Sociology
is the study of human social behavior and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions. It is a social
science which uses various methods of empirical investigation...
Definition of Sociology
Sociology is the systematic and scientific study of human social life. Sociologists study people as they form
groups and interact with one another. The groups they study may be small, such as married couples, or large,
such as a subculture of suburban teenagers. Sociology places special emphasis on studying societies, both as
individual entities and as elements of a global perspective.
What Is the Relevance of Studying Sociology in Nursing?
The main relevance of studying sociology in nursing is to understand human nature. By understand
the patient's customs and personal ideals, nurses are able to understand the concerns of their
patient. This also helps them carry out their duties as a nurse in a way that will both benefit them
and the patient.
Why should nurses study sociology?
this is because it would help them deal with their patients as individuals from a particular society
with different backgrounds.
how is sociology related to nursing?
Sociology is just as valuable to nursing as is psychology. Sociology helps a nurse understand what
makes people "tick" the same way psychology does.
As an introduction, generally, sociology is mainly the study of society, communities and people
whereas nursing is a profession which focused on assisting individuals, families, and
Sociology is just as valuable to nursing as is psychology. Sociology helps a nurse understand what
makes people "tick" the same way psychology does. The only difference is that sociology does it
from a "group" or "community" perspective. These are important because besides medical
knowledge a nurse really needs to be kind, sympathetic and compassionate. Patients have families.
The information gleaned by even a cursory study in those fields could contribute toward being a
kinder, gentler, nurse.
In addition, there are currently many ethical questions in medicine which can be partially covered
via the study of sociology.
A goal for many sociologists is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social
policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social
processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to
the macro level of systems and the social structure.
The Birth of Sociology
Auguste Comte (1798–1857), widely considered the “father of sociology,” became interested in
studying society because of the changes that took place as a result of the French Revolution and the
Industrial Revolution. During the French Revolution, which began in 1789, France’s class system
changed dramatically. Aristocrats suddenly lost their money and status, while peasants, who had
been at the bottom of the social ladder, rose to more powerful and influential positions. The
Industrial Revolution followed on the heels of the French Revolution, unfolding in Western Europe
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throughout the 1800s. During the Industrial Revolution, people abandoned a life of agriculture and
moved to cities to find factory jobs. They worked long hours in dangerous conditions for low pay.
New social problems emerged and, for many decades, little was done to address the plight of the
urban poor.
Comte looked at the extensive changes brought about by the French Revolution and the Industrial
Revolution and tried to make sense of them. He felt that the social sciences that existed at the time,
including political science and history, couldn’t adequately explain the chaos and upheaval he saw
around him. He decided an entirely new science was needed. He called this new science sociology,
which comes from the root word socius, a Latin word that means “companion”.
In sociology, sociological theories are statements of how and why particular facts about the social
world are related. They range in scope from concise descriptions of a single social process to
paradigms for analysis and interpretation. Some sociological theories explain aspects of the social
world and enable prediction about future events, while others function as broad perspectives which
guide further sociological analyses.
1. Structural-Functionalism
is a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means
to meet individual biological needs (originally just functionalism). Later it came to focus on the
ways social institutions meet social needs (structural-functionalism).
concerned with the question of how societies maintain internal stability and survive over time. He
sought to explain social cohesion and stability through the concept of solidarity.
2. Conflict Theory
Society is made up of individuals competing for limited resources (e.g., money, leisure, sexual
partners, etc.). Broader social structures and organizations (e.g., religions, government, etc.) reflect
the competition for resources in their inherent inequalities; some people and organizations have
more resources (i.e., power and influence) and use those resources to maintain their positions of
power in society.
3. Role Theory
Role theory posits that human behavior is guided by expectations held both by the individual and
by other people. The expectations correspond to different roles individuals perform or enact in
their daily lives, such as secretary, father, or friend. For instance, most people hold pre-conceived
notions of the role expectations of a secretary, which might include: answering phones, making and
managing appointments, filing paperwork, and typing memos. These role expectations would not
be expected of a professional soccer player.
4. Impression Management
is both a theory and process The theory argues that people are constantly engaged in controlling
how others perceive them. The process refers to the goal-directed conscious or unconscious effort
to influence the perceptions of other people by regulating and controlling information in social
interaction. If a person tries to influence the perception of her or his own image, this activity is
called self-presentation.
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Introduction to Nursing
Nursing as a professional discipline is concerned with human responses to actual and potential health problems.
Current research in nursing is focused on human responses to acute and chronic health problems, health
promotion, health maintenance, and nursing interventions.
There are several levels of educational choices for nurses, including the Licensed Vocational Nurse (L.V.N.),
the Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), and the Registered Nurse (R.N., often obtained through a
bachelor’s degree). In addition, nurses can earn advanced degrees in their field, such as the Master’s of Science
in Nursing (M.S.N.) and/or a doctoral degree in nursing.
If you hope to obtain a B.S.N, you may follow one of two routes: complete the pre-nursing requirements in
preparation for transferring to a bachelor’s program in Nursing at another school, or complete a bachelor’s degree
at UCSB and apply to an accelerated B.S.N. program. Accelerated B.S.N. programs allow students to earn the
degree in 12-18 months, and are designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline.
Graduate preparation is widely becoming accepted as a basic requirement for advanced certification in nursing. If
you want to obtain a master’s degree in nursing, you should apply to Direct-Entry M.S.N. programs. These
programs admit students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than Nursing.
In the nursing field, it is possible to specialize in a particular clinical area—especially at the graduate level. An
M.S.N., for example, might choose to specialize in nurse anesthesia, community health nursing, gerontological
nursing, medical-surgical nursing, psychiatric mental health nursing, or nurse midwifery. Alternatively, a nurse
could specialize according to age group (e.g. child health nursing or nursing of the adult) or according to
functional area (e.g. teaching or administration). Programs that prepare generalists are also available.
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