The conclusion that Nursing is a Profession or a Social Service has never been satisfactorily come out, not least because the definition of ‘profession’ is not exactly a fixed item. However, there are some aspects of the definition of a Profession;
A Profession has a clear structure of knowledge, workings and an objective to go with it & A Profession has a fully specified entry i.e. registration to the group & A Profession demonstrates a high degree of autonomous practice & A Profession has its own system.
Nursing has a clear structure of knowledge and workings But often adopts all the medical perspective. In this sense, Nursing can only ever be a ‘profession allied to medicine’, not a true profession in its own right.
Nursing does have controlled entry - most countries have a legal registration. Law says that Nursing is a profession.
Nursing has a variable degree of autonomy, but for the most part has very little real freedom; indeed, nursing management, with it’s ‘cost saving’ mentality, does its utmost to strangle any independent thought or action, for fear of expensive litigation; there are ‘protocols’ for everything, these days, and woe betide the nurse who dares to use initiative.
Nurses usually take orders from docs and are accountable to them, because their specialties are branches of medicine. But in many areas, nurses are responsible and in that sense are independent of doctors.
It is a shame - but historically beyond doubt, that nurses tend to give away the areas they are most expert in; physiotherapy and occupational therapy both grew out of a nursing role, respiratory therapy is going the same way. Stoma therapy is an area that utilizes many core nursing skills; how long before it breaks off to become a profession in its own right?
Perversely, wound management was, until recently, a medical responsibility, though nurses applied almost 100% of dressings. Now, specialist nurses are teaching others the principles of wound care.