Career development: our professional responsibility.

Literature indicates that nurses' contributions to the health care profession are misunderstood by the general public. Of equal importance is how nurses perceive themselves. The present study attempted to describe the self-image of nurses working in a hospital setting and to determine whether there are differences in self-image between beginning and expert nurses, between caregivers and noncaregivers, between nurses with different levels of education, and between full-time and part-time nurses. Using the Porter Nursing Image Scale, a sample of 363 nurses perceived themselves positively on the three factors: Interpersonal Power, Interpersonal Relations, and Intrapersonal Ability. Significant differences were found between beginning and expert nurses, between caregivers and noncaregivers, between those with BSN and MSN education, and between full-time and part-time nurses. The data suggest the importance of graduate-level education for nurses and the need for career advancement and career counseling.