Understanding perceptions of nursing professional identity in students entering an Australian undergraduate nursing degree

Browne, C.ORCID: 0000-0003-4793-1454, Wall, P., Batt, S. and Bennett, R. (2018) Understanding perceptions of nursing professional identity in students entering an Australian undergraduate nursing degree. Nurse Education in Practice, 32 . pp. 90-96.

Abstract

Developing a professional identity is an essential transition for nursing students as they move through their undergraduate degree. Professional identity is described as a person's perception of themselves within a profession or the collective identity of the profession. The formation of a professional identity is an evolving process, shaped by the media, educational experiences and role modelling. The aim of this study was to develop a greater understanding of the perceptions that students, about to embark on their undergraduate nursing degree, had of the nursing profession. A drawing and mind mapping exercise was conducted with a convenience sample of commencing nursing students to explore how they viewed their future profession. The data underwent thematic analysis and then grouped into sub-themes and themes. Four key themes were identified, ‘To be a nurse, I have to look the part’, ‘To be a nurse, I have to perform in a variety of roles’, ‘To be a nurse, I have to connect with others’, and ‘To be a nurse, I have to care for myself.’ The formation of a strong pre-professional identity is important for nursing students due to the link between future job satisfaction and the development of a robust nursing workforce.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Health Professions
Publisher:	Elsevier
Copyright:	© 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/41399

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