Introduction to Health Care
Lecture #1
NUR101 Fall 2008
K. Burger, MSEd, MSN, RN, CNE
Introduction to Health Care
Concepts of Nursing
The Nursing role
Nursing described
Theoretical Frameworks
Nursing theorists – common themes
Stress and Adaptation
Nursing Process
Nursing
An ART and SCIENCE
Caring: nursing is caring for and about
people
Individualized: nursing is adapting to
each persons needs
Holistic: nursing views the ENTIRE
person including physical, spiritual,
social, psychological and economic
needs
Nursing
An ART and SCIENCE
Interpersonal: nursing involves individuals,
families, groups - each interrelated
Reasoning: nursing is a science that
requires critical thinking
Comprehensive: nursing involves health
promotion, disease prevention, health
restoration and care of the dying
Concepts of Nursing
Nursing Defined
ANA (American Nurses Association)
2003 Nursing is the protection,
promotion, and optimization of health
and abilities, prevention of illness and
injury, alleviation of suffering through
the diagnosis and treatment of human
response, and advocacy in the care of
individuals, families, communities and
populations
Concepts of Nursing
Nursing Leaders
Florence Nightingale- 1800’s
…manipulation of the environment
of the patient to assist him in his
recovery…
Virginia Henderson- 1960’s…. nursing
practice as independent from the practice
of medicine…viewed the patient as an
individual needing help toward
independence.
The Nursing Role
Caregiver
Communicator
Teacher/Educator
Leader/Manager
Researcher
Advocate
The Nursing Role
Involves many facets of the health-care
delivery system:
 preventive care
 primary care
 secondary care
 tertiary care
 restorative care
 continuing care
Nursing is a PROFESSION
Educational
Requirements
Theoretical
Framework
Code of Ethics
Characteristics
of a
PROFESSION
Professional
Organization
Autonomy
Standards of Professional Performance
Defined for the health profession by the:
Pew Health Professions Commission 21
Competencies for the Twenty-first Century
with emphasis on ethical responsibilities,
evidence-based clinical competencies,
primary and preventative care, community
health advocacy, and continuing
education.
Standards of Professional Performance
Defined for the registered nurse by the
American Nurses Association (ANA) in
the areas of:
Quality of practice
Education
Professional practice evaluation
Collegiality
Collaboration
Ethics
Research
Resource utilization
Leadership
Standards for Professional Performance
Defined by the SCCC School of Nursing in
its 17 Program Objectives and
Progression of Core Components (see
student handbook)
Professional Behaviors
 Communication
 Assessment
 Clinical Decision Making
 Caring Interventions
 Teaching and Learning
 Collaboration
 Managing Care
Nursing Theory
Theory helps provide knowledge to
improve practice
Theoretical knowledge provides nurses
with increased power
Theory provides autonomy
Theory helps develop critical thinking
Common Nursing Theory Elements
 Human beings benefit from nursing care
 Human beings have inner capacity to improve
health
 Understanding human beings will improve and
facilitate nursing care
 People interact with each other
 Health is more then biological needs
 Improved health is goal of society
 Health has a positive value
Interdisciplinary Theories
Maslow: hierarchy of basic human needs
Erikson: psychosocial development
Piaget: cognitive development
Systems theory
Health and Wellness theory
Stress and Adaptation theory
Nursing Process
EVALUATION
ASSESSMENT
IMPLEMENTATION
PLANNING
NURSING
DIAGNOSIS
Health and Wellness
Traditionally health and illness were
viewed as two separate entities
WHO (World Health Organization)
defines health as “the state of complete
physical, mental, and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease
or infirmity”
Currently viewed as:
Health-Illness Continuum
Health - Illness Continuum
 Measures a person’s
perception of health
 Constantly changing
state
 High level wellness at
one end, normal
health in the center
and illness-death at
the opposite end
Stress and Adaptation
Stressors = disruptive forces
Adaptations = reactions to stress and
stressors
Nursing acts to develop interventions to
reduce or prevent stressors
Caring in Nursing Practice
Caring is a “universal phenomenon”
Caring is “at the heart of a nurse’s ability”
to deliver respectful, therapeutic care.
Caring behaviors include:
-providing presence
-using touch appropriately
-listening attentively
-knowing the client
Critical Thinking Exercise
Lindsey is a senior nursing student
assigned to care for Mrs. Lowe, a 62year-old client being treated for
lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes).
Mrs. Lowe is to receive an injection for
her pain.
In what way can Lindsay show caring in
the way she administers the injection to
Mrs. Lowe?