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| Nursing |
Most nurses work in hospitals, where they help comfort and
care for people who are sick, injured, or recovering from surgery. This nurse
is taking a patient's blood pressure.
A male nurse gives medication to a patient. Although most nurses are women,
more and more men are enrolling in an education programmes or pursuing careers
in practical nursing.
Theatre nurses assist surgeons during operations. These nurses must react
instantly and accurately to the surgeons' requests for operating instruments.
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| Nursing College |
Nursing is now a
registered profession in most countries. Nurses have to pass examinations and
be registered before they can practise as qualified nurses. As a rule, their
training takes three years. They may have a preliminary course before taking a
general course in a wide range of subjects. Some of them later take an advanced
course in special subjects. Most nurses are women, but there are increasing
numbers of male nurses in many different fields of nursing.
Kinds of nursing
Hospital nursing. Many nurses serve as general- duty
or staff nurses in hospitals. They work with doctors and other members of the
health and healing team in helping a patient to recover. They may also work in
the operating theatre as important members of the surgical team. The nurses may
care for newborn babies in maternity wards. They may administer injections or
medicine a patient, or assist the doctors in giving blood transfusions and in
many other skilled procedures.
The well-being
of a patient is of first importance to the hospital nurse. Nurses take charge
of the patient's routine care. They make sure that the patient receives the
treatment the doctor has ordered. They keep the patient continuously under
observation, and report to the doctors any change in the patient's physical condition, mental
attitude, or reaction to the prescribed drugs and treatment Nurses are trained
to recognize and understand the needs of patients and to give emotional support
as well as physical care. They find time to boost the morale of patients and
calm their fears.
An experienced nurse may be appointed to supervise a
group of nurses and patients in a ward or some other unit in the hospital.
After additional education they may be given charge of several wards. Or they
may specialize in one kind of nursing and become head nurse of a unit, such as
the operating theatre or out-patients' department. Nurses may work in a mental
hospital. They do the same work as a general-hospital nurse, but need special
training because of the special needs of patients.
A nurse with
post-registration education and experience has opportunities to teach, or do
administrative work.
Nurses may take
specialist courses after they complete their basic education. They will then
concentrate on specific areas and therapies and the ways diseases affect the
individual. They may specialize, for example, in accident and emergency
orthopaedic or paediatric nursing. Or they may go into intensive-care nursing,
or spend some time as an operating theatre nurse.
Accident and emergency nursing deals with people who have
suddenly become ill or have had an accident. Patients may have a wound that
needs stitches. They may have had a heart attack, or been in a road traffic accident,
and require further treatment in hospital.
Orthopaedic
nursing is concerned with the care of people with bone or joint disorders. The
commonest conditions are broken bones—especially among children and the
elderly—and arthritis. Patients may need to stay a long time in an orthopaedic
ward, so the nurses have a chance to develop a good relationship. Much of the
work involves rehabilitation
(preparing to return to normal life).
Paediatric nursing deals with patients that are children. It is a
highly specialized field, because children suffer from different conditions
from adults and have different physical and emotional needs. Their responses to
infection, injury and treatment also differ from that of adults.
Paediatric nurses understand the effects of hospitalization on a child's
development and offer emotional support to the families of sick children.
Intensive care nursing concentrates on the care of critically ill, highly dependent
patients. It may involve caring for a person who is unconscious and dependent
on machines to breathe and receive nutrition. Intensive care nurses use a wide
range of high-technology equipment and, at the same time, develop an awareness
of the individuals in their care.
Operating theatre nursing requires great skill and
efficiency. The theatre nurse assists surgeons in all types of procedures. They
may also visit patients before surgery, to help them understand their
operation and to answer any questions.
Nursing in the community
Many nurses
provide care in the community. Nurses in the community have many
responsibilities. They promote good health and independence, helping to prevent
illnesses as well as treating them. Many sick people now receive medical
treatment at home, or leave a hospital ward after only a brief stay. In
addition, many governments are adopting the community-based Health for All strategy of the World
Health Organization (WHO). This strategy recognizes that health depends on many
factors, including a safe environment, adequate diet and housing, and good
health education.
Health visitors are registered nurses who also
have qualifications in community nursing and obstetrics or midwifery. The
health visitor aims to promote health and prevent illness. For example, in some
countries the health visitor sees babies and mothers at regular intervals and
monitors each baby's growth and development The health visitor also advises the
parent on all aspects of childcare, including immunization.
Experience with
families allows the health visitor to identify families and children who need
extra help or are “at risk". The nurse watches for signs that a child is unhappy
or being treated badly, and may recommend professional counselling. Some health
visitors specialize for example, in counselling young people, or advising
families that have problems with drinking or drugs. With the support and care
of health visitors, elderly and infirm people can remain in their own homes,
instead of gong "to a nursing home. Elderly people are vulnerable to cold
and infection; they have accidents more frequentlv and may become forgetful.
Health visitors work with many caring agencies, including social services,
"meals on wheels' and district nurses to ensure the wellbeing of the
people in their care.
District nurses
provide nursing care for sick and disabled people in their own homes. Some of
their patients may have chronic conditions—for example, diabetes, or paralysis
caused by a stroke. Other patients need shortterm nursing after discharge from
hospital. The district nurse has to take into account the patient's living
conditions and surroundings when planning the care the person needs. The
nurse also looks after other family members, teaching them to care for their
relative and supporting them at a time of emotional stress.
The care of sick
people at home requires a great deal of support from other community agencies.
These agencies usually include the general practitioner, social workers,
occupational therapist and physiotherapist, and day centre and voluntary
organizations. The district nurse is in a good position to evaluate the
benefits of a multi-disciplinary team and make suitable recommendations for
care and assistance.
Practice nurses are based in a health centre which patients visit for treatment or
consultation with their own general
practitioner (doctor). Practice nurses care for people who attend
that health centre, and are involved in all aspects of nursing care, including
immunization, and health education and promotion. Practice nurses may offer
counselling services, or advise on health issues such as stress and smoking.
Community psychiatric nurses (CPN's) are becoming increasingly
important as fewer people stay in hospital for treatment. Psychiatric patients
in the community often require long-term care from a CPN, who administers and
monitors drug treatment, liaises with the psychiatrist, or advises other
health care professionals. The CPN may support the patient and his or her
family over many years.
Many CPN's are
now part of teams belonging to local health centres. They may specialize in one
area of care, such as family therapy or work with the elderly. Preventive
psychiatric nursing aims to identify and treat illness at an early stage, when
therapy can be more successful.
It also helps
people overcome problems such as prejudice and unemployment.
Teaching is central to nursing. Nurses teach on many levels.
They may take part in a public health campaign, informing people how to
maintain their health and avoid disease. Or, they may be involved in clinics
for groups such as diabetics or expectant mothers. Other nurses teach within
their own profession, to students or less experienced nurses. Specialized
nurses may offer continuing education in specialist fields. In hospital, nurses
help patients learn to deal with their illness and overcome disability.
Occupational health nurses often work for private industry
instead of for government-financed health services. They look after the
well-being of employees, take care of accidents and emergencies, and offer
counselling services. Occupational health nurses are also responsible for
monitoring the workplace and maintaining a healthy and safe environment for all
employees.
Nursing as a career
Nursing is a
satisfying career for those who have a genuine desire to help other people. The
profession has such a wide range of jobs that a capable nurse can always be
sure of obtaining work.
Nursing is a
challenging and at the same time a rewarding vocation. A badly injured person
may need immediate and expert care. Medicines and equipment must be taken
quickly by the nurse to the patient. The nurse must give the doctor a detailed
report on the patient's condition, and also comfort the patient's relatives. A
nurse's greatest reward is the knowledge that her skill has helped to relieve
suffering or even saved a life.
Training a nurse
A prospective
nurse must be a person who likes people and wants to help them. Self-reliance
and good judgment is also important. Patience, tact, honesty, responsibility,
and ability to work easily with other people are valuable traits to possess, as
well as good health.
Nursing schools accept candidates with a good educational
background from college or secondary school. Entrance requirements for assistant-nursing
courses are less exacting, although candidates with a good all round education
are preferred. Traditionally, the training of nurses has been almost entirely
based in hospital. During their training, student nurses would have spent most
of their time on the wards where they learned nursing
procedures under
the supervision of more senior nurses. Today, some countries maintain this
system while others, such as the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, and the U.SA,
are moving toward full-time nursing studies at university or a college of
higher education.
The training
course for a nurse in most hospital training schools generally lasts three
years. A student nurse goes through a preliminary training period before undertaking
a general course of lectures and practical training. The student studies in
classrooms and laboratories, and works with patients in hospitals. Many hospitals
provide board, lodging, and uniform for the student nurse. The successful
student becomes a registered nurse
after graduating from the course.
Classroom work. Student nurses study such subjects
as anatomy, nutrition, pharmacology, physiology, and the fundamentals of
nursing care. They often learn to care for the sick by practising nursing on
each other. For example, one student may take another's temperature, blood
pressure, and pulse rate. The students may first learn how to use a hypodermic
needle by injecting a specially designed model.
Clinical experience. In every course of nursing,
classroom study is balanced with practice. Many hospital training plans now
use a "study day" each week or "block" period of study for
a number of weeks each year. Clinical experience, or practice, is the knowledge
gained by a student in caring for different patients. As part of clinical experience,
the nurse learns about hospital routine and the functions of various units in
the hospital, and obtains the "feel" of hospital life.
Licensing or state registration. In most
countries, the student nurse completes a course of training by taking examinations
set by the state nursing authorities. In some countries this authority is the
state board of health, and in other countries it is a general nursing council.
When student nurses pass the examinations they receive a licence or are
registered to practise their profession. Registered nurses may advance their
career by additional study and experience. They can qualify for specialized
jobs, teaching, or administration, by taking a post-graduate diploma or degree.
The history of nursing
People have been
practising some form of nursing care for thousands of years. For example, the
ancient Hebrews and Egyptians hired women, later called mid- wives, to assist at births.
Nurses first
organized themselves into groups during early Christian times. Noblewomen,
including the wives of emperors, helped to care for sick people in ancient
Rome. During the crusades, military nursing orders of monks and knights tended
the sick and wounded (see Crusades).
Many monasteries
in Europe closed during the Reformation in the 1500's, and there were fewer
places where religious orders could nurse the sick. The years from 1600 to 1850
were the darkest period in the history of nursing. Hospitals were often built
as charity hospitals, and were usually staffed by untrained, sometimes disreputable
women. Wealthy people never went to hospitals for treatment, but engaged their
own doctors. The hospital staffs did not then understand the importance of
sanitation and hygiene. Doctors did not know how diseases caused epidemics.
Often nurses who took care of patients with contagious diseases contracted the
same disease themselves.
Modern nursing
began in the 1850's with the work of the English nurse Florence Nightingale,
the founder of professional nursing. Nightingale established the first school
of nursing, the Nightingale School for Nurses at St. Thomas' Hospital in London
in 1860. Nightingale entered the nursing profession at a time when many people
felt that nursing was unsuitable work for the daughter of wealthy parents. But
her work at Scutari during the Crimean War (1853-1856) brought her
international recognition, and enabled her to bring about major reforms in
nursing throughout the world. She established nursing as a noble profession.
There were few
examples of nursing at this time. In Germany, religious women called deaconesses had founded a nursing
institution, and the British prison- reformer Elizabeth Fry had opened the
Institute of Nursing in Bishopsgate, London. Catherine McCauley founded the
Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity in Ireland, and some Church of England
sisterhoods devoted themselves to nursing the poor.
Since then many
countries have created national nursing organizations, and made nursing into a
highly respected vocation with legal status. An International Council of Nurses
was formed in 1901 to raise the standard of the profession all over the world.
In 1949, the council became officially associated with the World Health
Organization.
Related articles:
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Edith Louisa
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Kenny,
Elizabeth
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Nightingale,
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