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NURSING AS A PROFESSION
INTRODUCTION
The word Nursing comes from the latin word Nutricius means
To nourish
To cherish
To protect
To sustain
Meaning
N Nobility, knowledge
U Understanding, usefulness
R Responsibility, righteousness
S Sympathy, simplicity
E Equanimity, efficiency
Definition
Nursing is a unique function of the nurse that is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the
performance of those activities contributing to health, its recovery, (or to a peaceful death) that
the client would perform unaided if he had necessary strength, will or knowledge.
Handerson 1966; ICN 1973
PROFESSION
Definition
Profession is defines as an occupation with ethical components, that is devoted to the promotion of
human and social welfare.
Concept
The services offered by a profession are based on specialized knowledge and skills that have been
developed in a scientific and learned manner.
Characteristics of Profession
A profession is a form of employment especially one that is respected in society as

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honourable and is possible only for an educated person and after training in some special
branch of knowledge.
A profession has its own body of knowledge based on social and scientific principles
The members of a profession utilize this knowledge to identify and solve problems.
A profession has service aim as well as academic and theoretical aim
The services offered by a profession are in response to the needs of the society and are
fundamental to the promotion of human and social welfare.
A profession constantly enlarges its body of knowledge through research in order to improve
its services to the society.
A profession determines the qualification necessary to those who enter into practice
A profession has a code of ethics
A profession recognizes its responsibilities to develop educational programmes in
cooperation with the educational institutions in order to offer specialized study and practice
required to learn the methods of service and develop skills for the better service of the
society
Members of profession are involved in research
It attracts individuals of intellectual and personal qualities.

Concepts of nursing
There are mainly four concepts of nursing related to person, environment, health, nursing.
The connections between these four concepts are explained in following statement of Donald son
and Crowley:
Nursing studies the wholesome or health of humans, recognizing that humans are in continuous
interaction with environment.
Philosophy
A philosophy of nursing includes beliefs and values with regard to main in general and specifically
man a the learner, teacher, nurse, client and the beliefs about health, illness, society, nursing and
learning etc.
According to Christian philosophy, nursing is considered as profession of charity. It covers:
1. Spiritual
2. Moral (governing mans conduct and action leading the nurses to study ethics. Nurse has to

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develop right conscience)
3. Intellectual : To provide a systematic development and training of the intellect, so that it may
be enlighted, disciplined and disposed to function.
For the fulfillment of nursing functions, nursing education should give training in :
Memory
Direction of imagination
Strengthening & expansion of capacity for association
Cultivation and training of the intellect
Judge wisely
Reason soundly
Imparts knowledge
Development of communication skills to express their thoughts.
4. Emotional needs: (must be able to function as mature, self-dependent and responsible)
5. Physical : to promote the harmonious development
To preserve their body
6.

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