My Professional Identity

Hey everyone! Though I have already discussed my professional identity and values on my About Me page, I thought I would also include it here for the blog.

The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) provides a framework that outlines the expectations for nurses practicing within the province of Ontario. As previously stated, this framework includes seven professional standards; accountability, continuing competence, ethics, knowledge, knowledge application, leadership, and relationships (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2002). All of these professional standards had to be incorporated into my practice both in the classroom and during my clinical placements, as I began to develop my professional identity within the healthcare system.

I officially began my nursing career on a Medicine/Oncology unit in 2020, and due to staffing shortages I really had to hit the ground running. All at once I was required to take on a multitude of responsibilities including but not limited to monitoring patient's vitals and reporting adverse reactions in a timely manner, answering questions and educating patients and their families, and assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care plans in collaboration with the rest of the interdisciplinary team. With a patient load of five to six patients, I was obligated to adhere to hospital policy and best practice guidelines. During the limited time I had for self-reflection is when I would try to take the time to understand where my personal values and beliefs fit within my professional identity as a nurse on the unit. Unlike my time as a nursing student, I was not given the allocated time to focus on my internal reflection and had to learn how to incorporate this practice on the move. Very quickly I had to grow out of the anxious student and into a healthcare provider patients and their families could rely on. While on the Medicine/Oncology unit, I became a critical thinker that was organized, culturally competent, empathetic, understanding and passionate about the safety and well-being of the populations I served. Slowly settling into my role as a Registered Nurse I also came to value and prioritize autonomy, transparency, confidentiality, compassion and justice.

Transitioning into my role as a Registered Nurse at a Community Health Centre in the GTA, I continue to strive to have a professional identity that is committed to these values as I pursue further education and provide health care services to diverse communities. It is at the Centre that I have had the opportunity to explore and participate in the initiation of new programs related to health promotion, disease prevention, and infection control. I have also had the privilege of participating in farmer's markets, fairs, and other community events. These experiences have allowed me to engage with a variety of people across a diverse landscape, and in turn fueled the passion I have for community health. Though I continue to grow, I have already gained an incredibly intimate perspective and deeper understanding of the needs of the community.

Within the healthcare system it is my duty to create an environment that is conducive to the health and safety of the populations I serve. It is my responsibility as a nurse within the healthcare system to advocate, empower, educate and provide patients and their families with the tools needed to become active participants in their own healthcare. As such, I will also continue to work towards becoming more open to positively engaging in health discussions online to help others avoid misinformation, encourage health literacy and provide health promotion.

Reference

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2002). Practice standard - CNO. Retrieved September 20,

2022, from https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41006_profstds.pdf