Importance of the Study of Nursing as a Discipline

This article discusses the importance of studying nursing as a discipline. It covers the roles of nurses, the four main concepts of nursing, and the impact of technology on nursing. The study of nursing helps nurses equip themselves with knowledge necessary during practice, improve themselves, and predict nursing patterns in the future.

Running Head; NURSING 1
Importance of the Study of Nursing as a Discipline
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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YOUR ADDRESS
DATE
RECIPIENT ADDRESS
SALUTATION,
I am a student in campus studying nursing. This letter addresses the question on why
it is important to study nursing as a discipline. Nursing is not only a profession but also a
discipline. Nurses are important people in the society today who play various key roles in the
health sector. In a report by Jacksonville University (2018), the roles of nurses include
indorsing health, thwarting disease and assisting patients cope with sickness. Nurses
not only educate patients on health, but also families and even communities. On arrival at the
hospital, it is the nurses who assess and record patients’ symptoms. I view nurses as the most
crucial people in the medical field due to their roles .As I study nursing as a discipline , I am
more and more inclined to believe that there is a need for nursing to be distinguished clearly
from other medical fields. Nursing is a large field which keeps advancing. There is great need
therefore, for the nurses to specialise in the field.
A discipline can be described as a field of study with an exclusive viewpoint that
silhouettes the nature and scope of survey of the field thus leading to specialisation (Parker &
Smith 2010). This definition is similar to that of Donaldson and Crowley (1978).The key
words in the definition by the two groups being ‘unique perspective’ .There are four main
concepts of the discipline of nursing (Fawcette, 1984). These are the concepts of patient,
setting, health and nursing (Fawcett, 1984).This is still used by current scholars (Bender,
2018). Environment is the surroundings affecting the patient. According to this concept,
modification of the environmental factors can improve a patient's health status. The patient is
empowered to manage his health and wellbeing. The health outcomes depend on a patient's

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spiritual, social and health care needs. These are the basis of the nursing theories. The study
of the discipline of nursing helps the students, I included, to find the areas necessary for
nursing practice.
The view of nursing has changed towards the positive over the years. Initially, nursing
was viewed as ‘women's work’s’ resulting to poor status linked with nursing (Brennan,
2005). Brennan (2005) further argues that the common belief about nursing was that nursing
was ‘primary attached to perceived virtues of duty and vocation’ .In my opinion, this gives
the view that most of the nurses were not committed to what they were doing as an act of
showing compassion but as a commitment to the virtues
The discipline of nursing provides a deeper understanding of the profession. Well
educated nurses facilitate better patient outcome. As I study further I continue to be equipped
with skills that will help me care for the patient in a better manner. This discipline helps
nurses to improve themselves. Initially, nursing was only viewed as an art of caring.
However, it has advanced and now it includes mathematical formulas as well (Kalofissudis,
2018).This is useful in predicting future nursing patterns. There are a lot of research carried
out in this discipline. The research aid in identifying the areas which should be changed to
ensure that the nursing patterns improve.
There are various factors which have an impact on nursing that are reviewed when
studying it as a discipline. The socio-cultural, historical, technological, economic and
political factors. The understanding of these factors are necessary for better service delivery
by nurses. An individual’s everyday practices such as hygiene routine and behaviour like
aggressiveness or depression have an influence on his or her health. The view of society also
has a great influence on health. Some are affected positively while others negatively. For
example years back The HIV patients were discriminated and this led to stigmatisation. This
impact negatively on the patient since he will keep feeling low. The understanding of these

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factors help the nurses learn how patients perceive their health status and how to handle given
situations for the patient's benefits. Medical history of the patient is one of the key factors
considered at the initial stages of treatment. The study of nursing as a discipline equips the
nurses with the knowledge of what different medical history means for a patient and how to
deal with it. It will also aid the nurses in advising the patient's appropriately.
With the advancement in technology, nurses record the patient's information on
electronic devices like the computer. The application of medical technologies has made the
work of the nurses easier in places like the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).However, it has not led
to loss of skills as it requires substantial informational capability founded on nurses
acquaintance and experience with pathology and its management (Gough, Ballardie &
Brewer, 2014).The main areas which evolve as a result of technology include clinical
practice, education and research (Tasmanian, Ahanchian, Ahmadi, Gholizadeh, & Karimi-
Moonaghi, 2014). Intensive research has been carried out due to technology. In the study of
my course in campus, technology plays a key role .I can get any information I want
concerning my work within seconds. The internet helps me to study ahead in preparation for
my lectures and exams. I can read scholarly articles and journals easily as I do my assignment
or in preparation of my quizzes and major exams.
It is clear that the study of nursing as a discipline is very important. The study helps the
students equip themselves with knowledge necessary during practice. A well-educated nurses
is more capable of taking care of patients in a better way thus leading to better health care
services (Moore, 1990). The study helps the nurses improve themselves. The study also helps
the nurses predict the nursing patterns in the future. This helps the nurses to identify areas
which need improvement and to continue with practices that lead to positive outcomes. The
four main concepts of the discipline of nursing aid in the formation of the nursing theories.
These help nurses understand their field at large or rather deeper. Nursing has evolved over

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the years and the views of the field has kept on changing. My view of nursing keeps on
evolving. I am appreciative of the discipline of nursing.
SIGN OFF.

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References
Bender, M. (2018). Re-conceptualizing the nursing metaparadigm: Articulating the philosophical
ontology of the nursing discipline that orients inquiry and practice. Nursing Inquiry, 25 (3).
doi:10.1111/nin.12243
Brennan, D. (2005). The social construction of ‘woman’s work’: Nursing labour status. Journal of
Nursing Management, 282-285.
Donaldson S.K & Crowley D.M (1978).The discipline of nursing .Nursing Outlook, 26,113-120
Fawcett, J. (1984). The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Future Refinements. Image:
The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 16 (3), 84-87. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.1984.tb01393.x
Gough, R., Ballardie, R., & Brewer, P. (2014). New technology and nurses. Labour & Industry: A
Journal of the Social and Economic Relations of Work, 24(1), 9-25.
doi:10.1080/10301763.2013.877118
Hassanian, Z. M., Ahanchian, M. R., Ahmadi, S., Gholizadeh, R. H., & Karimi-Moonaghi, H.
(2014). Knowledge Creation in Nursing Education. Global Journal of Health Science, 7 (2).
doi:10.5539/gjhs.v7n2p44
Jacksonville University (2018).Today's nursing profession. (2018). Retrieved September 13, 2018,
from https://www.jacksonvilleu.com/blog/nursing/nursing-profession-today/
Moore, S. (1990). Thoughts on the discipline of nursing as we approach the year 2000. Journal of
Advanced Nursing, 15 (7), 825-828. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.1990.tb01913.x
Parker, M. E., & Smith, M. C. (2010). Nursing theories & nursing practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis
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