What is Nursing? History, Specialties, and Ethical Duties

What is nursing, its main departments, history, and the ethics of a nurse? Nursing is one of the oldest humanitarian professions known to mankind. It is an independent profession closely linked to medicine; however, it remains distinct, with both fields complementing each other. This profession is defined as a science, an art, and a humanitarian service providing medical and therapeutic care to society. Primarily, it helps improve individuals' health and prevents complications that may arise from certain diseases and injuries. Nursing has two main facets: one is technical, and the other is moral, encompassing both social and psychological aspects. The official title for the service provider is a "Nurse," and it is a vital branch of medicine operating within the health sector.

What is Nursing: Its Departments, History, and Nurse Ethics

Nursing has been known since ancient times, notably during the Islamic era, where Rufaida Al-Aslamia is considered the first to practice nursing. She treated and bandaged the wounds of the injured during battles. A tent was set up for her to practice her work of healing the wounded. The tasks she performed were voluntary acts contributed by women, and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) praised and thanked them for it. It is worth mentioning that nursing as a formal profession was recognized in Britain due to the abundance of doctors. At that time, a doctor was a humane and compassionate figure whose primary goal was the patients' well-being, providing them with the best medical services and treatments for recovery. The need arose for individuals to assist doctors in providing these services. Volunteer women, including nuns, stepped in to help doctors, as they were trusted not to be swayed by worldly desires. Nursing in its modern concept was first practiced in Western European countries during the Middle Ages by Catholic nuns.

Key Nursing Specialties

Nursing has many specialties and branches. Here are some of them:

• Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: This involves providing health services to individuals and society by determining the psychological state of patients suffering from mental or psychological illnesses. It includes developing a treatment approach that encompasses psychological counseling, cognitive correction, health education, and behavioral modification, along with administering medication and monitoring symptoms.
• Gynecological Nursing: This specialty serves pregnant women or those wishing to conceive. Nurses provide services through examinations, guidance, and instructions to protect women from the risks and complications of pregnancy. They also provide care during childbirth, combat gynecological diseases, and work on prevention. They operate in women's clinics and health centers.
• Maternal Health: The science concerned with the health and safety of the mother during childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. It provides health services including family planning, monitoring, pre-pregnancy guidance, and advice to reduce mortality rates.
• Pediatric Health: This specialty cares for children and newborns through adolescence. It provides healthcare, monitors growth and normal development, and offers health guidelines and proper nutrition instructions to boost the child's immunity against diseases, providing a diet suitable for their age. This specialty is found in hospitals and health centers.
• Infectious Diseases: This specialty cares for individuals infected with contagious diseases. Nurses work diligently to limit the spread of infectious diseases and control them, such as immunodeficiency diseases and hepatitis, using studied methods and mechanisms to clear the air in the patient's room, sterilize patient equipment, and educate the medical team on other control methods.

Lesser-Known Nursing Specialties

• Emergency Nursing: A nursing specialty focused on providing rapid medical care for critical medical conditions to prevent long-term disability or death. Emergency nursing departments are usually found in hospitals, sports venues, health centers, and within ambulances and medical aircraft.
• Forensic Nursing: The application of nursing science to public or legal incidents. It bridges healthcare and the law, relying on the psychological, biological, and social sciences of nursing. Practitioners work at crime scenes, assist in investigations, and provide treatment to victims. They are often found in insurance companies and law firms.
• Medical-Surgical Nursing.
• Oncology Nursing.
• Palliative Care Specialty.
• Intensive Care.
• Wound Care Nursing.
• Pain Management.
• Anesthesia Nursing.
• Dialysis Nursing.
• Catheterization and Cardiovascular Nursing.

Operating Room (OR) Nursing

This is an independent nursing science, completely distinct from other specialized departments. Its role depends on caring for patients during surgeries that require intense care and attention. It necessitates the presence of a scrub nurse, an anesthesia nurse, and a circulating nurse. The OR nurse is often considered the surgeon's assistant. This highly skilled nurse plays a vital and fundamental role, dealing directly with the surgeon. The surgery cannot be performed without their assistance as part of the surgical team. They work step-by-step with the surgeon, characterized by knowledge, experience, precision, and skill that assist the surgeon in performing the operation and achieving better health outcomes for the patient. They are fully aware of the surgical procedure and the steps the surgeon will take. Accordingly, they assist the surgeon, organize the operating room, sterilize the surgical environment, prepare the necessary equipment for the operation, and provide the required tools at the right time to ensure the surgery proceeds smoothly and successfully.

As for the circulating nurse, they are not directly tied to the surgeon. Instead, they monitor and safeguard the patient and maintain the sterility of the surgical environment. The anesthesia nurse plays a specific role in assisting the anesthesiologist during the surgery while monitoring all vital signs throughout the operation.

Goals of the Nursing Profession

The nursing profession has many noble and humanitarian goals, which include:

• Working to provide medical and health care to the patient through all available means and methods.
• Working to alleviate the severity of patients' pain and suffering, providing all necessary mechanisms to comfort the patient.
• Assisting patients, caring for them, and fulfilling their requests regardless of color, gender, age, or race, because this profession knows no discrimination; it only knows humanity and patient care.
• Explaining the medical condition and the nature of the disease to the patient's family, providing them with a report on their health status, and giving them all the information and methods that will aid in their treatment and recovery.
• Monitoring the patient and their health condition periodically and regularly to administer treatment at the scheduled times.