Professional Role Socialization (Essay Sample)

Professional Role Socialization
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Professional socialization is the process where individuals form the characteristics, attitudes and values of a particular profession. Formal education and informal learning on the job constitute the learning that occurs in practice. Research shows that informal learning through observation, trial and error, mentors and working with knowledgeable people constitute 80 percent of total learning while formal learning through classes, workshops and online events constitute only 20 percent of learning (Melrose, Miller, Gordon, & Janzen, 2012). The process of transitioning from the practice nurse to the registered nurse requires both formal and informal learning. The student nurse requires overcoming numerous obstacles in the four stages of role socialization. Transitioning to a registered nurse is imperative as it empowers one to provide more effective and safer care to patients.
Achieving the requirements of a registered nurse profession includes formal socialization through planned educational experience and informal socialization through lessons learned while functioning as a student. Formal socialization includes activities such as performing physical assessments, developing patient’s care plans and patient teaching. Informal socialization may involve learning through observing and working with nurses in the know about evaluating laboratory findings prior to medication administration (Claywell, 2009). Formal and informal criteria are mandatory in professional socialization because socialization starts once one enrolls in the nursing education program. It also progresses after one’s absorption into the workforce (Melrose, Miller, Gordon, & Janzen, 2012).
There are four stages of professional socialization in nursing prior to transitioning form a practical nurse to a registered nurse role. In the first stage, practical nurses experience a myriad of emotions upon consideration of entry or commencement of the education program. Some may be excited, skeptic, or overwhelmed as they embrace the new challenge. It is a different experience for practice nurses with many years of experience as they feel very confident about their capabilities. The skeptical nurses have uncertainty about the depth of learning and whether there are enough new things to learn about the profession than what they already know (Claywell, 2009).
In the second stage of professional socialization, feelings of dissonance set in. Practice nurses’ perception of the nursing profession is put to the test and nurses realize that the registered nurse has daunting responsibilities. They realize that complex understanding of nursing material is vital when they are exposed to difficult learning material and realize that achieving high grades does not come easily like it did in the practical nursing program. Their clinical rotation also require more technical problem-solving skills and technical knowledge to analyze laboratory findings explain disease processes in a more in-depth manner unlike previously. The stage is marked by increased frustration and insecurity as the students grapple with adjusting to the demanding nature of course material and practical experiences of care.
In the third stage, student nurses begin incorporating the registered nurse’s way of thinking and behaviors. They shed away the practice nurse system of thinking. The period is marked by a relaxed and open disposition to learning. Nurses are excited about learning and achieving the learning requirements of the registered nurse role. They are also more confident about achieving their capability to acquire the set outcomes in knowledge and skills. In the fourth stage, the nurse fully incorporates the behavioral and attitudinal characteristics of the registered nurse to previous nursing behaviors and ways of thinking. Acquiring more knowledge enables them to feel adequately prepared to offer more comprehensive care (Claywell, 2009).
I am in the third stage where I feel less frustrated with the learning content of the transition to the registered nurse completion program. I have a better understanding of the nursing theories and appraisal of the new role. I recognize that the registered nurse role is marked by increased workload and new competencies. I am gradually adjusting to the requirements of increased responsibilities and complex decision making and accountability duties while on clinical rotation. It is sometimes stressful and I hope to find support systems of mentors and colleagues to provide adequate guidance that assists in delivering optimal care.
In the fourth stage, student nurses are excited about learning and applying the gained knowledge in practical scenarios. They may however experience some barriers that may impede their positive attitude towards role development. One of the barriers is fear of failure For instance, they may encounter issues that they would rather avoid, or have their ignorance exposed, or the fear of looking foolish in front of peers (Harrington & Terry, 2008). These fears are particularly amplified when student nurses are faced with real clinical situations in which they are unable to use what they have learned in theory (Zarshenas, Sharif, Molazem, Khayer, Zare, & Ebadi, 2014). Such situations degrade their sense of usefulness and devotion to their profession.
Students take pride in showing what they learn in practice as it plays an integral role in forming and maintaining a sense of belonging in the profession. In overcoming the fear of failure, it is important to provide student nurses with mentors or expert nurses in clinical environments. Student nurses observe mentors’ behavior and practices and learn how to apply theoretical information to real clinical situations. Role models also assist student nurses to develop understanding of work role and significantly influence nurse practices. They help students translate their theoretical knowledge of holistic care into practice. Mentors can offer a supportive environment that student nurses require in mitigating internal fears of incompetence (Zarshenas, Sharif, Molazem, Khayer, Zare, & Ebadi, 2014)
Another barrier with student nurses’ ability to accomplish stage four is feeling overwhelmed. They may have financial concerns, job demands, and personal needs that may act as obstacles to their ability to succeed (Harrington & Terry, 2008). For instance, some may find balancing full-time employment with required attendance particularly challenging because of the inability to secure leave for their education. Some workplaces prohibit absences. Others encounter financial challenges particularly during practicum courses because they require one to be away from work. Family challenges such as spouses’ inability to meet financial needs in the family may at times force students to take a break from their studies. The financial challenges, family commitments and inability to remain in full-time employment and study are overwhelming and impede continuing nursing education (Melrose & Gordon, 2011).
. In supporting students to transition from practical to registered nurses, it is essential to provide resources that reduce their feelings of being overwhelmed. For instance, nurses can pursue better terms of employment with their current employers to allow them obtain study leave. Some student nurses can also consider terminating their employment or obtaining alternative part time employment to enable them combine the demands of schooling and financial obligations to their families. Another option would be for the LPN to RN programs to take individual student’s employment demands into consideration when scheduling practicums to accommodate employment. These options would allow for employment flexibility that is needed to keep up with the schooling demands (Harrington & Terry, 2008).
LPN and RN are socialized differently in their education. Practical nursing education focuses on how to undertake patient care while registered nursing education focuses on understanding why certain medical interventions are necessary. LPNs observe and report abnormalities in a patient while RNs receive training on varied thinking skills and problem-solving skills. The skills inform their course of action in planning and evaluating care based on the information acquired through observation. To provide safe and effective patient care, registered nurses no longer limit themselves to task-oriented nursing, but they move toward decision making and problem-oriented care (Claywell, 2009). LPNs only receive college level education earning a two year diploma while RNs earn a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and are adequately prepared to further their education at their masters, doctoral and post-doctoral levels.
RNs level of education enables them to make clinical nursing decisions as independent practitioners. It also allows them to provide clinical expertise and leadership in care planning and coordinating care of clients regardless of their acuity, complexity, variability and predictability. They can also manage a number of nursing interventions at the same time, design and implement teaching health programs (Prince Edwards Island Health Sector Council, 2011). Essentially, Registered nurses have the capacity to provide effective patient and safe patient education because their training is more in depth than LPNs. They understand the logic behind different clinical interventions and also assign and reassign client care functions to LPNs as appropriate (Prince Edwards Island Health Sector Council, 2011).
Research shows that the increase of BSN nurses results in a significant reduction of mortality. It also shows that hospitals with BSN level education register lower heart disease mortality and lower len...