The Big Picture
The richness of our profession must be reflected in nursing's image

By Katherine Vestal, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
June 24, 2002

Several weeks ago, I eagerly awaited CBS's "60 Minutes" that showcased the nursing shortage. This, I thought, is exactly the type of national coverage we need to inform the public about nursing and its many contributions to health care. Indeed, the program did emphasize that nurses are key to the delivery of care and that the shortages are creating crises in the ability to deliver the amount of care required by the health care system. The report pointed out that the fragility of the health care system will actually require nurses to play bigger roles and that it is not possible to get along without them.

This is all true and, to us, basic. Maybe it is this basic message that the public needs to hear in order to understand the issues. The program went on to say that the image of nursing still is as a stressful, difficult and often undervalued profession that does not have the glitz of the newer, high-tech opportunities. We all would probably agree with that assessment.

However, the side of nursing that involves human caring and making a difference in people's lives was not a part of the story. If the image of nursing continues to be one that detracts from our ability to recruit new professionals, then we have to work on our stories that go out to the public.

In the 1980s, a lot of research and attention was directed to the issue of the nursing image. Twenty years later, we are revisiting what we have known for years, and are actively launching campaigns and initiatives to send out a more positive and contemporary view of nursing to the schools and the public. If only we could give people a clear view of what a nurse actually does these days, and the excitement of having such a rewarding career-we would probably solve half the problem.

In addition to image, we continue to make improvements in all aspects of our nursing careers. Issues such as better-functioning workplaces, better use of technology and better pay and benefits always are a part of the equation. All of us would agree that a lot of opportunities are available to improve our jobs and enhance patient care. After all, our goal is to be sure that nurses view their careers as a lifetime commitment and, thus, we must be sure that the rewards are commensurate with the accountabilities and responsibilities. Some progress is being made, but an enormous amount remains to be done.

If all of the help we are receiving from others to improve our image and bring many more nurses into the field proves effective, we must have the workplace and its support systems ready to better support career-minded nurses.

It is interesting to learn about others' effective work methods and-as a source of pride in the profession-what nurses are doing throughout the country, in a multitude of settings and practices. It is these stories that will make our real image known and emphasize that nursing today is a modern, leading profession that not only creates value through care, but also immeasurable value through caring. That should be what makes nursing special to those of us in the profession and those who will need us in the future.

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