Introduction
Humanity is a description of individuals and experiences from varied dimensions of life ranging from biological, psychological, social, and physical as well as spiritual aspects. Human beings are continuously developing but remain unique though individual functionality is affected by different variables. Human behavior is at times predictable while other behaviors are quite unique to individuals. All the attributes mentioned in this paragraph affect the health of individuals and therefore in nursing, these features are important. Human culture is about the beliefs and norms that a group of people holds and it has also been incorporated into nursing fundamentals because culture plays a big role in disease care.
Human beings
The first concept of health is ‘human beings’ and the aspects that describe it or make up the health of man. Being able to understand human health entails a lot more than understanding the disease mechanism that caused that person to be ill (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 45). So what is health? For this paper, I will consider health to be an abstract experience that is a result of dynamic interactions of individuals and the environment they live in. And life, in general, is a transition that could positively or negatively impact human health and care delivery (Crisp & Taylor, 2009, p. 67). Life transitions can be categorized into three groups; situational transition, developmental transition and health-related transition. At every different stage in life, a person experiences developmental transition (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 815). Different life circumstances expose individuals to situational transition, for instance, the changes in social beliefs, age or environmental surroundings (Crisp & Taylor, 2009, p. 67).
Environment
The environment is the second concept of nursing fundamentals and it entails the surroundings that people spend time in, live in and carry out their functions including interacting with each other. A critical factor of the health environment is being able to access quality care and the best-specialized medication available (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 4). I believe lack of access to care could mean very devastating consequences for the patient in the end. The environment also takes into consideration the social support and this comes from immediate family members and the nurses (Crisp & Taylor, 2009, p. 69). A conducive environment and specialized treatment ensure a speedy recovery.
Human beings are surrounded by physical social, cultural and temporal surroundings that are integral to their health and a broader description of the environment encompasses the spiritual, biological and psychosocial attributes of an individual (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 47). Nurses have a duty to cultivate the balance of the external environment and internal feelings of people to ensure healthy living.
Individuals are usually affected by interaction with each other because of life transition and also because of the social, economic, political and environmental factors which affect health.
Health
Health as the third concept of nursing fundamental is critical for the whole process of medication from diagnosis to recovery and follow-up management. Human health is a crucial factor in the development and progress of the human race as a whole and therefore ensuring that individuals and families are healthy is a very important matter (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 9). Health-related changes are basically because of the susceptibility of individuals to certain medical conditions and the risk of exposure for people suffering from particular medical conditions.
Keeping a person healthy means balancing between the internal attributes of human beings identified earlier in (biological, psychological, social and spiritual) and the external forces from the environment (which majorly comprises disease-causing mechanisms) (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 9). Any imbalance can result in medical conditions hence poor body function or inability to perform the normal daily routines.
Nursing
Nursing as the fourth concept entails a lot of services to the clients. This is where things like disease assessment and attending to clients’ needs, learning leadership and making critical decisions for the benefit of patients are addressed. Also learning and teaching is addressed as crucial for care (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 51). This concept also entails addressing ethical and legal requirements and the capacity to reason critically and work in a team. Nurses have four major responsibilities including fostering the well-being of patients, disease and injury prevention and helping in the healing process by applying the best skills and current knowledge as long as it’s ethical and legally allowed (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 53).
Nursing can be defined as protecting, fostering, and optimizing health outcomes and abilities, preventing diseases and injuries, alleviating pain and suffering, diagnosis, treating the medical conditions and advocating for the best care for individuals and the community at large. Every person has the right to adequate care to optimize their functionality (Potter & Perry, 2008, p. 53). This is why nursing is a very crucial concept in health care. I think the integration of biological principles, medical research, behavior theories, medical care and social support makes nursing the best way to try and manage the problems individuals, families and communities face.
Basically, nursing entails a method that medical practitioners use for assessment and identification and decision-making regarding some medical conditions. Nursing concepts guide the process of diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation.
Nurses as medical practitioners and important caregivers in any medical facility, usually undergo rigorous and specialized training for various settings so that they can be able to offer the best care to their clients or patients (Crisp & Taylor, 2009, p. 73).
Conclusion
Human health ranges on a continuum from illness to wellness and a person’s health is rarely constant as one move across the continuum. One can wake up feeling fine and develops a sickly feeling later in the day. Illnesses range from mild conditions to extreme medical conditions and even death. Nursing practice helps to keep individuals healthy. The role is to diagnose and start the treatment process. Nursing has three main duties; to provide care, manage care and work as a disciplinarian to nursing conduct and performance.
Reference List
Crisp, J & Taylor, C (Eds). 2009. Potter & Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing, 3rd Ed, Elsevier Mosby: Sydney, Australia
Potter, P.A., & Perry, A.G. 2008. Fundamentals of Nursing, 7th Ed. Elsevier Mosby: St Louis