INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NURSING PROFESSION

Abstract

Introduction: To a global level, nursing constitutes the half of the healthcare workforce
and it is identified as being responsible for the coordination of teams at different levels of
healthcare. The National Directorate of Talent and Knowledge (2021) reported that, among
the nursing personnel, 11 % of it had a licentiate degree, 41 % of it were regular nurses and
48% of it were assisting nurses. The nursing work is handled by healthcare agents, who have
a profession with a clear role, specific functions and status within the interdisciplinary team.
The objective was to determine information on the characteristics of the nursing profession
possessed by the interdisciplinary team at the Príncipe de Asturias Hospital in Córdoba in
2021. Methodology. Universe: 125 professionals. Sample: 94 professionals. Data collection
technique: self-administered survey. Instrument: A questionnaire with 10 semi-structured
questions. Results: 94 subjects were observed. While 13 % of them claimed to have information
in the form of their own knowledge on nursing, 87 % of them did not have that information.
Regarding the care implemented, 93 % of the subjects provided a positive answer, while 3
% of them provided a negative one. Regarding the level of professional training, 65 % of the
subjects answered negatively, while 35 % of them had information on the matter. Regarding
autonomy characteristics, 84% of the subjects answered negatively, while the 10% of them had
information on the matter. Regarding the ethical code, 96% of the subjects reported having
no information on the matter, while 4% of them had information on the matter. DiscussionConclusion: As for the information about the characteristics of the nursing profession possessed
by the interdisciplinary team, it is limited in the first place; secondly, there is little information
in the form of knowledge and, regarding autonomy, it is insufficient. In view of what has
been exposed here, the interdisciplinary team lacks information on the characteristics of the
nursing profession. The observed results coincide with Coffre’s view (2020) on the weakened
social image of the nurse, chased by old stigmas that remain prevalent at the present time. It
is necessary to improve nursing’s social image through its strengthening, reinforcing identity,
leadership and research. Recommendations: It is important to generate research, to disseminate
information, to communicate the scientific aspect of the profession to interdisciplinary teams
and to the society at large and to share different settings with interdisciplinary teams at
institutions where nursing performs its functions.