Exam 1 Study Guide
Chapter 1
Define evidence-based practice: The selective and practical use of the best evidence, as
demonstrated by research, to guide health-care implementation and decisions (found
under terms)
Review difference between roles: (pg. 4)
o Position: A group of tasks assigned to one individual
o Job: A group of positions similar in nature and level of skill that can be carried
out by one or more individuals
o Occupation: A group of jobs similar in type of work that are usually found
throughout an industry or work environment
o Profession: A type of occupation that requires prolonged preparation and formal
qualifications and meets certain higher level criteria that raise it to a level above
that of an occupation
o Professional: A person who belongs to and practices a profession (The term
professional is probably the most misused of all these terms when describing
people who are clearly involved in jobs or occupations, such as a “professional
truck driver,” “professional football player,” or even “professional thief.”)
o Professionalism: The demonstration of high-level personal, ethical, and skill
characteristics of a member of a profession
Identify the traits that define a profession: (pg. 4 & 5)
o Process approach: The process approach views all occupations as points of
development into a profession situated along a continuum ranging from position
to profession.
Using this approach, the question becomes not whether nursing and truck driving
are professions but where they are located along the continuum
o Power approach: The power approach uses two criteria to define a profession: 1)
How much independence of practice does this occupation have? And 2) How
much power does this occupation control? Using this determinant, law and
politics would clearly be considered professions.
o Trait approach: 3 theorists (Abraham Flexner, Elizabeth Bixler, and Eliza
Pabalko) are most widely accepted researches when it comes to identifying traits
that define a profession. They determined these characteristics to be important:
High intellectual level
, High level of individual responsibility and accountability
Specialized body of knowledge
Knowledge that can be learned in institutions of higher education
Public service and altruistic activities
Public service valued over financial gain
Relatively high degree of autonomy and independence of practice
Need for a well-organized and strong organization representing the
members of the profession and controlling the quality of practice
A code of ethics that guides members of the profession in their practice
Strong professional identity and commitment to the development of the
profession
Demonstration of professional competency and possession of a legally
recognized license
Review how nursing compares with other professions: (pg. 5 & 6)
o High Intellectual Level: as health care has advanced and made great strides in
technology, pharmacology, and all branches of the physical sciences, a high level
of intellectual functioning is required for even relatively simple nursing tasks,
such as taking a client's temperature or blood pressure using automated
equipment. On a daily basis, nurses use assessment skills and knowledge, have
the ability to reason, and make routine judgments based on clients’ conditions.
Without a doubt, professional nurses must function at a high intellectual level.
o High Level of Individual Responsibility and Accountability: Nurses are often
the primary, and frequently the only, defendants named when errors are made that
result in injury to the client. Nurses must be accountable and demonstrate a high
level of individual responsibility for the care and services they provide
o Specialized Body of Knowledge: As the body of specialized nursing knowledge
continues to grow, it forms a theoretical basis for the best practices movement in
nursing today. As more nurses obtain advanced degrees, conduct research, and
develop philosophies and theories about nursing, this body of knowledge will
increase in scope and quantity.
o Evidence-Based Practice: In professional nursing today, there is an increasing
emphasis on evidence-based practice. Almost all of the currently used nursing
theories address this issue in some way
Chapter 1
Define evidence-based practice: The selective and practical use of the best evidence, as
demonstrated by research, to guide health-care implementation and decisions (found
under terms)
Review difference between roles: (pg. 4)
o Position: A group of tasks assigned to one individual
o Job: A group of positions similar in nature and level of skill that can be carried
out by one or more individuals
o Occupation: A group of jobs similar in type of work that are usually found
throughout an industry or work environment
o Profession: A type of occupation that requires prolonged preparation and formal
qualifications and meets certain higher level criteria that raise it to a level above
that of an occupation
o Professional: A person who belongs to and practices a profession (The term
professional is probably the most misused of all these terms when describing
people who are clearly involved in jobs or occupations, such as a “professional
truck driver,” “professional football player,” or even “professional thief.”)
o Professionalism: The demonstration of high-level personal, ethical, and skill
characteristics of a member of a profession
Identify the traits that define a profession: (pg. 4 & 5)
o Process approach: The process approach views all occupations as points of
development into a profession situated along a continuum ranging from position
to profession.
Using this approach, the question becomes not whether nursing and truck driving
are professions but where they are located along the continuum
o Power approach: The power approach uses two criteria to define a profession: 1)
How much independence of practice does this occupation have? And 2) How
much power does this occupation control? Using this determinant, law and
politics would clearly be considered professions.
o Trait approach: 3 theorists (Abraham Flexner, Elizabeth Bixler, and Eliza
Pabalko) are most widely accepted researches when it comes to identifying traits
that define a profession. They determined these characteristics to be important:
High intellectual level
, High level of individual responsibility and accountability
Specialized body of knowledge
Knowledge that can be learned in institutions of higher education
Public service and altruistic activities
Public service valued over financial gain
Relatively high degree of autonomy and independence of practice
Need for a well-organized and strong organization representing the
members of the profession and controlling the quality of practice
A code of ethics that guides members of the profession in their practice
Strong professional identity and commitment to the development of the
profession
Demonstration of professional competency and possession of a legally
recognized license
Review how nursing compares with other professions: (pg. 5 & 6)
o High Intellectual Level: as health care has advanced and made great strides in
technology, pharmacology, and all branches of the physical sciences, a high level
of intellectual functioning is required for even relatively simple nursing tasks,
such as taking a client's temperature or blood pressure using automated
equipment. On a daily basis, nurses use assessment skills and knowledge, have
the ability to reason, and make routine judgments based on clients’ conditions.
Without a doubt, professional nurses must function at a high intellectual level.
o High Level of Individual Responsibility and Accountability: Nurses are often
the primary, and frequently the only, defendants named when errors are made that
result in injury to the client. Nurses must be accountable and demonstrate a high
level of individual responsibility for the care and services they provide
o Specialized Body of Knowledge: As the body of specialized nursing knowledge
continues to grow, it forms a theoretical basis for the best practices movement in
nursing today. As more nurses obtain advanced degrees, conduct research, and
develop philosophies and theories about nursing, this body of knowledge will
increase in scope and quantity.
o Evidence-Based Practice: In professional nursing today, there is an increasing
emphasis on evidence-based practice. Almost all of the currently used nursing
theories address this issue in some way
