Nursing: The Caring Profession

Nursing is a profession focused on assisting individuals, families, and communities in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning. Nursing includes the promotion of health, illness prevention, and the care of disabled,dying and ill people. Nursing has existed in various forms in every culture, although the definition of the term and the practice of nursing has changed greatly over time. Nursing is more difficult — but also more rewarding — than Iever expected.

Nursing is one of the most female-dominated occupations but the number of males entering the profession is increasing. Nursing attracts all kinds of personalities from all sorts of backgrounds. Nursing is an applied science which has a unique body of knowledge that utilizes principles from the physical, biological, and behavioral sciences. Nursing is full of opportunities to grow, to advance and to change your career direction.

Nurses practice in a wide range of settings, from hospitals to visiting people in their homes and caring for them in schools to research in pharmaceutical companies. Nurses can work on a temporary basis, which involves doing shifts without a contact in a variety of settings, sometimes known as per Diem nursing, agency nursing or travel nursing. Nurses act as advisers and consultants to the health care and insurance industries. Nurses work in occupational health settings (also called industrial health settings), free-standing clinics and physician offices, nurse-run clinics, long-term care facilities, and camps.  Nurses should be caring, sympathetic, responsible, and detail oriented.

Health visitors are registered nurses or midwives who have done further training to work as vital members of the primary health care team, covering a specific geographical area.  Health care Assistants (sometimes known as nursing auxiliaries or support workers) are not qualified nurses. Health problems can affect a child’s development and it’s vital to work with the child’s family or carers to ensure that he or she does not suffer additionally from the stress of being ill or in hospital. Health care is offered 24 hours a day, so expect to work some nights and weekends, like doctors, law enforcement officers and others who provide essential services.

Registered nurses, regardless of specialty or work setting, perform basic duties that include treating patients, educating patients and the public about various medical conditions, and providing advice and emotional support to patients family members.  Registered Nurses are able to undertake advanced practice training, commonly at advanced degree level to become specialist nurses in various fields, such as Emergency Nurse Practitioner. Registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations; job opportunities in most specialties and employment settings are expected to be excellent, with some employers reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining enough Rn’s. Registered nurses earn salaries that compare with other professionals with a similar amount of education.

Nursing is one of the most rewarding and challenging careers you could choose. Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings. Nursing has its hazards, especially in hospitals, nursing care facilities, and clinics, where nurses may care for individuals with infectious diseases. Nursing is the most diverse of all health care professions.