Rev. ed. of: Professional nursing / Kay Kittrell Chitty, Beth Perry Black. 6th ed. c2011.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nursing today : a time of transformation -- The history and social context of nursing -- Nursing's pathway to professionalism -- Legal aspects of nursing -- Ethics : basic concepts for nursing practice -- Becoming a nurse : defining nursing and socialization into professional practice -- The education of nurses : on the leading edge of transformation -- Critical thinking, the nursing process, and clinical judgment -- Communication and collaboration in nursing -- Illness, culture, and caring : impact on patients, families, and nurses -- The science of nursing and evidence-based practice -- Conceptual and philosophical bases of nursing -- Nursing theory : the basis for professional nursing -- Health care in the United States -- Political activism in nursing : communities, organizations, government -- Nursing's challenge : the call for transformation.