Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviating of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations (ANA, 2010). Nurses serve to protect, to promote, to optimize and to prevent through the diagnosis and treatment of human responses.

Nurses are uniquely qualified to diagnosis and treat the human experience.

Nursing is based on:

• A scientific body of knowledge
  
• Utilization of Scientific process in practice
  
• Standard of Practice & Code of Ethics

Nursing is self regulated:

• Nurse Practice Act
• American Association of Nursing