The Sociology of Nursing

In the past, it was unheard of for sociology to be a subject for nursing students. Now, nursing students are often required take the subject because it is widely viewed as essential knowledge to their daily work as nurses. Sociology is the study of human behavior. From its definition, any nursing student can construe sociology as their calling card when it comes to handling patients.

Nurses get a lot of human interaction and that is one way of determining human behavior. Any nurse who is serious about a nursing profession should consider sociology as an important subject to learn.

Treating sociology as a core part of your nursing education is a key to become a successful nurse. You will be able to provide genuine care and perform appropriate diagnoses if you have an understanding of human behavior and reactions. Sociology enables nurses to understand their social responsibility as agents of change. When you have the capacity to heal or make your patients feel better, you are not only treating their illnesses; you are also improving the quality of their lives.

Nurses will also gain insight into the minds and hearts of their patients. That may not be manifested on initial diagnosis, but with sociology, you begin to understand that the healing of a person is a process and more than just the giving of medicine. This is why science sociology is already part and parcel of a nursing profession. Without it, nurses are incapable of understanding the intricacies of providing diagnosis to people what with their different backgrounds and ideologies. Sociology is the ticket to a more effective diagnosis.

The Importance Of Sociology

Before sociology existed, the study of human society was based on the unscientific methods and society has never part of the central concern of any sciences.  However, since the emergence of sociology, the legitimate scientific study of society has made it possible. it has revealed that the present world is suffering from many problems, and those can only be solved through scientific study of social sciences.

It is true that we cannot understand and solve the problem of the society without the any full knowledge of its mechanism and structure. It is necessary to have a certain amount of knowledge about the society, before any social policies can be carried out. Sociology studies various ideas of what might create an ideal society.

It is through sociology that we change the way we look at human beings. It is difficult for us to understand people intimately in the other areas. Every individual was raised in different and unique ways of living. We exist in different cultures and environments. We have different ways of thinking. The reason why sociology was established was so that we can understand the value and the intrinsic worth of human being. Human culture has been made richer through sociology. It trains us to give a have to proper perception to questions concerning oneself, one’s culture and one’s religion. It helps us understand other people objectively. It aims to unite the world through rationality. It has brought nations nearer to each other because of overcoming the things that divides us, like personal prejudices, ambitions and hatred.

Thus, sociology is not only important to a single human being but to the whole world. It contributes to making good citizens and it can help solve the problems of communities. It helps the individual to find his or her relation to the society. The study of sociology is one of the most urgent needs of modern society because of its ever growing complicated needs.

Studying Sociology

No one can live as an island. We have heard of this phrase countless times and it has been proven that indeed no one can survive being alone. If you have watched the movie “Castaway,” then that means you get the idea why humans thrive and develop off interaction with other humans. We need to be able to communicate in order to fulfill our physical needs and satisfy our emotional and mental development. Unlike domestic animals such as dogs, human beings are social animals.

Studying Sociology helps us understand what is going on around the world. It helps us look more objectively at our society and other societies. Sociology can provide insight into the way in which individuals, friends, families, and whole societies function and interact with one another. It directs attention to how the parts of society fit together and change, and the consequences of social change.

Sociology also improves communication skills, for both written and verbal communication. Human interaction is a vital part of studying sociology, and what better way for humans to interact than through communication? Discussions and debates are the basis of many sociology classes wherein people can explore and challenge the ideas of others. In order to defend our ideas or dispute others, as well as articulate the complex theories and abstract concepts of the principles of Sociology, good knowledge and command of English are required, thus, helping us improve our communication skills.

There are a lot of careers to choose from when we study Sociology. Aside from being “sociologists,” a job title that can be obtained through and MA or PhD degree in Sociology, many other opportunities exist such is becoming high school teachers or faculty in colleges and universities, advising students, conducting research, and publishing work. In some sectors, sociologists work closely with economists, political scientists, anthropologists, psychologists, social workers, and others.

The Relevance of Sociology in the Nursing Profession

Sociology is defined as a study of human behavior inside the societal context. Despite its huge importance in politics, organizations, and other statistical fields, nursing students struggle to see its relevance in their chosen career.

Basically, there exist two kinds of sociological knowledge in the nursing course: sociology in nursing and sociology of nursing. Both these knowledge give nursing a different light. It’s like students are given a new pair of glasses, and look at everyday occurrences in a whole different way. But how?

The practical relevance of sociology in the profession depends on how an individual perceive what nursing is all about. If they want to find ways to cater the needs of their patients, nursing students need to understand their experiences with health and illnesses, what’s their basis of health, what is it like to live with similar disorder, and how society views of these people. In short, if one thinks nursing involves critical thinking and patient experience, then sociology has a lot to give.

Most students are intimidated with this subject matter and find it difficult. At a glance, one cannot easily connect sociology to the current practical context of the nursing practice. However, when students engage in wider social issues, they develop reflecting skills. Having these skills let a nurse become a care provider rather than just being too technical with their job.

The remainder relevance of sociology lies on focusing on contemporary research especially in patients with learning difficulties. The significance of this research lie on changing the stereotypical perception of people with learning disabilities that they are incompetent, inadequately capable of speaking for themselves, and thus needs to be given care. It also gives students valuable insight to what these people are going under to have a better understanding of their needs.  Sociological research continues to expand and has become useful in the nursing profession.

Role of Sociology in Nursing

Nursing is more than just taking blood samples, recording patient data or assisting the physician. Nurses are well-educated and prepared to handle sophisticated tasks and procedures to best assist the patients towards recovery. Additionally, learning the medical terms as well as the procedures is not their only job. Nurses, to be more effective, must be able to learn the proper way of approaching their patients. They must also be able to understand how people think, feel and react. This may seem like a job for a psychologist, but it is very important to be able to provide quality and effective health care services.

As a nurse, you will be able to experience different types of patients with different health issues and from different social backgrounds. Patients react differently on a particular condition or medication which will have a direct impact on their recovery. Through the knowledge of sociology, nurses will be able to look past what is obvious. It will give them another perspective of the situation which will give an idea on what approach or medication to take.

Incorporating sociology in nursing helps develop skills that will make nurses provide nursing care to patients in a more effective way by considering many other factors and forces that directly affect recovery and care. Determining the factors that may hinder recovery or promote it may help avoid malpractice and fast track recovery.

The fast recoveries of the patients don’t just depend on the quality of the medicines the patient took or the use of the advanced medical facilities, it also depends on how well the nurses determine the true needs of the patient.

Nursing and Sociology

Sociology assists a nurse in understanding more the patients, how they think and react to certain medications, the same way psychology really does. The only real distinction is the fact that sociology does it from a “group” or “community” viewpoint. These are generally essential simply because apart from medical understanding, a nurse genuinely has to be kind, considerate and compassionate. The details learned by even a basic study in those fields might play a role toward being a kinder, milder, nurse. Furthermore, there are several ethical questions in medicine which may be partly covered using the research of sociology.

Nowadays, nursing goes past concentrating on disease and pathology to include a significantly wider concept of both ill health and personage. Nurses are significantly linked to producing sense and giving objective to life, disease and death.

Sociology is involved in study regarding human societies. Sociologists have concerns with comprehending society in a disciplined way. Sociology deals with difficulties which are generally subjects of major dispute in society, like the relationship between cultural class and illness, the changing function of religion, the rising of separation and divorce rate and the altering dynamics of work.

Sociological inquiry can light up that assistance and help understand the relationship between private difficulties like illness, premature death, and cancer of the lung and public concerns such as tobacco advertising.

Sociology may be of value to nurses in order to question the values and beliefs of their expert and the organizational framework in which they work. We have to comprehend the social forces which usually shape and restrict our lives to be able to modify them.

Being familiar with many people is very important. Think about this – a nurse has to inquire about if a customer is using illegal drugs. Without knowing this detail may cause the doctor to prescribe incorrectly. But how are you able to ask to get an honest answer? Knowing how people think can lead to learning how to phrase the question. Also being familiar with cultural differences is highly essential for too many good reasons to go into here. Nurses work with people, and they need to comprehend them. The participant who said – no significance is clearly ignorant.

Sociology in Nursing and Sociology of Nursing

The relation between sociology and nursing covers a couple of important aspects which help nurses integrate key sociological theories to their practice. Probably the most important topics you need to understand when relating sociology to nursing is the difference between “sociology in nursing” and “sociology of nursing”.  If you are already able to understand the two, you will understand that the relationship between your disciplines is targeted toward the use of sociology to nursing theory and practice. This relationship focuses on developing abilities that better enable nurses to provide nursing decision to patients and considering sociological forces that naturally affect patient care.

nursing-sociologySociology of nursing concentrates on the sociological factors that evolve in the practice of nursing. Such subjects can include a nurse’s job concerns or revenue problems that are generally characteristic in the area of nursing. The main focus is around the sociological characteristics of nursing itself, while sociology in nursing concentrates on the use of sociology tools and theories in nursing practice and research. As the two subjects possess a different focus, both form an important relationship with nursing, targeted at enabling nurses to supply better patient care.

A research framework for sociology and nursing offers the first key link disciplines. Understanding sociology usually starts by having an effort to comprehend the social factors affecting a specific subject, or human social interactions in particular. Thus, nursing itself happens with a variety of social interactions between nurses and patients and between nurses along with other healthcare participants in addition to nurses and individuals outside the health care system like the relatives of the patient.

Nurses who’ve a good knowledge of “sociology in nursing” theory are frequently in a stronger position to know the requirements of their patients and just how to best accommodate individual needs from the social perspective. However, nursing managers who have a very good understanding with the “sociology of nursing” are more effective in attending factors that impact staff morale and also the efficient allocation of nursing staff. Application of sociological principles and findings within the field of nursing is the most obvious connection between the two subjects.

Health and Sociology

sociology (1)When we talk about health, we may only consider the biological or the physical aspect of a certain human being. However, health is a social issue and it may affect not just a single person, but as well as the community. That means sociology has an impact on health. The health of any individual may be affected by any social issue. The World Health Organization defines “health” as a ‘condition of complete physical, mental and social well-being’. As we can see, the WHO link health to the status of any society, culture as well as traditions and religious beliefs.

We all know the fact that the wealthy in most communities have more access to quality healthcare, medicines and services. The poorest in the society have the least access to healthcare; depending only on government support or NGOs. They also have the highest infant mortality because of inaccessibility to hospitals and medicines starting from pregnancy. The poor countries’ health is compromised by insufficient food and poor sanitation. This affects also the average life expectancy which is generally below 50 years. Roughly half the children born in poor nations generally don’t reach adulthood.

Standards of health within the Western nations such as the USA have greatly enhanced starting the nineteenth century. This is mainly because of better standards of living when industrialization advances the medicine and healthcare system. It was able to control infectious illnesses. Today, ill health in western communities can be indicated largely by chronic degenerative illnesses for example cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancers. Individual health-affecting actions like smoking cigarettes and drinking also have impact on the society’s health.

Promoting health in any society may be hard to achieve if the support is less, financially and legally. Improving the status of the society will also improve the health. The primary objective of any program should be to reduce inequities in health. Ever since then, health promotion has turned into a primary feature of health policy in any country. Giving importance on the study of sociology in relation to health will make a difference not just on the health of the individuals but on their status and way of living as well.

Sociology in Nursing

Nursing doesn’t just require skills, education or experience to be successful in the healthcare industry. It also comprises of other things like how the nurse deals and interacts with his patients. Sociology will enable the nurse to know the proper approach to different types of patients. There are patients who are moody and unapproachable because of their illnesses. Understanding how to deal with them will make the medication easier and effective. Through sociology, you as the nurse will be able to be sympathetic, compassionate and kind to your patient.

nursing sociologyNursing today takes more than just expertise in medical procedures but also by incorporating methods to the different approach on a certain type of patient. It is part of the responsibility of the nurse to give purpose to life, death and illness. Sociology has a bigger role in this process. Through sociology, the nurses are taught to engage in the studies in human societies. Understanding people in general is extremely important. If you are a nurse, you need specific information, some are very confidential, and that could be the basis of the medication. For an instance, if the patient is using any illegal drugs, you need to know how to approach without getting him offended. Getting that information will greatly change the prescription that the doctor will give to the patient.

Sociology has done so many things in improving the approach and the system of the healthcare system. Sociological theories have brought great light to the many features of illness and health. It has also brought valuable theories which leads to the creation of clinical tools. To become an effective nurse, you need to have the skills and expertise, but you need the proper approach and understanding of all your patients. Having all of this, you will be fully equipped and provide the most efficient services.

 

Public Sociology

In the last several years, the term “public sociology” has become progressively typical among sociologists. As President of the American Sociological Organization in 2004, Eileen Burawoy motivated sociologists to think beyond the educational custom of discussing our concepts only with other experts in educational publications. Burawoy described public sociology as “a conversation between sociology and publics” which could take on many forms: a weblog like this, which is designed to discuss concepts from sociology to sociologists and non-sociologists as well, for instance; and community activism, where sociologists use theory and analysis outcomes to create social transformation. Even educating our classes can be regarded a way of public sociology; most learners who take sociology programs do not become sociologists, but they are all members of a community. Considering sociologically is a device to analyze our lifestyles and our group more seriously.

public_sociology

Doing “public sociology” provides some difficulties too. First, discussing our analysis beyond the limitations of the self-discipline can mean our outcomes are misunderstood or misstated, sometimes in an attempt to make them easier to comprehend by laypeople. Part of what sociologists do is to try and comprehend these technicalities and to offer detail to daily problems that seem easy. The task of public sociology is to do our best to describe complex problems simply. We want sociological thinking to be part of the story, we just cannot always control how much sociology penetrates in.

We might scale from current analysis, but it is not unusual for journalists to ask us to talk beyond our specialty. A few decades ago, while discussing to a writer about analysis outcomes just like her story, she pointedly said, “you have not responded to my query,” as though I was an elected politician intentionally concealing something from her. We cannot always answer their questions, nor should we if they are too far beyond the opportunity of the analysis we are acquainted with. Another challenge with introducing sociological ideas in a community is that public discussion itself can be harmful, especially when governmental issues are involved. One sociologist who studies governmental motions was a regular target of a talk radio host and even got death threats.