Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section 1: The profession of nursing. The development of professional nursing : history, the profession, and the nursing education experience -- The essence of nursing : knowledge and caring -- The image of nursing : what it is and how it needs to change -- Nursing education, accreditation, and regulation -- Section 2. The healthcare context. Health policy and political action : critical actions for nurses -- Ethics and legal issues -- Health promotion, disease prevention, and illness : a community perspective -- The healthcare delivery system : focus on acute care -- Section 3. Core healthcare professional competencies. Provide patient-centered care -- Work in interprofessional teams -- Employ evidence-based practice -- Apply quality improvement -- IOM core competgency : utilize informatics -- Section 4. The practice of nursing today and in the future. Critical healthcare issue : why don't we have enough nurses? -- The future : transformation of nursing practice through leadership.