Nursing

Nursing
A nurse checks a patient's blood pressure.
Occupation
Activity sectors
Nursing
Description
CompetenciesCaring for general and specialized well-being of patients
Education required
Qualifications in terms of statutory regulations according to national, state, or provincial legislation in each country
Fields of
employment
Related jobs

Nursing is a profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.[1] Nurses can be differentiated from other healthcare providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in many specialties with differing levels of prescription authority. Nurses comprise the largest component of most healthcare environments;[2][3] but there is evidence of international shortages of qualified nurses.[4] Nurses collaborate with other healthcare providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and psychologists. There is a distinction between nurses and nurse practitioners; in the U.S., the latter are nurses with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing, and are permitted to prescribe medications unlike the former. They practice independently in a variety of settings in more than half of the United States. Since the postwar period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing.[5][6]

Nurses develop a plan of care, working collaboratively with physicians, therapists, the patient, the patient's family, and other team members that focuses on treating illness to improve quality of life. In the United Kingdom and the United States, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, diagnose health problems and prescribe the correct medications and other therapies, depending on particular state regulations.[7] Nurses may help coordinate the patient care performed by other members of a multidisciplinary healthcare team such as therapists, medical practitioners, and dietitians. Nurses provide care both interdependently, for example, with physicians, and independently as nursing professionals. In addition to providing care and support, nurses educate the public and promote health and wellness.[8]

  1. ^ "Nursing | The SAGE Encyclopedia of Economics and Society - Credo Reference". search.credoreference.com. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ Maymoun, Nazneen; Sohail, M. Sadiq (2020). "Who Wants to be a Nurse? Understanding Emirati Female Students' Knowledge and Attitudes About Nursing as a Career". Nursing Education Perspectives. 41 (3): E14–E19. doi:10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000659. PMID 32310910. S2CID 216046198.
  3. ^ Fort, Alfredo L.; Deussom, Rachel; Burlew, Randi; Gilroy, Kate; Nelson, David (2017). "The Human Resources for Health Effort Index: A tool to assess and inform Strategic Health Workforce Investments". Human Resources for Health. 15 (1): 47. doi:10.1186/s12960-017-0223-2. PMC 5518138. PMID 28724381.
  4. ^ Haczyński, Józef; Skrzypczak, Zofia; Winter, Małgorzata (2017). "Nurses in Poland — Immediate Action Needed". Engineering Management in Production and Services. 9 (2): 97–104. doi:10.1515/emj-2017-0019.
  5. ^ Coulehan J. L., Block M. R. (2005): The Medical Interview: Mastering skills for clinical practice, 5th Ed. F. A. Davis. ISBN 0-8036-1246-X. OCLC 232304023.
  6. ^ Dunphy L. M., Winland-Brown J. E. (2011): Primary care: The art and science of advanced practice nursing. F.A. Davis. ISBN 9780803626478.
  7. ^ "Nursing | The SAGE Encyclopedia of Economics and Society - Credo Reference". search.credoreference.com. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  8. ^ Freeman, Veronica. "The role of nurses in our society today". www.cerner.com. Retrieved 31 March 2023.