"Moving Beyond Transformation to Reformation in Nursing Education"

In nursing education, it is time to move beyond transformation and embrace reformation. But what does this shift entail?

Transformation typically refers to changes in individual perspectives and practices. It involves personal growth and the evolution of thinking. We must ask ourselves: What must we change to better prepare future nurses?

To begin this journey, we must first reflect on nursing education’s original and primary purpose: to teach students to think, feel, and act like nurses. This foundational purpose remains as critical as ever in preparing students for the demands of clinical practice.

To achieve this, we start by laying the foundation for fostering professional identity formation (PIF), which encompasses four key pillars:

• Knowledge

• Values & Ethics

• Professional Comportment

• Leadership Skills

Many nursing students are unaware of the concept of professional identity despite being taught aspects of these pillars. This highlights a crucial gap in our teaching: the connections between these elements and the importance of a strong professional identity in nursing.

Nursing education needs to prioritize PIF to cultivate nurses who focus on patient care, human dignity, compassion, and caring. By emphasizing PIF, educators can help reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction, and improve patient outcomes, ultimately contributing to the reformation of healthcare institutions.

In 2025, we will make it our mission at KeithRN to provide resources to support the integration of PIF into nursing curricula. We aim to equip educators with the tools to instill a strong professional identity in future nurses, thus contributing to the next generation of resilient, compassionate, and capable healthcare providers. Read more »

Take care,