In nursing education, it is time to move beyond transformation and embrace reformation. But what does this shift entail?

Transformation typically refers to changes in individual perspectives and practices. It involves personal growth and the evolution of thinking. However, we must ask ourselves: What must we change to better prepare future nurses?

To begin this journey, we must first reflect on nursing education’s original and primary purpose: to teach students to think, feel, and act like nurses. This foundational purpose remains as critical as ever in preparing students for the demands of clinical practice.

To achieve this, we start by laying the foundation for fostering professional identity formation (PIF), which encompasses four key pillars: 

• Knowledge
• Values & Ethics
• Professional Comportment
• Leadership Skills

We have discovered through recent student feedback that many nursing students are unaware of the overarching concept of professional identity despite being taught aspects of these pillars. In a recent presentation to 800 students, all expressed surprise upon learning about PIF, even though they had likely been exposed to its components in various forms. This highlights a crucial gap in our teaching: the connections between these elements and the importance of a strong professional identity in nursing.

Professional Identity Formation Inclusion: The Key to Reformation

Intentionality is key. As educators, we must make these connections clear to our students and emphasize how cultivating a strong professional identity can significantly reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction, and improve patient outcomes.

If we transform ourselves, we can begin to reform the institutions in which we work.

Reformation is about realigning an institution’s practices to ensure they are consistent with its original mission and values. For reformation to occur, we must acknowledge and challenge the assumptions that no longer serve us.

One of the greatest challenges in nursing education today is that we often focus on the wrong things. When you ask educators about their primary concerns, many will point to NCLEX pass rates. When you ask students about their biggest worry, it is often about passing the next exam. But where is the focus on patient care, human dignity, compassion, and caring — the very essence of nursing?

At KeithRN, we have made a deliberate decision to prioritize the message of Professional Identity Formation (PIF). In 2025, we will make it our mission to provide resources for our members to support the integration of PIF into nursing curricula. By doing so, we aim to equip educators with the tools to instill a strong professional identity in future nurses, thus contributing to the next generation of resilient, compassionate, and capable healthcare providers.

A Personal Story: The Power of PIF in Action

To illustrate the critical need for teaching PIF, I would like to share a personal story.

Before a recent student presentation, I felt an overwhelming sense of heaviness. Despite preparing for the talk, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper was at play. After much reflection and prayer, I decided to address the importance of PIF and its connection to nurse well-being, including the reduction of burnout, stress, and incivility. Though I initially hesitated, I felt compelled to share a heartbreaking story about a young nurse who had taken her own life—an illustration of the severe mental health struggles that can afflict those in our profession.

During the presentation, I spontaneously urged anyone who felt overwhelmed, depressed, or isolated to seek help, find a mentor, or reach out to the suicide hotline. I spoke directly to the audience, saying that someone there needed to hear what I had to say. Afterward, I received numerous emotional messages of gratitude from students (I cried with a few students), many of whom expressed that they needed to hear the reality of our struggles, learn how to build resilience, and understand the importance of seeking help when needed.

The organizers of the event shared that a student in the audience had contacted the suicide hotline after the presentation, seeking immediate help. That individual was directed to emergency services and left the event under medical supervision, which was nothing short of divine intervention.

I thank God for His intervention. There is no better illustration of the power of God and the power of a Nurse!

That moment underscored the profound impact of addressing professional identity and mental health in nursing education. It reaffirmed the importance of our mission to nurture the well-being and professional identity of our future nurses. Teaching Professional Identity Formation is not just an educational strategy — it is a lifeline.

A Final Observation: AI and the Erosion of Nursing’s Values

I have one last observation to share. I put this article in AI and asked for editing. AI removed EVERY mention of God. 

It is ironic and sad that this message is about the removal of so many of the good things in nursing, which I believe come from God. Yet, the technology that I ask to help me with the message removes the very essence of the point I was making. Caring, empathy, healing, faith, and spirituality are biblical principles foundational to the nursing profession.

I’m shedding tears again.