Exploring Influential Factors Shaping Nursing as a Profession and Science in Healthcare System—A Systematic Literature Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. SALSA Method for Systematic Review
- Search: We defined a comprehensive search strategy to identify relevant sources of evidence on nursing professionalism.
- Appraisal: We critically assessed the quality and relevance of the identified studies using established evaluation criteria.
- Synthesis: We integrated and summarized data from the selected studies to draw clear and meaningful conclusions about the factors influencing nursing professionalism.
- Analysis: We interpreted the synthesized results in relation to our research question, ensuring that the findings were directly applicable to the study’s objectives.
2.2. Search Strategy
2.3. Study Selection
- (1)
- The observed population consisted of nurses, and their specialties were based on the MeSH terms for “nursing” and “professionalism”
- (2)
- An original article, a full text in English, and journal articles that have been evaluated by others were included. Consensus was reached through discussion to resolve differences on inclusion criteria. A third auditor (IN) was responsible for the final decision if there was no consensus.
- PubMed: (Professionalism [Title/Abstract]) AND (Nurs* [Title/Abstract])Filters: Full text, Review, Systematic Review, published in the last 10 years, languages: Albanian, English.
- CINAHL: TI (professionalism) AND TI (nurs*);Limiters: Publication date from 01 January 2014 to 31 December 2024;Expanders: Apply equivalent subjects;Narrow by Language: English;Search mode: Find all search terms.
- Web of Science (WOS): Professionalism (Title) AND nurs* (Title)
- Scopus: (TITLE-ABS-KEY (professionalism) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (nurs*)) AND PUBYEAR > 2013 AND (LIMIT-TO (DOCTYPE, “re”)) AND (LIMIT-TO (LANGUAGE, “English”)).
2.4. Selected Research
2.5. Evaluation of Methodological Quality of the Included Studies
3. Results
3.1. Search
3.2. Appraisal
3.3. Synthesis
- Organizational Support: Several studies, including the one by [40]. emphasized the importance of organizational support in shaping nursing professionalism. Factors such as organizational culture and workload were identified as crucial in influencing professional behavior and attitudes.
- Work Environment: The research by Lombarts et al. [41] highlighted the role of standardized assessment tools and consistent work environments in maintaining high levels of professionalism among nurses.
- Communication Skills and Professionalism: Pereira and Puggina [42] validated a self-assessment tool aimed at improving communication skills and professionalism among nurses, underlining the necessity of reliable and valid instruments for professional development.
- Impact of Resilience: Studies by Park and Jeong [45], as well as Zandian et al. [46] examined the impact of resilience on nursing professionalism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their findings demonstrated how resilience mitigated job stress and supported professional behavior during crisis situations.
- Nurses’ Professional Well-being: The research underscored the mediating role of professionalism in ensuring nurses’ well-being, highlighting the need for resilience-building programs, especially during challenging times.
3.4. Analysis
- The comprehensive analysis of these studies revealed the importance of targeted interventions to bolster nursing professionalism. The key areas identified include the promotion of a supportive work environment, the development of reliable competency assessment tools, and the implementation of resilience-building initiatives. The findings emphasize the critical role these factors play in enhancing nurses’ professional identity and practice, particularly in the face of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
3.5. Recommendations
4. Discussion
5. Limitation
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Authors | Title | Year of Publication | Study Design | Sample Size | Summary of Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fantahun et al. [40] | A cross-sectional study on factors influencing professionalism in nursing among nurses in Mekelle Public Hospitals, North Ethiopia, 2012 | 2014 | Cross-sectional study | 210 nurses | Found that factors influencing professionalism in nursing among nurses in Mekelle Public Hospitals in North Ethiopia include organizational culture, workload, and support systems. |
Lombarts et al. [41] | Measuring Professionalism in Medicine and Nursing: Results of a European Survey | 2014 | Cross-sectional multilevel study | 5920 Physicians and Nurses | Identified varying levels of professionalism among physicians and nurses across Europe, highlighting differences in attitudes towards professional values and behaviors. |
Pereira and Puggina [42] | Validation of the self-assessment of communication skills and professionalism for nurses | 2017 | Cross-sectional study | 110 Nurses | Validated a self-assessment tool for communication skills and professionalism among nurses, demonstrating its reliability and validity in assessing these competencies. |
Li et al. [43] | Assessing medical professionalism: A systematic review of instruments and their measurement properties | 2017 | Systematic review | 80 study inclused | Conducted a systematic review of instruments assessing medical professionalism, emphasizing the importance of valid and reliable measurement tools in evaluating professionalism. |
Vaz De Braganca and Nirmala [44] | Nurse Professionalism Scale: Development and Psychometric Evaluation | 2020 | Cross-sectional study | 1054 Nurses | Developed and evaluated the Nurse Professionalism Scale, assessing various dimensions of professionalism among nurses and demonstrating its psychometric properties. |
Park and Jeong [45] | Impact of Nursing Professionalism on Perception of Patient Privacy Protection in Nursing Students: Mediating Effect of Nursing Informatics Competency | 2021 | Cross-sectional study | 242 Nursing Students | Investigated the impact of nursing professionalism on nursing students’ perception of patient privacy protection, mediated by nursing informatics competency. |
Zandian et al. [46] | Nursing work intention, stress, and professionalism in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran: A cross-sectional study | 2021 | Cross-sectional study | 362 Nurses | Examined the relationship between nursing work intention, stress, and professionalism among nurses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran, highlighting the importance of professionalism in crisis situations. |
Kim and Sim [47] | Communication Skills, Problem-Solving Ability, Understanding of Patients’ Conditions, and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism among Clinical Nurses: A Structural Equation Model Analysis | 2020 | Structural model analysis | 171 nurses | Utilized structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship between communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurses’ perception of professionalism among clinical nurses. |
Park and Jeong [48] | Effects of the Resilience of Nurses in Long-Term Care Hospitals during on Job Stress COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Effects of Nursing Professionalism | 2021 | Cross-sectional study | 200 Nurses | Explored the mediating effects of nursing professionalism on the relationship between nurses’ resilience and job stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care hospitals. |
Jeong and Kim [49] | Factors influencing nurses’ intention to care for patients with COVID-19: Focusing on positive psychological capital and nursing professionalism | 2022 | Descriptive correlational | 148 nurses | Explored factors influencing nurses’ intention to care for patients with COVID-19, focusing on positive psychological capital and nursing professionalism as determinants. |
Wang et al. [50] | Study of Nightingale’s nursing professionalism: a survey of nurses and nursing students in China | 2022 | Cross-sectional study | 1557 Nurses and Nursing Students | Conducted a survey among nurses and nursing students in China to study Nightingale’s nursing professionalism, identifying factors contributing to professional practice and development. |
Xu et al. [51] | Exploring the relationship between lateral violence and nursing professionalism through the mediating effect of professional identity: A cross-sectional questionnaire study | 2023 | Cross-sectional study | 298 Nursing Students | Explored the relationship between lateral violence and nursing professionalism among nursing students, revealing the mediating effect of professional identity in mitigating the impact of lateral violence on professionalism. |
Lee and Jang [52] | Effect of Nurses’ Professionalism, Work Environment, and Communication with Health Professionals on Patient Safety Culture (AHRQ 2.0.): A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study | 2023 | Cross-sectional multicenter study | 271 nurses in three hospitals | Investigated the effect of nurses’ professionalism, work environment, and communication with health professionals on patient safety culture across multiple hospitals, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in ensuring patient safety. |
Lee et al. [53] | Moderating Role of Communication Competence in the Association between Professionalism and Job Satisfaction in Korean Millennial and Generation Z Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study | 2023 | Cross-sectional | 188 nurses | Explored the moderating role of communication competence in the association between professionalism and job satisfaction among Korean millennial and Generation Z nurses, highlighting the significance of effective communication in enhancing job satisfaction. |
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Ejupi, V.; Squires, A.; Skela-Savič, B. Exploring Influential Factors Shaping Nursing as a Profession and Science in Healthcare System—A Systematic Literature Review. Healthcare 2025, 13, 668. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13060668
Ejupi V, Squires A, Skela-Savič B. Exploring Influential Factors Shaping Nursing as a Profession and Science in Healthcare System—A Systematic Literature Review. Healthcare. 2025; 13(6):668. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13060668
Chicago/Turabian StyleEjupi, Vlora, Allison Squires, and Brigita Skela-Savič. 2025. "Exploring Influential Factors Shaping Nursing as a Profession and Science in Healthcare System—A Systematic Literature Review" Healthcare 13, no. 6: 668. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13060668
APA StyleEjupi, V., Squires, A., & Skela-Savič, B. (2025). Exploring Influential Factors Shaping Nursing as a Profession and Science in Healthcare System—A Systematic Literature Review. Healthcare, 13(6), 668. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13060668