Nursing is a language with many different accents but it's a universal language too. From a doctor's viewpoint, this article describes how nurses contribute to the healthcare community.

Significance of nurses in the healthcare world

1. Nurses are an essential part of the healthcare system.
2. They are often referred to as the backbone of health care, and for good reason.
3. Nurses are responsible for a variety of healthcare roles, including patient care, education, and counselling.
4. They not only work in hospitals and clinics, but in schools, and provide other healthcare facilities to ensure that patients receive the best of the best possible care.

Drowning in empathy

Nurses are professionals working without discriminating against colour, religion, or nationality, just treating humans. Nursing is a kind of faith in itself with compassion at its core, a belief, and respect for every single individual's worth regardless. 

Nursing is not only about compressing and cracking the chest lot more about empathy humanity and what it means to be a human, thinking, working, and serving just the "Human".

The responsibilities they carry

1. One of the main responsibilities that nurses bravely carry is direct patient care. 
2. They are responsible for making patients feel comfortable and well cared for during their hospital stay. They work closely with physicians and other healthcare professionals to create and implement treatment plans, and they are often the first point of contact for patients and their healthcare providers, which indeed makes them the strong pillar of the healthcare system.
3. In addition to providing direct patient care, nurses are also responsible for educating patients and their families about their health conditions and treatment options. From time to time they teach patients how to manage their illnesses, how to properly take their medications and maintain a healthy lifestyle for themselves.
4. Imparting knowledge about healthy lifestyles, such as exercise and diet, in order to prevent illness in the first place, which is often referred to as the “primordial stage” of the disease, illnesses such as Diabetes can be recognised at this stage for better and timely management.
5. Another important role of nurses is advocacy. Nurses are often the first to notice changes in a patient's condition, and they are responsible for alerting the rest of the healthcare team to any issues that arise. They also advocate for their patient's rights and make sure they receive the best care possible. 
6. Nurses are trained to be excellent communicators and use these skills to ensure that patients and their families are fully informed and involved in their care.

Different work environments

1. Nurses work in a variety of settings. They often work long hours and must be on call in the evenings and on weekends. Despite their demanding work, nurses are often very dedicated to their patients and profession. 
2. One of the challenges nurses face is the shortage of qualified professionals in the field. This shortage is particularly acute in certain regions of the world, such as rural areas, where it can be difficult to find and retain qualified nurses.
3. To address this problem, healthcare organisations are working to increase the number of nursing programs and provide incentives for nurses willing to work in underserved areas.

The cost of caring

A big challenge for nurses is the increasing complexity of health care. Advances in medical technology and treatments mean that nurses must constantly learn and adapt to new practices and procedures.

In addition, healthcare is increasingly focused on prevention, and nurses are often at the forefront of these efforts. They work with patients to develop healthy habits and prevent the onset of chronic diseases.

Despite the challenges, nursing is a rewarding and fulfilling profession. Nurses have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of their patients, and they often build deep connections with the people they care for. The profession is in high demand, and there are many opportunities for career advancement and professional growth.

Healing our frontliners

Overall looking at the current scenario, the nursing profession has developed so strongest creating the backbone of the healthcare industry. They provide direct patient care, education, and advocacy, and work tirelessly to ensure that their patients receive the best possible care.

Nurses are often the unsung heroes of healthcare, playing a critical role in improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities. As the demand for healthcare continues to grow, nurses will be more critical than ever, and it is important that we continue to support and invest in this vital profession.

Knowing, hospital settings are not the safest place to breathe in, these professional nurses go through pain and trauma, ignoring the viruses that can be extremely infectious to nurses and other healthcare workers.

Disclaimer- The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of M3 India.

About the author of this article: Dr Astha Tyagi is a General Practitioner and a social media influencer. Currently, she is a practitioner at Sudarshan Hospital, Delhi.