At Barco’s Nightingales Foundation, we applaud and support the nursing community’s concerted effort to create a positive, professional public image of nurses.
Today, when asked what comes to mind when we think of nurses the responses are a mix of ideas, even though ideally they should all be around professional attributes such as critical thinking, therapeutic interventions, and communication. The question becomes then, “How can we develop a single, all-encompassing image that can adequately convey to the public who and what a nurse is?”

A recent article in NursingCenter addressed this challenge. We summarized their recommendations below.
1. By publicly sharing aspects of their work, nurses will gain more recognition and thus help to enhance the public image of nursing. It is critically important for nurses to be more visible in every role and place of employment. Promoting accomplishments, becoming actively involved in professional organizations and community issues, participating on committees, and writing articles for professional journals are ways to achieve visibility.
2. Collaboration between nursing administrators, educators, and researchers will provide opportunities for nurses to be recognized for their professional contributions.
3. Working together to acknowledge achievements will promote unity throughout the nursing profession. Providing conflict resolution skills, improving communication, and promoting team building are ways nurses can enhance the image of nursing.
4. As nurses transition into different practice areas, providing orientation, mentors, and qualified preceptors fosters the development of all nurses. The image of nursing will be enhanced because we will be seen as professionals who care for each other and support one another’s professional growth. Continuing education is essential and must be encouraged to develop professional nursing practice.
5. Public opinion shapes political agendas. More nurses at the policy-making tables would result in increased visibility and representation for nursing and healthcare issues.
At Barco’s Nightingales we are committed to supporting the effort to improve the image of nursing.  We encourage you to help others in your profession and all of us through guidance, mentoring and support. Together, we can advance the image of the nursing profession.
~Michael and Frida Donner