Nursing Versus Medicine

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that for those unfamiliar with the world of health care, medical practitioners and nurses would appear to be of the same discipline. The writer then points out that this is far from the truth, as the allopathic medical model of patient care and the more holistic model of nursing care differ in both essential and minor ways. This paper discusses the differences between nursing and medicine with regards to history, focus, education and career flexibility. The writer notes that nurses and physicians work side-by-side in the same setting every day and that each discipline needs the other in order to provide comprehensive health care for the patient. The writer concludes that one could say that nurses have been trained to treat the patient while physicians are trained to treat the disease.

Outline:
History
Focus
Education
Flexibility

From the Paper:

"That being said, the focus of the physician in the treatment setting is to cure the disease which brings the patient in. To the nurse, the focus is more holistic. Nurses enlist the patient and family as active participants in care, with a focus on wellness. Nurses focus on the education of patient and family in disease management, personal hygiene and transmission prevention, and many other psycho-social elements of illness and disease. Despite the movement of medicine towards prevention and evidence based intervention, it is still the primary focus of the physician to "make the patient well". While the nurse also wants the patient to be well, he or she will also want to help the patient understand the disease and empower the patient to prevent relapse."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chinn, P. L., & Kramer, M. K. (2004). Integrated knowledge development in nursing (6th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby
• Fawcett, J. (2005). Contemporary nursing knowledge: Analysis and evaluation of nursing models and theories (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
• McLaughlin-Renpenning, K., & Taylor, S. G. (2002). Self-care theory in nursing: Selected papers of Dorothea Orem. New York: Springer.

More papers on Nursing Versus Medicine:

• Essay # 85070 : "Ethnographic Research and Cultural Diversity in Nursing"
• Analytical Essay # 55827 : "Quality Care"
• Essay # 88205 : "Health Care"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: