Nursing combines the arts of human caring and healing with the science of human existence. Nursing is broad in its scope, but focused on individual human responses to health and illness. In order to accomplish this, nurses need to be able to apply scientific knowledge to the processes of diagnosis and treatment; integrate objective data with knowledge gained from an understanding of the patient’s or group’s subjective experience and provide a caring relationship that facilitates health and healing. (ANA Social Policy Statement, 1999)
Now is perhaps the best time to come into nursing. The opportunities are endless and the change and advancement one will see are exciting and unique to this time. At no prior time in our history have we witnessed such a shortage of nurses at the same time when the need for care is growing. As the population ages, care needs will expand. As technology increases, the need for human touch expands and grows exponentially. Thus, it is a unique time to enter the profession. It is excitement, it is powerful and it is a profession in which we give much, yet receive so much more in return. Thus, the opportunities for nurses are greater than ever before. I encourage anyone with talent, intelligence, courage and a keen interest in helping people to consider nursing. Nursing is good work.