title: Specialization in nursing: its history and its future.
abstract: Advances in knowledge and technology in the health care field has made specialization in nursing inevitable. The history of specialization points to a need for standardizing specialty nursing education. The options for standardizing specialization include post-RN certification, incorporating specialization into basic nursing education, or allowing specialization only at the masters level. The pathway for specialization must be clearly defined with recognition for specialized nursing practice to keep nurses at the bedside and promote job satisfaction.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melchior-MacDougall
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D002170:Canada; D006676:History of Nursing; D049673:History, 20th Century; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D013041:Specialties, Nursing