Nurses promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They have a unique scope of practice and can practice independently. However, they also collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to provide the individualized care each patient needs.
Nurses advocate for their patients and their families. They develop and manage nursing care plans and instruct patients in proper care. As educators, they help whole communities by teaching individuals and groups how to take steps to improve or maintain their health. As researchers, they advance science that is critical to improving patient care.
Nurses are an essential member of the healthcare team who spend the most time with patients. The contributions of the practice and science of nursing are significant and help improve the overall quality and safety of America’s healthcare system.
Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with more than 4.7 million licensed registered nurses practicing nationwide in a variety of settings. Despite its large size, many more nurses will be needed in the future to meet the growing demand for nursing care. The Department of Labor projects that the RN workforce will need to grow by 6% over the next decade to meet the accelerating demand for healthcare.