Introduction to nursing

• Nursing is both an art and a science, using specialized knowledge and skills to promote wellness and provide care for people in health and illness in various settings
• Health is defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (WHO, 1948)
• Nursing involves many roles such as care giver, decision maker, advocate, educator, counselor, manager, researcher, and team player
• Caring is central to nursing, serving as the unifying focus for nursing practice and forming the basis of human life
• Modern nursing encompasses activities, concepts, and skills related to basic science, social sciences, contemporary issues, and other areas of interest
• The word "nursing" originates from the Latin term NUTRITURA OR NUTRIO, meaning "to nurture or nourish"
• Florence Nightingale defined nursing as putting a patient into a comfortable position and allowing nature to take control
• Nursing is recognized as a profession based on criteria like a well-defined body of knowledge, service orientation, code of ethics, professional organization, autonomy, and ongoing research
• Nursing aims to promote health, prevent illness, restore health, and facilitate coping with disability or death
• Nurses use cognitive, technical, interpersonal, and ethical/legal skills to provide safe and knowledgeable care
• Ethical/legal competence in nursing includes being trusted to act in ways that advance the interests of patients, being accountable for practice to patients, the caregiving team, and society, acting as an effective patient advocate, mediating ethical conflicts, practicing nursing faithful to professional codes of ethics and standards, and using legal safeguards to reduce the risk of litigation
• Nurses and midwives play a crucial role in all settings, with examples of settings for nursing care including historical contexts like the pre-Christian era, Christian era, middle ages, reformation, and the Florence Nightingale era
• Symbols in healthcare include the caduceus and the staff of Aesculapius, both based on mythical figures and representing modern medicine
• Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, made significant contributions such as identifying patient needs, establishing the first school for training practical nurses, setting standards for hospital management, and recognizing nursing as both an art and science
• Specialties in nursing and midwifery include clinical nurse, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse educator, nurse researcher, nurse administrator, nurse lawyer, ophthalmic nurse, and nurse phlebotomist
• International professional nursing organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA), the National League for Nursing (NLN), and the American Association of Colleges in Nursing (AACN) play key roles in advancing the nursing profession through education, standards, and research
• AACN is the national voice for baccalaureate and higher degree nursing education programs, focusing on establishing quality educational standards and influencing the nursing profession to improve healthcare
• AACN provides voluntary accreditation for educational programs in nursing
• National accreditation for collegiate nursing programs is provided through AACN by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• The International Council of Nurses (ICN), founded in 1899, is the world’s voice of the nursing profession, aiming to promote the development of strong national nurses associations and improve nursing standards and competence
• ICN consists of nurses from 84 countries and accepts one association of nurses per country into membership
• The West Africa College Of Nursing (WACN), established in 1977, aims to promote excellence in nursing education, support nursing education programs, encourage research, and implement continuous education programs for nursing personnel
• WACN's major activities are carried out through its five constituent faculties: Medical surgical nursing (red), Maternal and child health nursing (white), Community health nursing (green), Mental and psychiatry nursing (blue), and Administration management and education (gold)
• The Commonwealth Nurses Federation (CNF), founded in 1973, is a federation of national nurses associations in Commonwealth countries, aiming to influence health policies, develop nursing networks, enhance nursing standards and competence, and strengthen nursing leadership
• The International Council of Midwives defines midwifery as the first-choice health profession that caters to pregnant mothers and their unborn babies, ensuring safe deliveries to healthy babies
• The International Council of Midwives day was first celebrated on 5th May 1991 and has been observed in 50 countries around the world
• The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), formed in March 1960, aims to advance the interest of the nursing profession in Ghana and worldwide, negotiating for good pay, fringe benefits, and promotion avenues
• The Government Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), formed in June 2007, is a member of the International Confederation of Midwives, providing education in reproductive health, maternal and child health, family planning, and more
• The Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association (GMNTA) is the student nurses association of Ghana, aiming to uphold the dignity and ideals of the nursing profession, promote unity among students, and encourage leadership and administrative ability
• The Nursing and Midwifery Council Ghana (NMCG) is responsible for all activities concerning nurses’ and midwives’ professional standards, including the code of conduct and efficiency
• The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana is responsible for all activities concerning nurses' and midwives' professional standards, including code of conduct and efficiency
• The Council's mandate is derived from the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), and its vision is to secure the highest standards of training and practice of nursing and midwifery in the public interest
• The Council establishes standards and provides guidelines for the development of curricula for the training of nurses, midwives, and nurse assistants
• The Council registers and maintains a register of practitioners, exercises disciplinary powers over practitioners, and prescribes and maintains professional standards and conduct for practitioners
• In collaboration with appropriate government agencies, the Council ensures that nursing and midwifery institutions are accredited and determines and implements post-registration, continuing education, and professional development programs for practitioners
• The Council ensures that the education and training of nurses and midwives are carried out at approved educational institutions for efficient nursing and midwifery practice
• The Council advises the Minister of Health on matters relating to the practice of nursing and midwifery and monitors and inspects training institutions and health facilities in collaboration with the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency
• Qualities of a good nurse/midwife include honesty, standing firm for what is right, reliability, patience, kindness, compassion, observant reporting, resourcefulness, punctuality, courtesy, tactfulness, emotional control, tolerance, understanding, faithfulness, neatness, and technical competence
• Roles of a good nurse/midwife include keeping patients' immediate environment clean and neat, helping patients in personal care, ensuring safety and protection, helping patients achieve proper nutrition, assisting with rehabilitation therapy, handling emergencies, observing and accurately recording observations, administering treatment/medication, recording vital signs, dressing wounds, participating as a full member of the health team, and communicating clearly with patients and staff
• The Nurses' Pledge includes promises to care for the sick with all skill, respect patients' dignity, keep personal information confidential, maintain professional knowledge and skill, follow medical instructions, bring credit to the profession, and promote health locally, nationally, and internationally