Exploring the perception and reality of professionalism in UK nursing
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Exploring the perception and reality of professionalism in UK nursing

Sarah Butler Lecturer, programme director, University of Hull, Hull, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To better understand what professionalism in nursing means and how it is perceived

  • To increase your awareness of the challenges to nursing professionalism in the UK

  • To reflect on your own professionalism as a nurse and what steps you can take to enhance it

For the individual nurse, professionalism includes attributes such as ethical practice, accountability, empathy and a commitment to ongoing professional development. A lack of nursing professionalism can negatively affect public trust, patient satisfaction and healthcare outcomes. This article examines whether professionalism is a reality in UK nursing or simply a perception. The author argues that professionalism in UK nursing is generally supported by education, adherence to standards and ethical conduct. However, challenges such as workload pressures, staffing shortages and negative portrayals of nursing in the media can undermine both the perception and the practice of nursing professionalism. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive strategies from policymakers, healthcare leaders and nurse educators. While professionalism in UK nursing is a reality, continuous efforts are needed to maintain standards, including from nurses themselves.

Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2144

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@SarahLouButler1

Correspondence

s.l.butler@hull.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Butler S (2024) Exploring the perception and reality of professionalism in UK nursing. Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2144

Published online: 29 November 2024

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