In olden days,the nurse was known as a woman who took care of the sick,injured and dying persons without any formal knowledge.At present,the concept of a nurse has changed.Nowadays,a nurse is a person who provides total care to an individual or community in the problematic situation as well as in healthy conditions;they provide care to sick,injured,disabled and dying clients by preventing diseases and promoting the health status of people.A nurse gives nursing care by recognizing and understanding the needs of an individual or community by considering the changing pattern of health science and technology.Nursing is a helping profession and as such,provides nursing service which contributes to the promotion of well-being of people and the community.
The word "nurse" comes from the Latin word,"Nuticius",which means nourish,foster and protect.Thus, nursing means nourishing and protecting and fostering the health of people.The nursing role refers to all behaviors that are considered appropriate for a nurse.Traditionally,the nurse received more practical knowledge in taking care of the sick,disabled and dying.The role modelling of the nurse today is the consequence of how the roles of nurses were modelled in the past.Similarly,the role modelling of the present day nurses will influence the development of future nursing roles.
In 1973,the International Council of Nurses stated that "nursing is a unique function which assists the sick or well person in performing the activities contributing to health, the recovery of health or the achievement of peaceful death that these persons would perform independently if possessed of sufficient strength,will or knowledge"(Fundamentals of Nursing,Mery C.Sendbery)
Nursing today means different things to different people.Most people still think of nursing as only caring for the sick,assisting the doctors in care or treatment of patients but nursing is more than this.Nursing began as an art when a member of the family cared for sick relatives,friends and neighbours in co-operation with or assisting doctors in their work at home.Nursing service aims to meet the health needs of the entire community and society,prevent illness as well as care for the sick and finally, carry out the research activities to gain more knowledge and improving nursing.
History shows that nursing developed more rapidly in society where women were given more freedom.
According to Henderson,"The unique function of nursing is to assist the individual,sick or well in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death)that s/he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength,will or knowledge.And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible."
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