Other Titles
Promoting a Culture of Well-Being, Professional Identity, and Civility in a Nursing Academic Setting [Symposium Title]
Other Titles
Symposium Presentation
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the significance of developing a strong professional identity in nursing.
- Explore methods for incorporating reflective practice as a teaching strategy to help nursing students internalize professional values.
- Integrate reflective practice to support the development of professional identity among students.
The development of a strong professional identity is crucial for nursing students as it shapes their values, behaviors, and attitudes towards patient care. This presentation will share a teaching strategy that was designed to incorporate the concept of professional identity in nursing. The strategy employed reflective practice to foster understanding of professional identity among nursing students.
This presentation will describe how reflective practice was implemented with nursing students during orientation. Reflective practice encourages students to engage in self-assessment and critical thinking about their experiences and values. Through a guided reflection session, students explored their motivations for choosing nursing, their personal and professional goals, and the ethical principles that will guide their practice. This process helped students to internalize the values and standards of the nursing profession, promoting a sense of belonging and commitment. The activity encouraged students to reflect on their professional identity and expectations during nursing school. This initial reflective exercise helped students set the foundation for their professional identity journey, encouraging them to think deeply about their motivations and goals from the very beginning of their nursing education. By fostering reflective practice, this approach helped nursing students to build a strong, values-based professional identity that will guide their practice throughout their professional career. This strategy not only enhances the educational experience but also prepares students to become compassionate, competent, and ethical nursing professionals, exemplifying their professional identity.
Notes
References:
Joseph, M. L. & Godfrey, N. (2023, April). A new mindset: From tasks to professional identity. Nurse Leader, 21(2), 183-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2022.12.007
Owens, R. A. & Denny, D. L. (2023). Prelicensure undergraduate nursing student perceptions on professional identity in nursing. Nursing Education Perspectives, 45(4), 236-238. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001210
Godfrey, N. (2020). How to think/act/feel like a nurse: Forming professional identity in nursing. Dean’s Notes. 41(2), 1 – 3.
Godfrey, N. (2021). New language for the journey: Embracing a professional identity. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 41, 15-17. https://doi/rg/10.10116.j.jrdnu.2021.12.001
Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Stress and Coping, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, Professional Identity in Nursing, Reflective Practice, Nursing Students, Critical Thinking, Self-Assessment
Recommended Citation
Williamson, Kathleen M., "Fostering Nursing Professional Identity Through a Comprehensive Teaching Strategy" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 248.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/248
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-11
Fostering Nursing Professional Identity Through a Comprehensive Teaching Strategy
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the significance of developing a strong professional identity in nursing.
- Explore methods for incorporating reflective practice as a teaching strategy to help nursing students internalize professional values.
- Integrate reflective practice to support the development of professional identity among students.
The development of a strong professional identity is crucial for nursing students as it shapes their values, behaviors, and attitudes towards patient care. This presentation will share a teaching strategy that was designed to incorporate the concept of professional identity in nursing. The strategy employed reflective practice to foster understanding of professional identity among nursing students.
This presentation will describe how reflective practice was implemented with nursing students during orientation. Reflective practice encourages students to engage in self-assessment and critical thinking about their experiences and values. Through a guided reflection session, students explored their motivations for choosing nursing, their personal and professional goals, and the ethical principles that will guide their practice. This process helped students to internalize the values and standards of the nursing profession, promoting a sense of belonging and commitment. The activity encouraged students to reflect on their professional identity and expectations during nursing school. This initial reflective exercise helped students set the foundation for their professional identity journey, encouraging them to think deeply about their motivations and goals from the very beginning of their nursing education. By fostering reflective practice, this approach helped nursing students to build a strong, values-based professional identity that will guide their practice throughout their professional career. This strategy not only enhances the educational experience but also prepares students to become compassionate, competent, and ethical nursing professionals, exemplifying their professional identity.
Description
Overall Symposium Summary: Promoting a culture of well-being, civility, and professional identity in nursing is essential for fostering a supportive and thriving multi-campus academic environment. The authors will describe how they supported well-being, civility, and professional identity in a nursing academic setting. Resource sharing, best practices, and innovative strategies enhanced the overall belonging, well-being, and civility of the academic community, escalating the need for additional professional development.
Note: The attached slide deck is a combined symposium presentation containing the slides of all featured symposium speakers.
To locate the other presentations in this symposium, search the repository by the Symposium Title shown in the Other Title field of this item record.