Chapter 1
Nursing Foundations
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Nursing Origins
• Youngest profession but oldest art
• During the Middle Ages in Europe
Religious groups assumes many roles
of nursing
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The Nightingale Reformation
• The Crimean War
• Nightingale’s contributions
– Training people for future work
– Selecting those with upstanding character
– Improving sanitary conditions for sick and
injured
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The Nightingale Reformation (cont’d)
• Nightingale’s contributions (cont’d)
– Reducing death rate of British soldiers
(from 60% to ….?)
– Providing classroom assistance and
clinical teaching
– Advocating nursing education should be
lifelong
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Question
• Is the following statement true or false?
Florence Nightingale advocated that nursing
education should be lifelong.
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Answer
True.
Florence Nightingale advocated that nursing
education should be lifelong because of
technological advances, to demonstrate
competence and ensure the public’s
confidence, and to practice according to
current nursing standards.
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Contemporary Nursing(‫)التمريض المعاصر‬
• Combining nursing art with science
(skills & knowledge)
– Art: "Ability to perform an act skillfully ".
– Science:" Body knowledge unique to
particular subject".
• Integrating the nursing theory
– Nursing theories and application
(table.. next)
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Contemporary Nursing (cont’d)
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Contemporary Nursing (cont’d)
• Defining nursing
– Nursing definitions by:
o Florence Nightingale
o Virginia Henderson
o American Nurses Association
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The Educational Ladder
• Factors that influence choice of nursing
program:
– Career goals
– Geographic location of schools
– Opportunity for part-time vs. fulltime employment
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Factors that influence choice of nursing
program (cont’d):
– Costs involved
– Length of program
– Reputation and success of graduate
– Flexibility of course scheduling
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (RN)
– Works with physician or dentist
– Manages or provide direct care to client
– Educates clients and the public: medical
conditions
– Delegates client care to LPN
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
– Three paths
 Hospital-based diploma program
 Traditional route for nurse
 Lowest number of diploma programs
compared to other basic nursing
educational programs
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
 Hospital-based diploma program (cont’d)
o Reasons for decline
 Movement to increase
professionalism in nursing
 Hospital no longer financially
subsidizes school of nursing
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
 Associate degree program (diploma)
• Length: 24 months
• Aimed at shortening nursing education
• Would not be expected to work in a
management position
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
 Baccalaureate program
o Greatest flexibility in qualifying for
nursing positions
o Preferred in areas requiring substantial
independent decision making
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The Educational Ladder (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
 Graduate nursing program
o Master’s-prepared nurses: clinical
specialist, nurse practitioner,
administrator, educator
o Doctoral degree: conduct research;
advise, administer, and instruct nurses
pursuing graduate and undergraduate
degrees
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The Educational Program (cont’d)
• Registered nurse (cont’d)
 Continuing education
o Planned learning experience beyond
the basic nursing program
o Rationale for acquiring continuing
education
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The Educational Program (cont’d)
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Unique Nursing Skills
• Assessment skills (Acts that involves
collecting data)
– Following activities requires use of
assessment:
o Interviewing, observing, examining
client and family; reviewing client’s
medical record; obtaining facts from
other health care workers
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Unique Nursing Skills (cont’d)
• Caring skills (action to restore and maintain
health)
– Assisting with ADLs
– Safe care of clients who require invasive
or highly technical equipment
– Helping client become self-reliant
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Unique Nursing Skills (cont’d)
• Counseling skills
– Communicating with client
– Actively listening
– Offering pertinent health teaching
– Providing emotional support
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Unique Nursing Skills (cont’d)
• Counseling skills (cont’d)
– Use active listening
– Clarify client’s perspective (own decision)
– Teach clients: promote healing processes,
staying well, preventing illness, and
carrying out ADLs
– Use empathy not sympathy
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• Empathy: "Intuitive awareness of what the
patient is experiencing".
• Sympathy:" Feeling as emotionally distraught as
the patient".
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Unique Nursing Skills (cont’d)
• Comforting skills
– Provide stability and security during a
health-related crisis
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