Professional Nursing
Concepts and Challenges
- 11th Edition - February 2, 2026
- Latest edition
- Editor: Beth Black
- Language: English
Learn what it means to be a professional nurse — the history, values and standards, and commitment to lifelong learning. Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges, 11th Edi… Read more
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Learn what it means to be a professional nurse — the history, values and standards, and commitment to lifelong learning. Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges, 11th Edition, equips you with the latest professional nursing practices to positively impact your career. This easy-to-read text provides insight into the current state of the profession and thoroughly examines standards and scope of practice, transition into professional practice, educational patterns, health care delivery systems, critical thinking, research and evidence-based practice, political activism, and nursing's future challenges.
- Professional Profiles boxes provide perspectives from nurses in the fields of pediatric palliative care, nurse anesthesia, midwifery, military, and more
- Case Study boxes feature scenarios involving relevant issues in patient care
- Considering Culture boxes highlight the impact of culture in regard to a nurse's role and responsibilities and the patient's healthcare experience
- Evidence-Based Practice boxes identify leading findings in nursing topics and trends like staffing research, chronic disease experiences, ethics, legal issues, and developing clinical judgment
- Nurses Doing Research boxes highlight problems identified in patient care and the ongoing efforts to find patient interventions
- Discussions on the implications of social media on nursing include ethics and boundaries
- Historical Notes highlight little-known stories of heroism in the nursing profession.
- Key terms are bolded where defined in the text
- Learning outcomes are presented at the chapter openings
- Concepts and Challenges and Ideas for Further Exploration at the end of the chapters help with review and test prep
Undergraduate Issues and Trends courses; ideal for RN to BSN programs
1. Nursing in Today’s Evolving Healthcare Environment
2. The History and Social Context of Nursing
3. Nursing’s Pathway to Professionalism
4. Nursing Education in an Evolving Healthcare Environment
5. Becoming a Professional Nurse: Defining Nursing and Socialization in Practice
6. Nursing as a Regulated Practice: Legal Issues
7. Ethics: Basic Concepts for Professional Nursing Practice
8. Conceptual and Philosophic Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice
9. Nursing Theory: The Basis for Professional Nursing
10. The Science of Nursing and Evidence-Based Practice
11. Developing Nursing Judgment Through Critical Thinking
12. Communication and Collaboration in Professional Nursing
13. Nurses, Patients, and Families: Caring at the Intersection of Health, Illness, and Culture
14. Health Care in the United States
15. Political Activism in Nursing: Communities, Organizations, and Government
16. Nursing’s Challenge: To Continue to Evolve
2. The History and Social Context of Nursing
3. Nursing’s Pathway to Professionalism
4. Nursing Education in an Evolving Healthcare Environment
5. Becoming a Professional Nurse: Defining Nursing and Socialization in Practice
6. Nursing as a Regulated Practice: Legal Issues
7. Ethics: Basic Concepts for Professional Nursing Practice
8. Conceptual and Philosophic Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice
9. Nursing Theory: The Basis for Professional Nursing
10. The Science of Nursing and Evidence-Based Practice
11. Developing Nursing Judgment Through Critical Thinking
12. Communication and Collaboration in Professional Nursing
13. Nurses, Patients, and Families: Caring at the Intersection of Health, Illness, and Culture
14. Health Care in the United States
15. Political Activism in Nursing: Communities, Organizations, and Government
16. Nursing’s Challenge: To Continue to Evolve
- Edition: 11
- Latest edition
- Published: February 2, 2026
- Language: English
BB
Beth Black
Affiliations and expertise
Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA