THE NURSING PROFESSION

.IS IT AN ART OR A
SCIENCE?

Introduction
Nursing began as a desire to keep people
healthy and to provide comfort and
assurance to the sick.
Although the general goals of nursing have
remained relatively the same over the
centuries, ever-advancing science and the
changing of societys needs have deeply
influenced the practice of nursing.

Introduction
Nursing has had a significant effect on
people's lives. As rapid change continues
to transform the profession of nursing
and health care system. Today, nurses
bring knowledge, leadership, spirit, and
vital expertise to expanding roles that
afford
increased
participation,
responsibility, and rewards.

IS THE NURSING
PROFESSION .AN ART OR
A SCIENCE?

Everybody knows that the nursing

profession has two different sidesit is
both science and art

Definitions of Nursing

Florence Nightingale
The act of utilizing the
environment of the patient to
assist him in his recovery"
(Nightingale, 1860). Nightingale
considered a clean, well-ventilated,
and quite environment essential for
recovery.

Virginia Henderson
"The unique function of the
nurse is to assist the individual,
sick or well, in the performance
of those activities contributing to
health or its recovery (or to
peaceful death)".

American Nurses Association

(ANA) 1980
"Nursing

is the diagnosis
and treatment of human
responses to actual or
potential
health
problems".

Canadian Nurses Association

(CNA)
Described nursing practice
as a dynamic, caring, helping
relationship in which the
nurse assists the client to
achieve and obtain optimal
health.

Certain themes are common

to many of these definitions
Nursing is caring.
Nursing is an art.
Nursing is a science.
Nursing is client centered.

Nursing is holistic.
Nursing is adaptive.
Nursing is concerned with health
promotion, health maintenance,
and health restoration.
Nursing is a helping profession.

Nursing as a SCIENCE
It is the body of abstract knowledge
arrived through scientific research and
logical analysis
Is the scientific knowledge and skills in
assisting individual to achieve optimal
health. It is the diagnosis and treatment
of human responses to actual or
potential problem.

Nursing as an ART

Nursingits very essence lies in

the creative imagination, the
sensitive spirit, and the intelligent
understanding that provides the
very foundation for effective
nursing care. Donahue(1985)

Nursing as an ART

Is the art of caring sick and well

individual. It refers to the dynamic
skills and methods in assisting sick
and well individual in their
recovery and in the promotion and
maintenance of health. It involves
the creative application of
knowledge in the service of people

What is an ART

the expression or application of

human
creative
skill
and
imagination, typically in a visual
form such as painting or sculpture,
producing works to be appreciated
primarily for their beauty or
emotional power

What makes Nursing an ART?

The art of nursing may have been in each person

even before entering the profession. That innate
capacity to respond to the needs of individual is
already the art of nursing. In nursing school, this
vivacity is awakened through constant interaction
with the patients in various settings.
Nurses are called to perform relational work.
Therefore, the motivation to keep that art in us
should be continuously burning. We have the
power to heal the sick. An effective nurse is one
who gives nursing care independently and
collaboratively with other healthcare teams.

What makes Nursing an ART?

The art of nursing comes in as a nurse

independently does his or her job. The options
s/he considers in taking a certain action and
ultimately the action s/he does to respond to
patient needs are the art of nursing.
It is in the nurses hands to promote positive
changes in patients. Everyday we are faced with
patients who are in different conditions. In this
case, individualized nursing care is noteworthy.
Knowledge is not enough. Compassionate care is
paramount.

What makes Nursing an ART?

the art of nursing is our ability to connect with those around

us.
It is only when we begin direct patient care that we become
aware of the art of nursing.
The word art can be used to describe the results of a particular
task as well as the knowledge and skill required to perform
that task.
Like other more fashionable art forms, nursing can be
dramatic, inspirational, comedic, relaxing, comforting, joyful,
and even sad.
Nursing is also creative, existential, and has a particular
rhythm.
This intangible connection can create an environment of
healing, one that allows patients to fully participate in their
own recovery process.

What makes Nursing an ART?

Nurses teach, support, communicate, medicate,

and coordinate patient-care events.
Nurses are patient advocates who provide comfort
and hope to our patients and their families.
The art of nursing is in play when we just 'know'
what to do to meet a patient's emotional needs:
when to hold a patient's hand, stroke their brow,
crack a joke or even just sit and listen.
Most of this is being accomplished simultaneously
during each patient interaction.

What makes Nursing an ART?

The science of nursing allows us to care

for our patient's bodies; but it's the art of
nursing that calls me to the profession and
allows each nurse to touch souls.

Where Is the Art?

nursing as an art is not manifested when hearing a

nurse teaching pre-operative patients without
compassion. Instead of comfort, fear is built
within the patients.
Some nurses are not well informed about a disease
process, explaining things to patients without
using therapeutic communication.
Some procedures done outside the context of the
protocols and sterile technique.
Sadly, many of these incidents are from those
who have been in the profession for so long.
Science is applied, but where is the art in this
perspective?

The Importance of Art in Nursing

Clearly, nurses must be equipped with the science

of nursing. But until the art of nursing is
recognized as a necessary principle for patient
care, nurses will likely to continue to demonstrate
behaviors that make them good technicians.
However, they will not necessarily be good nurses.
As a field grounded in compassion and direct
patient care, the art of the nursing profession is
more important than the science.
And this is where the so-called calling comes into
play.

Scope of Nursing

Nurses provide care for three

types of clients: individuals,
families,
and
communities.
Nursing practice involves 5
areas: promoting health and
wellness, preventing illness,
Alleviation
of
suffering,
restoring health, and creation of
a spiritual environment

Promoting Health and Wellness

Wellness

is a state of wellbeing. It means engaging in

attitudes and behavior that
enhance the quality of life
and
maximize
personal
potential.

 Nurses

promote wellness
in clients who are both
healthy and ill. This may
involve individual and
community activities to
enhance healthy lifestyles,

such as improving nutrition

and
physical
fitness,
preventing
drug
and
alcohol misuse, restricting
smoking, and preventing
accidents and injury in the
home and workplace.

Preventing Illness
The goal of illness preventing
programs is to maintain optimal
health by preventing disease.
Nursing activities that prevent
illness include immunizations,
prenatal and infant care, and
prevention of sexually transmitted
disease.

Alleviation of
Suffering
Pain/suffering Alleviation

The goal is to provide relief from

pain to promote comfortable
healing process

Restoring Health
focuses

on the ill client and it

extends from early detection of
disease through helping the
client during the recovery
period.

Nursing Activities
Include the following;
Providing direct care to the ill person,
such as administering medications,
baths, and specific procedures and
treatments.

Performing
diagnostic
and
assessment procedures, such as
measuring
blood
pressure
and
examining feces for occult blood.

Consulting with other health

care professionals about client
problems.
Teaching
clients
about
recovery activities, such as
exercises that will accelerate
recovery after a stroke.

 Rehabilitating

clients to
their optimal functional
level following physical or
mental illness, injury, or
chemical addiction.

Creation of a spiritual
environment
Provision of spiritual care

Involves comforting and caring for people of all

ages who are dying
Includes helping clients live as comfortable as
possible until death and helping support persons
cope with death.
Work in homes, hospitals, and extended care
facilities
Hospices are specifically designed for this
purpose.

Standards of Clinical Nursing

Practice

Establishing and implementing

standards of practice are major
functions
of
a
professional
organization. The standards:
Reflect the values and priorities of
the nursing profession.

Provide direction for professional

nursing practice.
Provide a framework for the
evaluation of nursing practice.
Define
the
profession's
accountability to the public and
client outcomes for which nurses
are responsible.

(ANA) Standards of Clinical Nursing

Practice:

Assessment: the nurse collects patient

health data.
Diagnosis: the nurse analyzes the
assessment data in determining diagnoses.
Outcome identification: The nurse
identifies
expected
outcomes
individualized to the patient.

Planning: the nurse develops a plan of

care that prescribes interventions to
attain expected outcomes.
Implementation:
the
nurse
implements the interventions identified
in the plan of care.
Evaluation: the nurse evaluates the
patients progress toward attainment of
outcomes.

IMAGE OF A NURSE:
How
to Become a Better Per
ALL OF US WANT TO LIVE WITH FREEDOM, JOY
son
AND LOVE AND BE ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
EASILY. THIS IS THE STAGE OF BECOMING LIGHT
LIKE AN ANGEL. SO HOW CAN WE DO THIS?

1. Stop being angry.Dont be suppressed,

but dont express anger. Both ways bring
heavy outcomes. Just be assertive.

2. Bathe.You can remove all dust and

negative vibrations this way. It's also very
relaxing. Relaxation makes you think more
clearly.

3. Breathe in and out deeply while imagining

you are letting new energy come into you,
and let all the heaviness and tiredness go out.

4. Play a lot of positive thoughts in your mind.

Then you will see your positive life express itself!
If there is something bad going on in your life,
try and see the silver lining.

5.Always keep zeal and enthusiasm for

yourself.This will bring you to the flying
stage.

6. Meditate or use relaxation techniques. Everyone

comes to a point where they feel they can't take it
anymore, everything is becoming too much, take a step
back and take it easy. It's perfectly ok to want a break.
You're human.

7. Do the 3 Rs to become the 3 Cs... If you feel like something is

becoming too much, take a step back and Relax (take deep breaths,
take it easy), Refresh, (wipe any negative thoughts, clean your slate,
ground yourself) and Recharge (reboost your energy and start again).
Now you can be the 3 C's: Cool, Calm and
Collected. These make any situation easier to cope with, make you feel
like a better, more in-control person.

8. Help others.Sometimes helping others makes you

realize what you have might taken for granted.

9. Be aware.Have awareness about

what you attain.

10. Eat in the right way.Choose healthy foods, like

pasta & tomato sauce, peanut butter & jelly, and chicken
sandwiches. These meals will improve your health and
make you feel better.

11. Sing!Laugh! Be humorous! Do

something that makes your heart happy
and makes you feel like dancing.

13. Realize that the foundation to being a better person is to help

those around you. Incorporate your own goals and dreams into the mix
whenever they come to you, but don't worry if you don't know what
they are, not everyone realizes their wants and needs and is a part of life
trying to figure what those goals and dreams are (Some go their whole
lives without realizing them! But don't worry, it isn't abnormal by any
means).

14. Exercise thoughtful action with an ultimate theme of moderation.We

are humans of habit, and often the things we find most detestable about
ourselves are things that we cannot help but do. When faced with a situation
that requires your action, think about what needs to be done and the best way it
can be done. This often involves considering other people's emotions and the
greater good, and it can be quite difficult, especially if you do not have much
time. The ultimate decisions we make in every day life, however, ought to be
dictated by a sense of moderation. Moderation means that we do not take more
than we need, but just the right amount.

CARING
An Integral Component in Nursing

CARING
is a universal value that directs nursing practice.
Leininger (1981) defines caring in the nurseclient relationship as the direct (or indirect)
nurturant and skillful activities, processes, and
decisions related to assisting people to achieve
or maintain health.
Even though clients cannot always be cured,
caring is ongoing within the nurse-client
relationship.
Leininger identifies several behaviors as caring
and states that these behaviors occur in various
cultures

CARING
being willing and able to nurture others
is a hallmark of the effective nurse.
Caring occurs when a nurse acts in a
genuine, authentic manner with the client.
The professional mask is removed,
allowing the nurse to respond in a
compassionate manner.
Providing emotional support is central to
the act of caring.

CARING
is more than an intuitive process; it can be
learned
both
intellectually
and
interpersonally.
One learns caring by interacting with
others who demonstrate caring.
When nurses exhibit caring behaviors,
they are serving as role modelsto
students, colleagues, clients, and families.
is a process and an art that requires
commitment and knowledge.

CARING
is a combination of behaviors and
attitudes.
The way in which nursing actions are
implemented expresses caring.
Specific behaviors that indicate caring are
provision of information, relief of pain,
spending time with clients and families,
and promoting client autonomy.
Treating each client in a dignified,
courteous manner is the true expression of
caring.

CARING
Touch is an effective method for
communicating a sense of caring.
Touch, no matter how well intended, may
sometimes be misinterpreted by a client.
Therefore, it is wise to avoid touching
clients who are suspicious, hostile, or very
confused.

CARING
Dingman et al. (1999) described the
following as nursing behaviors that
demonstrate caring:
Introduce self to client.
Call clients by their preferred
names.
Spend time with the client to
review the plan of care.