Constructing nurses' professional identity

© 2013 Dr. Georgina Anne Parkes WillettsThere is limited evidence, and research on nurses’ development of their professional identity within the social context of their daily work environments. The overall aim of this project was to investigate elements that constitute the performance of nurses’ professional identity within a specific work environment. The particular focus was on the interplay of nurses with other nurses, and with other health professionals in the context of their work environment. This ethnographic case study investigated the interactions of nurses within two specific clinical wards/units. The application of the theoretical perspective Social Identity Theory was used to study two specific professional daily activities. These activities of shift handover, and multidisciplinary team meetings were videotaped as part of the data collection. Further qualitative methods of data collection included; participants viewing the videotapes, and then being interviewed (individual or focus group). The findings generated evidence that the social context of the ward environment plays a significant role in the development of nurses’ professional identity. Professional activities such as handover contribute significantly to the formation of nurse professional identity. Handover is a structured formal social process developed, and performed entirely by nurses. This activity is a central mechanism by which nurses enculturate, new nurses, and construct, and sustain their professional identity through interaction with each other. In contrast the activity of the multidisciplinary meeting is a platform for the expression of professional identity through the interaction with other health professionals. The findings have implications for understanding how nurses when they are together create, and self- categorise their identity, and how this is changed expressed, and lived differently in a multidisciplinary group. These findings generate important possibilities for further research, and need testing in other nursing work environments. Implicitly the findings are directly relevant to professional leadership, education, and service development in the nursing profession. Additionally the structure of the research design should enable similar investigation in different contexts