Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Although many attempts have been made, it has been notoriously difficult to describe exactly what nursing is and what nurses do. As a result, nursing often lacks a clear voice in governments and forums where health is considered in terms of outcomes, economy, and efficacy, rather than individual or professional needs and values. The issues facing nursing in the future are largely dependent on the case that can be made for skilled nursing in a global climate of budgetary constraints. The work of nurses varies greatly, from basic care in hospitals to specialisms in a great variety of diseases or procedures, personal care for people in their own homes and in care homes, and being in the frontline with armed forces. Not all tasks demand the same caliber of education. The individualization of Western health care means that more personalized care is needed, demanding a diverse and flexible workforce. Nursing is branching into many different extensions of its traditional role, including prescribing, anesthetizing patients, carrying out minor operations, and diagnosis. Within neonatology, gerontology, hospice care, mental health, and rehabilitation, entirely nurse-led care of units or areas is growing, with nurses calling on physicians only when necessary. Clinics and health stations in low-income countries have long known this model. Nurse specialists exist in many hospital departments ... log in or subscribe to read full text