Chapter 23 Professional Identity and ImageCopyrigh

Chapter 23
Professional Identity
and Image
Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams
& Wilkins
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer • All Rights Reserved
1
Overview
Image: a reproduction or an imitation of something or
impression of something
Terms used to describe nurses
Commonly: nice, hardworking, caring, ethical, honest
Rarely: highly educated, bright, powerful, independent thinking,
prestigious
Trust and admiration do not necessarily equate to respect
Stereotypes continue to be pervasive
2

Nursing Stereotypes
Angel of mercy (Florence Nightingale)
Love interest (to physicians)
Sex bombshell/naughty nurse
Handmaiden to physician
Paul Krugman suggestion that nurses perform “menial work
dealing with the physical world”
Stern, aged “battle-axe” (Nurse Ratchet)
Male nurse as gay, effeminate, sexually predatory (see Box
23.1)
3
Contemporary Stereotypes on TV
ER
Carol Hathaway
Abby Lockhart
Samantha Taggart
Grey’s Anatomy: nurses with trivial roles
Nurse Jackie
Private Practice
4
Question #1

Which of the following terms would most likely be heard when
asking the public to describe nurses?
A. Highly educated
B. Caring
C. Powerful
D. Prestigious
5
Answer to Question #1
B
Most commonly, the public describes nurses as caring, nice,
hardworking, ethical, and honest. Terms rarely used include
highly educated, bright, powerful, independent thinking, and
prestigious.
6
Nursing Image on the Internet
Many unprofessional images
Research showing 70% of sites with nurses portrayed as
intelligent and educated; 60% as respected, accountable,
committed, competent, and trustworthy
Internet as providing opportunities to improve nursing’s image

Ingraining of Nursing Stereotypes
Inaccurate, negative stereotypes well-ingrained based on
research
Stereotypes instilled early in life (i.e., gender stereotyping)
By age of 3, most children with firmly rooted gender-based
ideas (see Research Fuels the Controversy 23.1)
First graders identifying nursing as a high-status female
occupation
By end of middle school, most have minds made up about
desirable and undesirable careers
8
Center for Nursing Advocacy and Truth About Nursing
Center for Nursing Advocacy to address media’s disrespectful
portrayal of nurses—dissolved in 2009
Creation of Truth About Nursing
Increase public understanding of the central frontline nurses
play in modern health care
Promote more accurate, balanced, and frequent media portrayals
Increase media’s use of nurses as expert sources

9
Consequences of Inaccurate or Negative Images #1
Recruitment challenges
Limited ability to recruit the best and the brightest
Review of nursing image studies by Ten Hoeve, Jansen, and
Roodbol (2014) noted factors determining self-concept of
nurses
Public image, work environment, work values, education, and
culture
10
Consequences of Inaccurate or Negative Images #2
Undervaluing by clients, families
Lack of understanding of what nurses do, that they make a
difference in patient outcomes
Campaign for Nursing’s Future
Wood (2016) notes that professional socialization is the taking
on of the identity, skills, and knowledge that are characteristic
of a profession
11
Question #2
Is the following statement true or false?

One of the goals of Truth About Nursing is to decrease the
number of nurses used by the media as expert sources.
False
Truth About Nursing is seeking to increase the media’s use of
nurses as expert sources.
Changing Nursing’s Image in the Public Eye #1
No magic silver bullet
Multiple strategies
Active interaction with media
Restriction of “nurse” to licensed nurses
Increased efforts to publicly praise, value nursing
Emphasis on nursing’s unique contribution to patients, health
outcomes
Increased involvement in the political processes shaping nursing
14
Finding voice in the press: changing image in mind of image

makers (one of the most important strategies)
Proactively seeking positive media exposure; proclamation of
self-worth
Media training for skills and self-confidence (see Box 23.4)
View of relationship with media as symbiotic rather than feared
Accurate depiction in trade publications
15
Reclaiming the title of Nurse
Title only for licensed nurses
Proactive introductions with full names, RN title
“Nursing out loud”
Dressing like professionals
Positive talk by nurses about nursing (ambassadors for the
profession)
16
Emphasizing uniqueness of nursing
Underscore depth, breadth of scientific perspective
Evidence-based practice, best practice principles
Blending of art, science (caring, curing)

Participating in political arena
17
Question #3
Is the following statement true or false?
Currently, there is no single strategy that would be effective in
changing nursing’s image in the public eye.
18
True
Changing nursing’s image in the public eye will not be easy,
nor is there any magic silver bullet. Rather, multiple strategies
are needed.
19
End of Presentation

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