254 unit 3 | Professional Issues
Nursing in the Future
Within the nursing profession, there is much work
to do. Cohen (2007) addressed the issue of the
image that many nurses present to their public.
One is professional appearance and behavior. She
quotes Dumont on the question of dress, particu-
larly wearing uniforms covered with cartoon char-
acters: “You’re the only thing between the patient
and death, and you’re covered in cartoons. No won-
der you have no authority.” The following are some
additional suggestions to improve nursing’s image:
■Always introduce yourself as a nurse.
■Define professional appearance appropriate to
your workplace, and enforce it.
■Define professional behavior, and enforce it.
■Take every opportunity to speak to the public
about nursing.
■Document what nurses do and how important
they are (Cohen, 2007).
What else can nurses do? It is important that
more members of minority groups be brought
into nursing so that nursing better reflects
the increasing diversity of the population.
Collaboration with colleagues in other health
professions is also vital to improving health care.
Physicians, therapists, social workers, psycholo-
gists, aides, assistants, and technicians are con-
cerned about the quality of care provided. Patients
and their families are also concerned and person-
ally affected by the quality of care provided. All
these groups together would have a stronger voice
in health-care reform.
The following are some specific actions you can
take to exert leadership in improving health care:
■Learn more about the health-care system and
your role in it.
■Join your professional association and specialty
associations and support their efforts to improve
care.
■Talk with everyone and anyone who will listen.
■Write letters to the editor, speak on local radio
and television programs, and participate in
online discussions.
■Speak to local, state, and national representatives
about these concerns.
In summary, be “visible and vocal” in your support of
nursing and improved health care (ANA, 2008a).Conclusion
As nursing moves forward in the 21st century, the
need for courageous and innovative nurse leaders is
greater than ever. Society’s demand for high-quality
health care at an affordable cost is a contemporary
force for change.
Nurses began in hospitals, moved to the commu-
nity, moved back into the hospitals, and are now
seeing a move back to the community. Men were
the earliest nurses, then left the profession and have
now returned, bringing with them new ideas and
leadership abilities. Nursing has become as diversi-
fied as the populations it serves. You will be the
Nightingales, Walds, Sangers, Mahoneys, Montags,
and Hendersons of the future; the creativity and
dedication of these nurses are part of everyone.Study Questions1.Read Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Notby Florence Nightingale. How much of its
content is still true today?
2.If Margaret Sanger were alive, how do you think she would view the issue of teaching school-
children about AIDS?
3.What do you think Lillian Wald would say about the status of hospitals and health care today?
4.How do you think Florence Nightingale would deal with a physician who is verbally abusive to
the nursing staff?
5.If you had been Margaret Sanger, would you have decided to stop teaching women about birth
control? Explain your answer.