NURSING
INTRODUCTION:
Nursing is a helping profession focused on promoting health and well-being
through compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals, families,
communities, and populations. It is an evolving blend of art and science,
encompassing prevention of illness, facilitation of healing, and the care of
the ill, disabled, and dying. Nurses provide care in diverse settings and are
crucial for managing patient care, preventing disease, and ensuring overall
public health.
DEFINITION:
According to Virginia Henderson According to American nurses
nursing is "The unique function of the association “Nursing is the protection,
nurse is to assist the individual, sick or promotion and optimization of health
well, in the performance of those and abilities, prevention of illness and
activities contributing to health or its injury, alleviation of suffering through
recovery (or to peaceful death) that he the diagnosis and treatment of human
would perform unaided if he had the response and advocacy in the care of
necessary strength, will or individuals, families, communities and
knowledge". populations”.
CONCEPTS OF NURSING:
The art and science of modern nursing encompasses fundamental nursing
concepts that include health, illness, stress and health promotion. Nurses work
with physicians and other medical staff in a wide variety of medical and
community settings.
They provide preventive, primary, acute and chronic care for sick and injured
patients with health information, restorative care, medication administration
and emergency care. Nursing care focuses on protecting and promoting
physical and mental health for patients and for the community.
Health: Health is the absence of illness, injury and disease. Health as a fundamental
nursing concept involves both mental and physiological well being, and it changes
over a patient's lifetime. Nurses work in health care to promote and protect health by
instructing patients about self-care, and about how lifestyle and behavior affects their
health. They help people to recover from physical and mental illness, and they tend
to sick and injured patients to restore health.
Illness: Illness is a fundamental nursing concept that defines a deviation from health
with three stages: the onset of illness, the acceptance of the state of illness and the
convalescence or recovery stage. A nurse's role in illness includes monitoring and
interpreting symptoms, administering medication and self-care information, and
caring for patients who are incapacitated by illness, such as administering
intravenous fluids to a patient dehydrated from fever and vomiting.
Stress: Nurses work to make patients more comfortable, and a big part of nursing
care includes reducing patient stress. Nurses care for patients who experience stress
from being weakened due to illness or injury, being removed from a familiar
environment etc. Nurses explain procedures to patients, listen to patient's concerns
and answer questions, protect patients' privacy and ask how patients are feeling. The
goal is to calm them and make them feel more physically and emotionally
comfortable.
Health Promotion: It's the responsibility of every nurse to promote better health by
informing patients of things such as illness prevention methods, safe health practices
and healthy lifestyle choices. Nurses promote health by discussing weight and
exercise issues, nutrition, the risks of drinking, smoking and drug use, and other self-
care that increases their quality and length of life.
CONCEPTS OF
NURSING IS
BASED ON THE
FOLLOWING
FACTORS :
PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING:
The meaning of the word "philosophy" is love of wisdom, but the way, in
which we use the word has a broader meaning. Philosophy helps to decide our
general behavior and important choices we make in life. There are many values
and beliefs in our philosophy of life and each one guides our behavior. Many
writers have given the philosophy of nursing profession.
It covers following aspects :
1. Spiritual: Religion serves as the primary integrating factor for the development of
nursing practice. Religion provides the motives for the nurse influenced by religious principles.
Nurse will be able to meet the spiritual needs of an individual intelligently by applying the
religious principles.
2. Moral: Understanding of moral principles and actions lead the nurses to study ethics.
Nurse has to apply the right conduct in various situations of daily life based on moral character,
adequate understanding and application of moral standards.
3. Intellectual: Nurse should practice the intellect, so that it may be disposed to
function in accordance with the purpose for which it was created. Nursing education should
give training in:
◦ a. Memory
◦ b. Development of communication skills
◦ c. Acting reasonably
◦ d. Judging wisely
◦ e. Strengthening and expansion of capacity
4. Emotional needs: Nurse must be able to function as a mature, self-depending
personality. She must also be able to relate well to other people. Nurse should show emotional
maturity to all the patients, i.e.:
◦ .a. Affection and love.
◦ b. Feeling of belongingness.
◦ c. Achievement of self esteem of self and others.
5. Physical: Nurse should have knowledge, ability and skills to guide and assist
others in carrying out their physical activities. Nurse must have knowledge of how to
keep well and improve health.
6. Social: Nursing is linked to social culture, in which nursing is carried out. Nurse
is a social being, who passes her life in society in relation to which she has
privilege(special rights) and obligations (responsibilities). Nursing is a service to
individual, family and society. It is based upon art and science, which mould the
attitudes, intellectual competence and teaching skills of the individual nurse, to help
the people sick or well, to meet their health needs in medical direction.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Demonstrate utilization, integration and application of knowledge generated
through research as evidence in practice.
2. Use information and communication technologies to care for the patient and to
enhance one's own professional knowledge.
3. Evaluate therapeutic nursing care according to accepted standards of practice.
4. Develop goals for continued professional development, selfcare and life long
learning.
5. Apply principles of philosophy in nursing interventions.
6. Apply scientific knowledge from nursing, natural sciences and general education
courses as a source for making decisions in nursing.
7. Use the nursing process to identify health potential of individuals, groups, families
and communities and to meet their health needs.
8. Provide comprehensive nursing care to persons without discrimination
of race, sex, religion or culture in a variety of settings.
9. Use community resources to achieve the goals of nursing.
10. Assume individual responsibility for decisions made and actions taken
related to nursing intervention.
11. Assume leadership as a member of the health team and community.
12. Apply principles of scientific investigation in testing nursing
intervention as hypothesis for the improvement of nursing practice.
13. Employ appropriate actions to enhance personal and professional
growth in order to cope with changes within the health care system.
CHARACTERISTICS:
RESPCTS THE
DIVERSITY
Nursing practice
respects the diversity
and is individualized to
meet the unique needs of
patient , family and
group or community.
COORDINATION
The nurses establish
coordination with the health
care team and address the
needs of the patients and
achieve the goals to deliver
the quality of health care
CARING
Caring is the primary
characteristics of nurses
Caring promote healing.
Caring is centre for nursing
practice and includes
individuals, families and
population.
Nurses use nursing
process (cognitive skills
and evidence-based
SYSTEMATIC practice) to make
AND diagnosis, identify
SCIENTIC objectives, plan and
APPROACH implement and evaluate the
care. Critical thinking
underlines each step of
nursing process
Nursing practice is a
strong link between the
professional work and
HEALING environment to provide
ENVIRONMENT optimal level of health
care services and to
achieve optimal
outcomes.
CONTINUM OF
CARE
Professional nurse
provides hospital or
community based
specialized care to the
patients experiencing
health problems.
THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION
It is a process of interacting with the
patients that focuses on advancing their
physical and emotional well-being.
With therapeutic communication, the
nurse understands the response of the
patient that is beneficial to the patient's
mental and physical health.
Therapeutic communication is the
backbone of the nursing
PHYSICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL
INTERVENTION
Nursing involves delivering or
assisting in various psychical and
biological interventions such as
medications, surgery and direct
physical care (personal hygiene,
nutrition, sleep, etc) of the
patients having illness.
PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION
Psychosocial interventions are increasingly used in
health care settings.
It includes psychotherapy interventions, such as
cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, milieu
therapy and psychodynamic approaches.
These interventions are used by the nurses to a
broad range of psychological problems
SPIRITUAL
INTERVENTION
It focus on developing a sense of
meaning, purpose, and hope for
the person in their current life
experience. Spiritual interventions
involve listening to the person's
story and facilitating the person to
connect to God using meditation
or prayer.
The fundamental elements
of nursing care revolve
around the interpersonal
relations and interactions
THERAPUETIC established between nurses
RELATIONSHIP and patients. Caring for
people demands an
intensified presence and a
strong desire to be
supportive
EMPATHETIC
NURSING
It is the core of nursing
where try to Understand
patient's perspective.
Empathy reinforces a positive
psychological and enhances
patient's sense of importance.
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Successful therapeutic relationships
between nurses and patients need to
have positive support. Minor
activities, such as sitting with the
patients or reading the newspaper
together can improve the quality of
support provided. Therapeutic touch
is intended to comfort and console
patients.
LEGAL AND ETHICAL
PARAMETERS
Professional nursing take
place in legal and ethical
boundaries. Nurse must have
clear sense of professional
ethics, one's own values that
helps her to be honest and
committed nursing
professional.
The likes and dislikes are
different persons. So when
we are planning nursing
care to a person, his needs
INDIVIDUALITY
are to be anticipated and
problems are to be
identified and feelings are
to be considered
NATURE AND SCOPE
OF NURSING /
NURSING PRACTICE
NATURE:
Nurses contribute to health care The role of the nurse is
within a multidisciplinary team. constantly changing and
They are individually [Link] means that
accountable for their actions nurses may add new functions
and practice within a statutory to their [Link] deciding to
regulatory framework do so, nurses must be sure that
established to protect the public patients will benefit and that
and assure the quality of they are competent for the new
nursing services. role.
Nursing is a service which:
Helps individuals, families and communities to achieve and maintain good health
Supports, assists and cares for people during illness or when their health is threatened. Enhances people's
ability to cope with the effects of illness and disability
Ensures, as far as possible, that death is dignified and free from pain.
Nursing achieves these goals by applying knowledge and skills gained through education and training,
updated and tested by research. It is the combination of professional knowledge and skills, with the desire to
care for others, which provides the base of nursing.
Nursing practice includes:
Assessing people's health, their health problems and the resources they have to cope with them; deciding
what nursing help is needed and referring them to other sources of expertise when necessary
Planning, giving and evaluating programmes of skilled nursing care.
SCOPE:
HOME CARE
NURSING :
Nurses are employed as home care,
nurses and work solely with the
community home care programme.
Coordinated home care services assist
individuals of all ages and their families
to maximize their health and social
wellbeing Home health care includes the
services provided to patients in homes
that are needed to maintain restore or
promote their physical psychological
and social wellbeing.
INSTITUTIONAL
NURSING :
A nurse working in a
nursing home or
hospital. She will
provide direct patient
care and counseling
services to the patients.
SCHOOL HEALTH
NURSING
The school health nurses provide direct
health care to students and staff She
facilitate positive student response to
normal growth and development,
promote health, treatment of health
problems, screening, healthy school
environment and communication with
parents for counseling and referral
GERIATRIC
NURSING
Geriatric nurse practitioner is an adult
nurse practitioner with specialization in
care of older adult. Geriatric nurses
practitioner are trained in the special
needs of the aging adult, with emphasis
in health promotion, health maintenance
and functional status. The geriatric nurse
practitioner works with a patient and
family to manage existing health
problems so as to promote Independence
and self care
INDUSTRIAL
NURSING
Occupational health nurse is a registered nurse
with great deal of clinical experience and
expertise in dealing with sick or injured people.
They need to have certification in occupational
health nursing, industrial hygiene, occupation
medicine and safety The occupational health
nurse is skilled in primary prevention of injury
or disease. She identify the need and plan
intervention, for example modify working
environments systems of work or change
working practices in order to reduce the risk of
hazardous exposure
NURSE EDUCATOR
The nurse educator is
responsible for the planning and
implementation of teaching
programme, evaluation of
students performance and
supervision of clinical teaching
programme.
NURSE
EPIDEMIOLOGIST
Nurse epidemiologist also called as
an infection control nurse who
monitors standards and procedures
for the control and prevention of
infectious diseases and other
conditions of public health
significance including nosocomial
infections
REHABILITATION
NURSE
She is having specialized
knowledge in assisting persons
with disabilities and chronic
illness to attain optimal function,
health and adapt to an altered
lifestyle. Rehabilitation nurses can
practice in hospitals, inpatient
rehabilitation centres, outpatient
centres, long term care facilities
and in private practice
MILITARY NURSING
Military nursing promote health
and meet the health care needs of
military personnel and their
dependence. Military nursing
services are a part of Indian Army,
so nurses become commissioned
officers who are given rank from
lieutenant to major general
DISASTER NURSING
It involves response to (and
preparedness for) natural or man-
made events that affect an entire
community. The main function of
disaster nurses are to provide first
aid services and helping victims
of physical and mental trauma
CERTIFIED
REGISTERED NURSE
ANESTHETIST
The curse anesthetist is one who
completes a course of study in
anesthesiology she carries out pre-
operative visits, assessments and
administers general anesthetics for
surgery under the supervision of a
physician. The nurse anesthetist also
assesses the postoperative patients
NURSE
PRACTITIONER
The nurse practitioner is a primary health
care provider who assumes responsibilities
of the extended role to meet the health care
needs of a group in a community She is
meant to provide first contact primary care
to the patient .In India nursing personnel are
often the only category of health care
workers accessible to community hence the
assumption to the nurse practitioner role
would enable nurses to make a larger
contribution within our health care system.
PSYCHIATRIC NURSE
PRACTITIONER
Psychiatric nurses must be registered
nurses with additional education, usually
two year Master Science in Nursing
Degree. They have specific additional
training in psychological therapies,
building therapeutic relationship and
administration of psychiatric
medications. They complete, a period of
supervised clinical practice before they
are eligible for certification as a specialist
in adult or child mental health.
ADULT NURSE
PRACTITIONER
An Adult Nurse Practitioner is a
nurse practitioner that specializes
in diagnosing and treating
afflictions specific to adults. Some
adult nurse practitioners choose to
specialize in specific fields such
as AIDS assessment, pulmonary
and vascular care or other health
related fields
PEDIATRIC NURSE
PRACTITIONER
: A pediatric nurse practitioner is a
registered nurse with advanced training
in pediatrics and can provide nursing
care to the infants,children and
adoloscents. The pediatric nurses
perform physical examinations,
diagnose injuries and many common
illnesses and have the training to provide
the treatment procedures, therapies and
medication necessary for the child
NURSE MIDWIFE
PRACTITIONER
A Nurse Midwife Practitioner is
a registered nurse who has
advanced education and clinical
experience in midwifery. She does
antenatal and postnatal
management. These practitioners
also provide quality maternal and
newborn services in hospitals.
ONCOLOGY NURSE
PRACTITIONER
Oncology nurses provide and
supervise care for cancer patients
who are either chronically or
critically ill. Oncology nurse
practitioners monitor their
patient's physical conditions,
prescribe medication and
formulate symptom management
strategies
NURSE INFORMATICS
SPECIALISTS
Nursing informatics are specialists within the
nursing profession that combine their nursing
skills with their knowledge of computer science.
They work with data, collecting, organizing and
interpreting it in order to make patient care more
efficient and higher quality. They work in a
different settings such as insurance companies,
hospitals, and consulting firms. They may
provide training to nurses and other healthcare
workers in the proper use of computer systems.
REGISTERED NURSE
LAWYER
A legal nurse consultant is a
licensed, registered nurse who
performs a critical analysis of clinical
and administrative nursing practice
healthcare facts and issues and their
outcomes for the healthcare
professionals consumers of
healthcare and legal services and
others as appropriate