What does it actually mean to be professional? How can students develop their own sense of self, and how might this interact with their professional identify and performance? This chapter explains self-awareness and the importance of understanding your own values, beliefs and motivations in order to better understand the diverse experiences of others, and to nurture the therapeutic and professional relationships that are essential for quality nursing practice.

The role of emotional and social intelligence in understanding ourselves and others is also explored, as this concept is closely linked to self-awareness. Critical reflection and mindfulness are suggested as two strategies for fostering the development of greater self-awareness and better self-care, which may assist in caring for others with empathy, compassion and ‘intelligent kindness’. In essence, enhancing your self-awareness,self-care, understanding and compassion for others will help you interact and communicate more effectively, reconcile any differences or conflicts that may arise, and better cope with the emotional demands inherent in healthcare practice (Foster et al. 2015, Kelly, Runge & Spencer 2015).

A ‘nursing philosophy’ underpinning the curriculum is mandated by the accrediting body, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). We believe that a rigorous philosophical position underpinning nursing theory and practice can provide a focus for the discipline in terms of practical reasoning and moral commitment.

This chapter introduces the concept of gratitude as an example of a virtuous character trait. Aristotle recognised the importance of properly trained emotions for acquiring the virtues; thus his account is consistent with our emphasis on emotional intelligence and self-awareness. We show how excellent practice as a nurse aligns with doing well as a human being. The main point argued in this chapter is that Aristotle’s conception of virtue can provide a philosophical ‘basis for nursing that focuses on moral competence in a robust, coherent and systematic way, while at the same time accommodates the demand for discipline-specific knowledge and high levels of technical skill’ (Bliss et al. 2017, p. 1). We contend that this underpinning philosophy allows the knowledge and caring aspects of nursing to be united.

The challenges associated with delivering quality client care within healthcare systems and environments are characterised by increasing complexity and acuity in client needs, rising consumer (and public) expectations, and increasingly constrained human and financial resources, all of which are everyday realities for many nurses (Courtney et al. 2015). In this context, empowering nurses with the skills, attributes and confidence needed to have control and influence over their own practice is critical. This chapter makes explicit the notions of leadership and empowerment inherent in other chapters, with a particular emphasis on the responsibility we all have to advance the quality and excellence of nursing practice and also to be a voice for our profession and leaders in the changes and improvements necessary to promote optimal health outcomes for local and global communities (Grossman & Valiga 2021, Komives, Wagner, & Associates 2016). This chapter presents various perspectives on leadership and empowerment in nursing, and proposes some strategies and ideas for developing your own leadership potential.

In accordance with the standards for nursing and midwifery education, training and assessment, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) requires students to engage in professional placement experiences as part of an accredited program of undergraduate study, with mandatory hours of activity linked to successful learning outcomes and registration to practise as a nurse in Australia (ANMAC 2017, Ford et al. 2016, Schwartz 2019). Clinical placements are therefore a central component of nursing education, complementing the theoretical foundations and simulation-based learning provided at university.

Preparing you for professional practice is the overarching goal of nursing education. Your success in professional experience placements depends on your ability to effectively draw upon and translate your learning to the clinical practice context and environment. This chapter provides specific information and strategies to help you to better understand and succeed in the clinical practice component of your degree program. The chapter also introduces the rapidly expanding role of social media in nursing education and practice.

The heart of nursing is intrinsically linked to what you do as a nurse and why you do it, but it is also about how you do it – the ways in which you represent and enact the core values and intent of the profession.

While some of your views and beliefs are likely to be shared with other students and experienced nurses, your reasons for wanting to be a nurse, and what you consider to be at the heart of nursing, will vary depending on your personal perspectives and experiences. This chapter begins by considering some of the common perspectives on nursing, noting how your own perspective is likely to change as you progress through your studies and into practice. We look at why people choose nursing, the different views and influences they are likely to encounter and the diverse range of roles and settings in which they may work. We then discuss how this informs what it means to be a nurse and your emerging sense of professional identity. The chapter concludes by exploring caring, compassion and kindness – concepts that lie at the heart of nursing, even though they are likely to be understood, applied and experienced differently in the context of each nurse’s own practice.

Health care in Australia is delivered through a large, diverse and complex system (or set of systems) that is constantly evolving and changing. The system is often considered to be in a state of perpetual change, with frequent restructuring of healthcare priorities and how services are organised, funded and governed (Reynolds, Willis & Rudge 2020). Within this dynamic system and reform agenda, a chapter on contemporary health care can describe how things currently stand but these existing roles and services need to be considered in the context of the frequent changes as noted. Even similarly named roles and services can differ in design and implementation based on local needs and priorities and the varied strategic, policy and operating contexts of different organisations and settings.

We begin the chapter by briefly revisiting some of the key concepts from Chapter 4 and examining the current health landscape. We then turn to some of the current and emerging issues, trends and opportunities in health care, and explore how these might influence and shape the ways in which health, social and community services are designed, prioritised and delivered in Australia.

Whatever your interests and motivations, nursing is certain to be a career that rewards, challenges and inspires you. It requires the seamless blending of theoretical and technical knowledge with a way of being and behaving (moral comportment), leading to clinical wisdom or deep understanding that supports the highest possible quality of care for individuals, families and communities. We present a range of nursing knowledge and perspectives that are important for professional nursing practice in contemporary Australian healt hcare, but encourage you to engage in your own reflections about what it means to be and act as a nurse, with the aim of discovering and nurturing your personal passion for nursing (Benner et al. 2010, Gottlieb & Gottlieb 2012, p. 4). This opening chapter sets the scene for your undergraduate nursing journey. We welcome you to the wonderful, dynamic and diverse profession of nursing and encourage some initial thinking about what nursing is, why you have chosen this career and the sort of nurse you hope to be. We also outline the purpose, structure and features of this book, and introduce you to the key concepts and ideas underpinning your learning journey.

One of Florence Nightingale'slegacies was her advocacy for, and establishment of, a formal system of training for nurses. This vocational or apprenticeship model of training rapidly spread, with hospital-based training schools being set up across the country.This chapter introduces you to core elements and considerations in ‘contemporary’ nursing education. We link this to the notion of ‘capability in nursing’ and provide an overview of what you can expect in your degree program, with links to other chapters where these concepts and ideas are explored in more depth. We conclude the chapter with a brief look at some of the resources and strategies that can be used to optimise your learning success.