title: [The construction of professional images of healthcare assistants and registered nurses].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the field of nursing in Switzerland, educations have experienced a fundamental reorganization with the implementation of the new law on Vocational and Professional Education and Training (2004). Among other things, this change affects professional images.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To show how the different professional images in the field of nursing are being constructed in the descriptions of professions by graduates after the reshaping of the educations and the occupational field in general.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 110 semi-structured interviews, healthcare assistants and registered nurses (college diploma and Bachelor of Science) in their early careers were asked to explain their professional image. The participant's answers were analysed based on a qualitative content analysis and considering the theoretical background of Berger and Luckmann (1977).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interviews show that professional images emerge on the interaction of societal attributes and individual processes of adoption and revision. Graduates are challenged to adjust stereotypes and to achieve a balance between their own professional image and a missing or inappropriately perceived societal image.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There should be further emphasis on the differentiation between the professions and the different educations in the field of nursing in order to achieve a better public perception of the different professions.
authors: 1 Forschungsstelle Gesundheitswissenschaften, Departement Gesundheit der ZHAW, Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Winterthur.
authors: Dominik
authors: D
authors: Robin
authors: 1 Forschungsstelle Gesundheitswissenschaften, Departement Gesundheit der ZHAW, Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Winterthur.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Schaffert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009726:Nurses; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D000068616:Professionalism; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013557:Switzerland
keywords: Berufsbild; Fachfrau/-mann Gesundheit; Stereotype; dipl. Pflegefachperson; education; nursing; professional role; qualitative Sozialforschung; qualitative research