Defining one’s professional identity in nursing establishes what it means to think, act, and feel like a nurse.1 Whether we are new nurses or have practiced for decades, we could all use a refresher (like a booster vaccine) to our professional identity, reminding ourselves who we are as nurses. I have found a good place to start is to ask yourself when you felt at your best at work over the last few weeks. Was it treating a patient with a complicated condition, sitting with a grieving family member, or mentoring a new nurse? Consider how you felt when you were working at your peak, and recognize the unique contribution you bring to your practice. To make this exercise an even more potent booster, invite your whole unit to participate and take turns sharing your “me at my best” nursing moments at a shift huddle or staff meeting....
Professional Identity Booster
EBBERTS
Marci Ebberts, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CCRN, is the column’s content expert. Marci is program director of nursing research at Saint Luke’s Health System, Kansas City, Missouri, and a practicing occupational health nurse practitioner. She welcomes feedback from readers and practice questions from potential contributors at [email protected]. Marci wrote the introduction.
FORBES
Margaret Forbes, AG-ACNP, is an advanced practice provider in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit at the University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora. She wrote the adult CCRN review questions.
WATSON
Robin L. Watson, MN, RN, CCRN, is a retired enterprise clinical informaticist at Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, California. She wrote the neonatal CCRN review questions.
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