PROFESSIONALIZATION - THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The aim of the present paper is to examine ideas of professionalizatio n, and to explore in what way they might give directions for the devel opment of nursing practice. An examination of the literature on profes sionalization in social science reveals that the existing ideas of pro fessionalization may be divided into two paradigms, denominated naive paradigm and cynical paradigm. Both paradigms have been criticized on the grounds of being idealistic and ahistoric. A contemporary view has developed from this criticism, oriented towards the historical and so cial contexts of professions. The implications for nursing practice of this view brings into focus the development of nursing practice in re lation to the public and the tradition of nursing. This view of profes sionalization contributes to a contemporary view of nursing practice, and an expanded idea of professionalization is discussed.