The role of professional nurses continues to evolve with changes in healthcare. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing is now the recommended level of education. Nurses take on roles of greater responsibility beyond bedside care, and must demonstrate cost efficiency while providing quality care. They fulfill expanding roles as communicators, holistic caregivers, instructors, specialists, researchers, and advocates for patients.

1. The Role of a Professional Nurse
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2. ROLR OF PROFESSIONAL NURSE CON’T
Many changes are occurring in healthcare, in areas
ranging from technology to the delivery of patient care.
So it is not surprising that the role of professional nurses
continues to evolve.
 A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is now the
recommended level of education for employment as a
registered nurse (RN).

3. ROLR OF PROFESSIONAL NURSE CON’T
Nurses also have to be technologically savvy while
demonstrating cost efficiency as they provide quality care.
 Nurses are not just at the bedside anymore, recording vital
signs and dispensing medicine; instead they are taking on
positions of greater responsibility.

4. ROLES OF PROFESSIONAL NURSES IN HEALTHCARE
 Florence Nightingale introduced novel concepts to the nursing practice that
decreased mortality rates.
 Her contributions, such as establishing the need for sanitation, recognizing dietary
requirements, providing round-the-clock patient care, instituting triage, collecting
statistical evidence, encouraging education and promoting advocacy, form the
foundation of nursing.
 While these nursing fundamentals are the most important components of the
practice, nurses today are expanding their role as caregivers to include much more:

5. Communicator
 Nurses are prepared to collaborate with a healthcare team to effectively perform
treatments and procedures. Thus, nurses manage patient care.
 They ensure cohesive and coordinated care for successful patient outcomes.

6. Holistic Caregiver
 Healthcare should address a patient’s cultural, spiritual and mental needs.
Increasing diversity in a growing patient population requires nurses to demonstrate
cultural awareness and sensitivity.
 Patients may have specific needs and preferences due to their religion or gender,
for example. Nurses need to be respectful of, and knowledgeable about, diverse
backgrounds while remaining vigilant in providing quality care.

7. Instructor
 Technology goes hand in hand with healthcare, and providers are using new types of machines
and applications every day.
 Medicine is becoming personalized requiring nurses to instruct patients about medical apps that
can enhance traditional care.
 Patients can now use apps to monitor their glucose, track their blood pressure or access helpful
information.

8. Specialists
 Many patients are older with multiple, multifaceted health conditions. By choosing the
appropriate medical specialization, nurses can address complications related to diabetes, obesity,
heart problems, kidney disease and dementia.

9. Researcher
 Nurses use research to deliver care. They gather and analyze data to glean insights they can
apply to facilitating patient care and pinpointing best practices.

10. TRENDS IN NURSING
 In their contemporary role, nurses are more involved with improving a
patient’s experience, reducing medical errors, lowering costs and decreasing
hospital readmissions.
 In addition to branching out into new areas like health coaching to prevent
diseases and cultivate a dedication to healthy living, they are also pursuing
positions in the following emerging fields:
• Informatics.
• Genetics.
• Genomics.
• Telehealth.

11. TRENDS IN NURSING CON’T
 Many nursing schools and healthcare organizations are following the
recommendation found in the 2010 report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change,
Advancing Health published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which was
renamed the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in 2015. The IOM report
suggested that 80 percent of nurses should hold a BSN by 2020.
 The demand for highly educated nurses will keep rising because large numbers of
nurses with Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Philosophy in
nursing (Ph.D.) degrees are retiring. Moreover, nurses with advanced degrees are
needed for positions in academics, family care and oncology.

12. IMPORTANCE OF SOCIALIZATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ADVOCACY IN NURSING
Socialization in nursing is an integral part of developing a commitment
to the profession. Through skillful and responsible performance, nurses
can secure their professional development, which contributes to their
socialization along with a sense of belonging and purpose.
Accountability is an obligation or willingness to uphold certain
standards. Nurses sometimes have to make quick judgments or take
charge of a situation, so accountability is a factor in their profession.
Nurses who are accountable take responsibility for their actions. They
accept all consequences and do not make excuses.

13. IMPORTANCE OF SOCIALIZATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ADVOCACY IN NURSING CON’T
 In protecting a patient’s medical, legal and human rights, a nurse serves as an
advocate. The nurse’s job is to inform and support patients when they have
questions or are apprehensive about a treatment, procedure or any other aspect of
their care.
 The evolving role of professional nurses is intertwined with technology. Even
though technology is integral to nursing, nurses provide the human touch and are
still at the forefront of patient care. No matter what type of healthcare setting they
work in, they have the most interaction with patients.

14. IMPORTANCE OF SOCIALIZATION, ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ADVOCACY IN NURSING CON’T
Nurses assess and monitor patients and relay information to other care
providers. With the advent and spread of mobile technology and
telemedicine, nurses are no longer confined to practicing in physical
buildings.
They are able to assist patients in their communities and homes, in person
or with the use of mobile technology.