Have you ever visited a hospital where there is no nurse? Doctors diagnose our ailments, prescribe medicine, but it does not end here. Nurses are an essential part of the healthcare system. They look after your wounds, monitor your vitals, and assist you with other health services. Florence Nightingale was the first person to introduce nursing to the world. From looking after to wounded in the battlefield to providing modern health facilities, nurses have always been on the frontline with doctors. 

Nursing is the most trusted profession in the world. They are still on their toes, working for the recovery of those needing medical attention. They coordinate with doctors to bring improvement in the treatments.

The profession of nursing today is serving as a glue that holds a patient's healthcare journey together. Patients feel relieved and heard when a nurse gives them attention because doctors cannot play two different roles at the same time. Nurses have many responsibilities to shoulder, such as recording patients' medical histories, contributing to the care plan, monitoring patients' health progress, and effectively coordinating with other staff members.

Health care systems follow a strict protocol of rules and medical laws devised by state and medical associations that are responsible for the regulation of smooth services in the hospitals. They have their fixed code of conduct, which every healthcare professional signs when they join any institute or hospital. The study programs for nursing also include the ethical nursing practice protocols that are mandatory to follow by individuals pursuing a career in nursing.

This year started with a shockwave of a pandemic outbreak. Had there been no doctors or nurses, the mortality rate would be far higher than current statistics. Let us see how crucial the role of nurses is in healthcare today.

1. Patient Care

If you have accidentally got a deep wound or cut, your doctor will only prescribe you medicines that will heal the injury, but he or she will not clean or cover it. To look after your wound, you will need the assistance of a nurse who can sanitize it and wrap the dressing around. Nurses are caregivers that help to manage physical needs, prevent illness, and treat health conditions by following a doctor’s advice. They continuously monitor the patient’s condition to observe anything irregular and report it to a doctor for better action. The care protocols provided by nurses extend beyond medication and therapies; they also play a role in the psychosocial, cultural, spiritual development of individuals.

2. Patient's Advocate

Patients are the priority of nurses. Patients who are already seeking treatments for their ailments are often unable to comprehend what is going on. They need someone who can advocate on their behalf, keeping in mind their best health interest. A doctor plans the course of treatment, and nurses are responsible for observing if it is working. In case of a change required, nurses can report the current progress and give suggestions for alteration in the patients' treatment pattern.  

3. Educating Patients

As a patient, while you are on a bed, you are receiving modern medicines that you do not know, except your doctor has prescribed it. Another role that nurses play is that of educating and supporting patients about their health. They tell you about the medicine routine, how you have to do a specific exercise, your food intake, and every other possible information that can help you recover faster.

4. Special and advance care

Nurses stay up-to-date with advanced techniques and healthcare strategies. They get to change their departments over rotations, which allows them to learn new skills and methods of treatment. A registered nurse performs physical exams, records medical histories, counsel’s patients, administers medicines, and provides the necessary support. They look after emergencies like accidents, pregnancy, cardiac issues, and pulmonary constraints.

5. Selfless Volunteers

Throughout history, nurses have always been on the frontline selflessly without caring for their life. They have been fighting with doctors in situations like storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, fire outbreaks, and pandemics like yellow fever, Spanish flu, etc. Nurses have been healing the world ever since their existence. They step forward to save human lives and understand how noble their path is. During wars, many people volunteered to look after injured and wounded to help nurses.

Conclusion

Since the 1800s, the profession of nursing has seen seismic revolutions in terms of technology and knowledge. Nurses form a significant part of the healthcare industry. From providing emergency aid to looking after hospitalized, you will hardly see a nurse resting during her or his working hours. Nurses are leading response teams today to combat disasters, fires, or a deadly virus. The World Health Organization has declared the year 2020 as the “year of nurses.” It will not be possible for doctors and patients to get through the critical scenarios of this pandemic without prompt and compassionate care of nurses. While many nurses and health professionals are leading the front line, let us not forget, they can also face the consequences. Nursing is the trusted and most noble profession as they work round-the-clock for the betterment of human life.