Is nursing an art, a science, or both Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is nursing an art, a science, or both - Essay Example ctitioners, stated that â€Å"Nursing is an art, and if it is to be made an art, it requires as exclusive a devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work, for what is having to do with the living body - the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the fine Arts; I had almost said the finest of the fine Arts†1. The lexicon defines art as, "both a human creative skill or its application"2. Further, the renowned Plato once asserted that, "Art is the things which are acquired or reduced craft or skill"3. The art and science of nursing permit it to attain its objectives in respect of providing for the health care needs of patients in home, community or institutional health care delivery environments. This entails the use of the nursing process to promote and maintain health, prevent illness, diagnose and manage potential or actual health problems, facilitate adaptation to health impairments, assist rehabilitation and maximize the opportunity for dignity in living and dying. Some authorities were of the opinion that, â€Å"Nurses are faced daily with clinical decisions making. They carry the spirit of caring through the ages as patient’s advocates but now they are being forced to examine ethics to an even greater degree from a world wide point†4. Moreover, nursing, throughout its history was concerned with caring, despite the fact that the concept of care varies according to societal events and needs. This requires the use of the scientific methodology. Furthermore, nurses comprise the largest group of health care professionals and nurses operate from a unique disciplinary perspective and they view each patient as a person in relation to their environment and the social, economic, and political forces that shape this environment. This makes it imperative to recognize that a nurse’s duty consists of maximizing the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of patients’ health after giving due consideration to the infinitely complex