Nursing and Professional Identity

Abstract

The formation and development of professional identity takes place within the professional socialization process. Nursing students during their education; They learn the norms, values, behaviors, attitudes and culture of the profession they want to belong to. The process of creating identity as a member of a profession takes place before starting nursing studies, during education and after graduation, that is, throughout the lives of nurses. The education period is the key to the identity development process, and the factors affecting the professional identity in this process develop the professional identity and shape its continuous development. Understanding professional identity in nursing; Evaluating nursing education curricula, identifying opportunities for continuous development of values in nursing education and through the transition from student to professional nursing are crucial to how nurses form their professional identity and for the development of nursing as a profession through testing and strengthening it. In addition, understanding the professional identity is a guide in meeting the professionalization standards. Understanding professional identity in nursing will not only benefit nurses but also patients and other healthcare professionals by providing positive professional identity development.