Note Fundamentals of Nursing

Flightline, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2008

Interesting. I really don't know where to begin here, but let me state the first fundamental: nursing is caring. Not emotional caring, but the act of caring.

In medical treatment ancient or modern, you have to have an MD and an RN (or at least people acting in those roles). An MD diagnoses an illness an prescribes a treatment for it. A nurse then does for the patient whatever the patient can't do for themselves in pursuit of that treatment--that's caring for a patient. Together, they try to reach the goal of making a person whole again after an illness.

If a patient can do everything themselves, then they are acting as their own nurse. If a patient can diagnose and perscribe a treatment for themselves, then they are acting as their own MD. For example: I feel bad; I determine I have a cold; I decide to go to the store and buy benadryl, tylenol, and psudoephedrine and take them according to the dosing instructions. I take them; I monitor my temp; I eat, and rest and get better. I have just acted as my own MD and RN.

But what if I was so sick I passed out? My wife calls an ambulance, and I am taken to the ER where a professional MD diagnoses me and prescibes a treatment regimen, and a professional nurse then carries out that regimen by administering my medications, making sure I get fed and monitoring my vital signs and notifying the MD if there are changes that need to be addressed. The professional RN takes over caring for me when I can't care for myself.

An MD can't act as a nurse and a nurse can't act as an MD. An MD requires vast knowledge of human anatomy, pathology and medicine in order to diagnose and prescribe treatment for illnesses. They are scientists, actually, but they apply their scientific knowledge clinically. Society--humanity for that matter--can't produce enough MDs to actually act as the patients nurse as well. Only a small percentage of people are ever smart enough, financially capable enough, and dedicated enough to become the scientist they have to be in order to be a physician.

A nurse on the other hand, while knowing the basics of anatomy and pathology to a depth needed to monitor a patients condition, has to develop all the skills needed to maintain the life of another human being. They have to be able to work the equipment, mix the medications, administer the medications, apply the prescribed treatments, provide for the activities of daily living (eating, bathing, defication, urination, etc.) as well as teach the patient what they need to know, and support and motivate the patient emotionally and psychologically through their illness and treatment. And medical care requires many more nurses than doctors. A doctor can have a hundred patients that he or she diagnoses and prescibes treatment for, but a nurse can only have maybe five that they can effectively care for (depending on their level of sickness).

And I believe, in the process of becoming an academic and a scientist, a medical doctor does not develop the interpersonal skills needed to be a nurse. On the other hand, in the process of becoming a professional care-giver, a nurse does not develop the academic and intellectual skills required to be a medical doctor. They really do require two different fundamental personalities, different motivations, different intellects, and different skill-sets. However, neither one can do without the other in trying to make a sick person whole. An MD has to have nurses and nurses have to have an MD. This is an immutable axiom of medical care.

That's my initial reply to your question. However, I suggest going to a library and seeing if you can find a textbook called something like: The Fundamentals of Nursing. I'm looking at a textbook on my bookshelf right now that has that exact title.

Good luck.

time4meRN · Oct 29, 2008

I would stick with what your school gives you instead of hunting for other courses of study. You never know about college.... course content can be different from place to place. The best advice I can give you now is.....Enjoy your time to yourself now. You will be busy enough when school starts. You may be spinning your wheels trying to study in advance especially somthing so abstract. If you really want to study, I would do A and P , that doesn't change for the most part.

sequelae · Oct 30, 2008

id recommend a good fundamentals of nursing book.... its the one authored by barbara kozier, shirlee snyder, and glenora erb... the title is FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING