What is Nursing Profession– Some social insects like bees and ants have special sort of workers who take care of newly born members of the community. Those special workers are called nursing bees or ants. Nursing is part and parcel of even a non-human kingdom.
While nursing in insects is limited to only taking care of children, it indicates a variety of responsibilities and duties as a profession in human society. Whether you have decided to join this profession or you are just considering nursing as your career, you are at the optimum place. Maybe you just stumbled upon this article while browsing casually. Hop in. we will take you from basic questions like “what is nursing?” to the responsibilities of a nurse.
You will be able to understand this profession a whole lot better, evaluate your interpersonal skills required for the job of a nurse, and consequently, decide better for yourself.
Table of Contents
What is Nursing Profession?
“Nursing is a profession that assumes responsibility for the continuous care of the sick, the injured, the disabled, and the dying.” Britannica defines nursing as the continuous care of patients without mentioning the boundaries of a hospital or a health care unit.
Nursing is life-saving and this profession is not limited to operate within the walls of a hospital. Nurses are the unsung heroes of the medical industry who take care of patients of all ages, groups, and communities in hospitals as well as communal settings.
More than often they are at the forefront of medical emergencies. They play a vital role in taking care of a patient from diagnosis of a malady to the successful execution of medical treatment. Nurses also play a key role in managing health care units.
A nurse is generally the first medical professional a patient will see when he is admitted to the hospital. Unfortunately, for some patients, the nurse is the only medical professional they see. Nurses outnumber doctors at a ratio of three for one in many countries. While a doctor specializes in a particular area of treatment, a nurse is responsible for the overall treatment of the patient.
A patient might have three doctors at the same time but the treatment will be executed with the help of one nurse. She will look for the vital signs in the patient and inform the concerning doctor if the need arises. She will also make sure that medicines prescribed by three different doctors do not interact negatively with each other and treatment goes smoothly.
Nursing is an art and a science at the same time. It is a job done by heart and mind simultaneously. While doctor goes for physical treatment, nursing also includes care at the emotional and intellectual level. Respect for human exaltedness and intuition of understanding patient’s needs is the soul of the nursing profession.
Duties & Responsibilities in the Nursing Profession?
What responsibilities will you have once you join the nursing profession? These questions might be popping into your mind. The simple answer is you will have to do a lot and your responsibilities might be very diverse. Your duties will depend upon the type of nursing field you go into and what sort of health facility you work in. Nurses take care of the patients and their loved ones. They make sure that prescribed treatment by the doctor is implemented properly.
They check the temperature and keep a record of other vital signs in the patients. The nurse will inform the physician if there are any side effects of any particular medication. If anything goes wrong during the treatment, the nurse will be there to provide first aid to the patient. Visits of a doctor, during treatment of a patient, are random while frequent visits from a nurse are a must.
Nurses are responsible for running any health facility smoothly. They assist physicians in operations and diagnosis. They prepare patients for the procedure of their treatment. They also handle managerial matters like visits of doctors or the time frame of health care professionals in a hospital.
There are some common responsibilities that all nurses share on a typical day:
- They conduct the physical examination of the patient.
- They keep and maintain a detailed record of the health care history of the patient.
- A good nurse listens to the patients and understands their physical and emotional needs.
- They provide counseling to the patients when they need it and educate them with health care plans.
- A nurse usually works as a linking bridge between the patients and the health care providers or doctors. Their coordination keeps the patients on the road to a speedy recovery.
- They draw blood samples for testing.
- Nurses check the vital signs of the patients time and again to make sure that they are stable.
The responsibilities of nurses are not limited to the above-mentioned tasks. Their expertise is knowledge-based and they take text into practical life. Dedication to the well-being of patients forms the basis of this profession. Sympathizing, dedicated, well-wisher, and skilled in her job are the unifying characteristics in the nursing profession.
You have read about nursing and the responsibilities of a nurse. Do you have what it takes to be a nurse? Can you cater to the biological, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs of your patients regardless of who they are and where they are? Do you care about life? If your answer is yes then this divine profession is waiting for you.
Get the required education and start saving lives!
Author Profile
