad if I had put a lot of effort into the education” (Student no 31).

Prepared for internship

In the second interview after two semesters in theoretical education students were about to put their theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

Theoretically equipped

Students expressed a belief in their own progress and having learned a lot, feeling theoretically prepared for internship. However, this experience of being successful in their studies was not particularly influenced by failing exams or not passing a course.

“A lot of theoretical knowledge that I think is still present even if you forget a little here and there, I think it is in the back of your head somewhere, and anyway, still you don’t feel that you’re thrown in at the deep end, now you get to learn to swim, but you still have some knowledge, that you hopefully will be able to try” (Student no 11).

Need experience

The transition of knowledge from abstract to concrete was expressed as a longing to develop clinical skills. Consequently, the desire for internship was regarded as a long-awaited opportunity to develop practical experience.

“I’m just looking forward more and more to internship and to see how it is for real and so on, because sometimes you want to be able to see if it is as good as you read in the books” (Student no 20).

Professional approach

Students testified to the experience of having changed their outlook on their personal life and of being able to act professionally when needed. They felt more competent having acquired more knowledge. Students talked about an increased interest in searching for evidence-based practice in daily life and compared this with how they used to do things because they had heard or read about it somewhere. They described this in terms of a change in mindset, being more thorough when it came to searching for information.

“I have learned the difference between just being nice and being too much sugar and spice with the risk of being condescending, just think of small things such as saying that, like not to say, come on, let’s go and shower, because it may not actually be the way to talk to someone, it becomes a little statement of stupidity, sweetie or love or whatever, so I think my communication has probably improved, and I think I have a slightly more humble attitude than before” (Student no 3).

Trust in educators

A trust in educators emerged in this interview, expressed by expectations about being taught what they need to become an RN. Additionally, sometimes the understanding and relevance of topics brought to the fore in the teaching did not occur until after having completed a course; during the course the aims and structure sometimes came across as unclear and ambiguous. Students expressed taking for granted that all the topics taught built on evidence-based practice.

“It’s hard to say because I have not practiced it, I feel that we get the tools at university that equip us to think safely” (Student no 8).

Insecurity was brought up by students in terms of lacking knowledge, competence, or ability. The fear of making mistakes and harming a patient was one of the students’ worst fears. Feelings of underperforming were mentioned and often related to personal issues. When talking about pressures felt in relation to studying, students mentioned that they had themselves to blame, for example because of poor planning or prioritizing other things besides studying.

“The thought of internship makes me incredibly nervous, but also very excited so there are conflicting emotions… it is nerve-racking in both directions, but I hope that you feel safe then with all the theory that we have received, we have gained a very solid knowledge so that’s not what I’m unsure of, it’s rather my own competence to take in everything I’m a little unsure of” (Student no 23).

Fairy-tale world

Since students were about to embark on their clinical practice, issues about this reality were highlighted. There was a preconception of what to expect, combined with thoughts of being taught about a fairy tale world. Even so, the pre-understanding of how things worked was considered valuable. Additionally, an awareness of being underpaid as an RN was raised, but this was overruled by the prospect of receiving emotional rewards in the profession.

“These things are repeated all the time, but you never get the chance to discuss what reality looks like, and what do I do if it doesn´t look like this, because it doesn´t, so it becomes very much like what the fairy tale world looks like, and we hope reality looks like that too “ (Student no 5).

Deepened understanding

The third interview took place halfway through the program when all students had attended internship. The internship was described as an opportunity to transfer theoretical knowledge to practical skills. Students particularly testified to experiences involving broadened knowledge of the nursing profession, nurse core competencies and the health-care organization.

Constant process

Development at this stage was experienced as challenging. Learning was described as a personal responsibility, although students also stressed the importance of being able to observe supervisors as good role models.

“It is a constant learning process, searching for knowledge, you should always question why do we do this, there should be evidence… we develop all the time” (Student no 26).

Contrariwise learning

Students described examples of supervision settings in which the tutor did not follow guidelines or failed to uphold patient safety. Students dealt with such ‘negative learning experiences’ by setting personal objectives not to act as these tutors. Students underscored that those experiences of negative examples could potentially be more beneficial given opportunities to reflect on these together with a peer.

“It is very educational to be out and see both good and bad examples because then you see how you absolutely don´t want to work and how you don´t want to become and what you don´t think is okay” (Student no 16).

Want to influence

When talking about negative matters in health care, students highlighted their visions of making influence. Students talked about the ability to act professionally during internship, something that became complicated when supervisors took shortcuts or skipped guidelines. Sometimes this led to a complex change in mindset about the professional role as students did not want to question the supervisors openly.

“Sometimes it has also been like this:’You see that I have gloves on me, ok’, although they don´t have gloves,’for educational purposes I have gloves, you know now, okay’.“ (Student no 25).

Reality shock

Some clinical placements were described as being charged with a negative atmosphere including staff who acted negligently or carelessly. It was concluded that the nurse core competencies were an excellent theoretical model, but some of them were regarded impossible to maintain. For example, students’ estimations of patients’ safety in clinics ranged from dangerous to secure. An unsafe environment was explained as a consequence of exhausted staff and lack of time. Students were annoyed with the amount of documentation and non-appropriate software, stealing time from patient care. Instances of hierarchical thinking were mentioned as a minor problem, primarily experienced in meetings with employees close to retirement age.

“You want so incredibly much, and you have your high ambition when you go out [in the clinic] and so, and then there is no time or something, it was kind of quite scary to come out and see how it actually is in reality” (Student no 10).

Learning practical skills was described as exhausting since trained staff offered diverse methods, sometimes lacking in evidence. Students also voiced problems identifying ‘the correct way’ to perform medical technical. Additionally, students did not want to oppose their supervisors but rather sought their guidance and support.

“It was tough to have such a long internship, it was absolutely dreadful … and then you are new and should be so damn alert… because it is our own responsibility, our own learning of course, you want so much… I was actually completely exhausted” (Student no 33).

In the fourth interview, the students were aware that their education was coming to an end, and they were about to leave the student role. Students highlighted that even if they felt prepared to work as RN:s, they did not consider themselves fully trained.

Feeling prepared

Students expressed having learnt the professional role, being equipped, and having trust in their own competence and ability. Competence was referred to as a personal capacity, including both professional skills and abilities. Students also testified to having an insight into the necessary knowledge of an RN and expressed gratitude to persistent lecturers pushing them to learn things they initially did not understand.

“From not really knowing what I got myself into, to knowing I have an ethical compass, and I can question certain actions or prescriptions that I am not sure about, that I wish the patient well, that I can see it” (Student no 27).

Influences of reality

Students reflected on poor terms of employment, mentioning issues of low salary, lack of time and poor working environments. These concerns were strengthened by internship experiences of working alongside tired staff or those only waiting for retirement. Students also reflected on societal values that have a negative impact on RNs, for example increased ethnocentrism, and an overall hardening climate. Moreover, students voiced fears of becoming bored and not caring about their work, linking back to encounters with tired and overworked nurses at the clinic.

“I saw staff who didn´t have time to eat lunch and such, it may not be a major part of the profession itself but more healthcare in general and that is probably what I have thought about a lot, will it be like that when I finish and have to work for well, thirty more years” (Student no 13).

Exciting and scary

Despite describing a conviction of being able to work as an RN, emotions of insecurity were voiced in terms of an unknown future regarding both graduation and being employed. Worries about ending up in a non-functional workplace were voiced as well as the importance and purpose of collaboration. Having observed teams of varying functionality students also talked about the importance of belonging to a purposeful team. To take on a leading role of an interprofessional team was considered to be both exiting and scary. Additionally, students underscored the advantage of participating in an introductory program when applying for employment, along with a strategy to change workplace if they felt dissatisfied.

“It feels scary at the same time as it feels really fun and fine to finally finish, I aim for advanced studies eventually, but I want to work to feel a bit more confident” (Student no 8).

Personal development

Students reported an increased level of personal awareness in terms of having developed humility and ability to identify their own shortcomings. Reflections on supervisors working against regulations due to lack of time or laziness, led to reasoning about the risk of ending up the same way, not taking care of patients in an evidence-based and secure way. Another opinion was that the education offered too little time to develop the ability to handle future professional challenges.

“I have gained a lot of knowledge, but also that you grow a lot as a person and as a human, in what you do you learn a lot about yourself “ (Student no 24).

Overarching theme: ready but not fully trained

The interviews revealed emotions of being competent but also of lacking knowledge and skills; students considered that continued learning and development was necessary to work as a professional RN. The students pointed out that they would give up working as an RN if they felt there was no need for further learning, because there will always be room for improvement, leading to the overarching theme; Ready but not fully trained as students explained that the nursing profession implies lifelong learning and lifelong improvement.

Findings from this study describe students perceived gradual transformation of becoming a professional RN. In particular our findings indicate that students entering higher education sometimes have a naive or idealized view of the nursing profession, driven by dreams such as helping people, developing a career and delivering excellent nursing, as found by ten Hoeve et al. [ 30 ]. Similar to Lindberg et al. [ 31 ] we found that today’s entrants to nursing education believe in themselves and their ability to make an impact.

During the first year students were primarily focused on acquiring theoretical knowledge to develop a solid basis. After having completed a year of theoretical education, they felt prepared to test their theoretical knowledge in practice. Moreover, due to the first theoretical year, students’ self-esteem had increased even if they were not always aware of their progress until they had had time to reflect and look back. Their own professional development became tangible when they started to compare their current skills and competence with the experiences they had at the outset of education, a “delayed” professional understanding. Our findings advance earlier work on delayed understanding that refers to a situation in which students taking a particular course have difficulty understanding topics introduced in the teaching, and why particular things should be learned [ 32 ]. Later on, they do see the point of taking the course, but this understanding can sometimes be substantially delayed, which may cause some students to experience considerable frustration.

When entering clinical practice students are theoretically equipped, but most students lack practical experience, they are on a Novice level [ 11 ]. In the second year, after practicing their skills in clinical environments, students described how theory and practice were joined to become a whole. Our study indicate that the students’ expectations constituted motivation for theoretical studies, which in turn provided readiness for practical training with the support of acquired theoretical knowledge. The experiential learning in clinic seems to give the students possibility to enter the level of Advanced beginner [ 11 ].

The clinical environment was sometimes a rough wake-up call when students’ experiences did not quite meet their dreams and expectations, previously described by ten Hoeve et al. [ 30 ]. Even so, this study revealed that students testified to experiences of having been able to train according to guidelines, although the staff worked according to routines without practicing person-centered care. Students’ professional development became obvious when they reflected on, and assessed, the behaviors and actions of the clinical staff. Interestingly, students used the experience of meeting supervisors lacking in professional competency as “bad examples” which led to a personal goal not to act in a similar way. From these observations it is clear that learning occurs in all areas, also when there are discrepancies and gaps [ 33 ]. Despite the negative experiences of students, our findings suggest that students did mature as human beings, identifying changes in their own behavioral patterns, indicating they were involved in a transformative learning process [ 34 ]. Gaining experience from both work and personal life seemed to be beneficial to professional development. Furthermore, during the clinical education, students deepened their understanding through experiential learning and at the time of graduation, the students had developed a professional insight. Benner describes that newly graduated nurses are mostly Advanced beginners [ 11 ], but our results suggests that many students have reached the level Competent.

Students professional development became visible in how they transformed their understanding of the six core competencies: person-centered care, evidence-based practice, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement and informatics [ 10 ]. In the early interviews, students spontaneously ranked the importance of each competency, some considered more essential and others less significant. At the end of the program students described a pattern of connection between all core competencies, implying that if one was missing it would be to the detriment of the others. Students’ ability to connect the core competencies as parts forming a coherent whole revealed their understanding of the complexity of the nursing profession as described by Guaroni et al. and Lindberg et al. [ 31 , 35 ]. Similar to findings reported by Manninen et al. [ 36 ] our results showed students’ focus on professional development shifting from managing medical-technical skills to the capability of using a person-centered and holistic perspective when interacting with patients. Our findings of students’ ability to overview the context and achieve a holistic understanding of the core competencies reveals a clear progression in their professional development. The findings presented here indicate that students experience insecurity at the end of their education as they realize they have to master nursing care as well as be able to co-ordinate the professional team, an observation which has previously been reported by Lindberg et al. [ 31 ]. These dichotomous emotions of excitement and fear at time of graduation could be connected to the fact that the biggest step from being a student to a professional RN involves taking independent responsibility as shown by Kumaran and Carneys [ 37 ]. Additionally, students’ observation that an RN always needs further development clearly indicate that the interviewees reflected on their own professional competence as well as nursing competence in general. This is an important reminder for employers and managers to sanction time for staff professional development activities.

Strengths and limitations

This study offered longitudinal insights into a sample of 34 students followed throughout their education. Different measures were taken to enhance trustworthiness including dependability and credibility [ 23 ]. All students who had entered the nursing program, regardless of previous experiences, were invited to participate. The same interview guide was used on each occasion although students started their studies at different times. All interviews were carried out by the first author, who had a pre-understanding working as a lecturer at the university. To reduce impact on students’ participation no interviews were performed in the semester when the first author graded the students. The interviews took place at one specific university and these contextual boundaries need to be taken into consideration in assessing the transferability of the results to other contexts. However, the Swedish nursing program is regulated by national guidelines, likewise to nursing education globally which suggests that these findings may be of relevance to programs of a similar kind. The findings presented here make important connections the more general concept of authenticity and Benner´s [ 11 ] nursing theory and Mezirows theory of transformative learning [ 34 ] which may potentially enhance the generalizability of the results.

The process of developing a professional competence as a nurse progresses gradually. Upon graduation, students feel ready but not fully trained, which signifies a professional approach in which an RN can always improve academic and clinical skills. A solid theoretical knowledge contributes to students reflecting on both their own role and the nurse’s role in clinical settings. Our findings indicate a discrepancy between the content of the theoretical education and the clinical settings since students identified a lack of evidence-based practice. It is clear that students could benefit from increased collaborative work between clinical supervisors and faculty staff at the university.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to that the material may contain details about participants that might need to be anonymized but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students for giving their time and valuable information.

Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. Supported by grants provided by the Stockholm County Council (ALF-project) and the Sophiahemmet Research Foundation, Sweden.

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Susanne Lundell Rudberg & Hanna Lachmann

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Susanne Lundell Rudberg & Taina Sormunen

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Margareta Westerbotn

Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, 118 83, Stockholm, Sweden

Department of Education of Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

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HL designed the study. SLR performed interviews and analyses. SLR, HL, TS, MW and MS drafted and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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The research was approved by Sophiahemmet University Research Board. All students enrolled in the program were informed about the aim of the study and were invited, both orally and in writing, to participate in interviews. Informed consent in writing was obtained from the participants. Information about the study was provided to participants and verbal consent was obtained before the interviews were conducted. This study was performed according to the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration and approved by the Regional Ethics Review Board, Stockholm (Registration number: 2015/894–31/5).

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Lundell Rudberg, S., Westerbotn, M., Sormunen, T. et al. Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of becoming a professional nurse: a longitudinal study. BMC Nurs 21 , 219 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01002-0

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Received : 09 May 2022

Accepted : 29 July 2022

Published : 06 August 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01002-0

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