Reflection on the four branches of nursing

Nursing is "a profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintenance and restoration of health by attending the needs of sick persons." (www.medterms.com) Famous nurse, Florence Nightingale's, greatest achievement was to raise nursing to the level of a respectable profession for women. In 1860, with the public subscriptions of the Nightingale Fund, she established the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St. Thomas' Hospital. Things have changed a great deal since 1860. In the United States, for example, Nursing has become highly specialized and there are many categories of Nursing. In the United Kingdom, there are five categories of Nursing. As defined by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, these categories are: Mental Health Nursing, Learning Disability Nursing, Children's Nursing, Midwifery Nursing, and Adult Nursing. (www.nmc-uk.org) Mental Health Nurses, Learning Disability Nurses, and Midwifery Nurses are all either Adult Nurses or Children's Nurses depending on the age of their patient. These categories are inter-twined, and all of the other branches are relevant to Adult Nursing.

Mental Health Nurses care for people with mental health problems. They help patients either overcome or accept their problem so that they can lead as normal a life as possible. "A mental illness is a disorder of the brain that results in a disruption in a person's thinking and ability to relate to others. Most psychologists attribute mental illness to organic/neurochemical causes that can be treated with psychiatric medication, lifestyle adjustments and other supportive measures." (www.wikipedia.com) Mental Health Nurses care for people of all ages, from the very young to the very old. For example, in the United States, 15% of the adult population and 21% of the child/adolescent population use some sort of mental health service per year. (www.surgeongeneral.gov) Mental Health Nurses could be considered Adult Nurses or Children's Nurses depending on the age of their patient.

Learning Disability Nurses work with people with learning disabilities to help them become as independent as possible. Learning Disability Nurses work with people of all ages who suffer from varying degrees of problems. They also provide support for the families of their patients. Their patients may have a variety of health problems in addition to their learning disability, which the Learning Disability Nurse will have to take into consideration. Learning Disability Nurses are Children's Nurses or Adult Nurses. In some cases, they may be both for the same patient when that patient requires long-term care. They may be required to act as a Mental Health Nurse for their patient's family (or for the patients themselves).

"Learning disorders affect the ability to interpret what one sees and hears or the ability to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways -- as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write, or to do math. Learning disabilities can be lifelong conditions that, in some cases, affect many parts of a person's life: school or work, daily routines, family life, and sometimes even friendships and play. In some people, many overlapping learning disabilities may be apparent. Other people may have a single, isolated learning problem that has little impact on other areas of their lives." (www.medterm.com)

Midwifery Nurses are trained in both Nursing and Midwifery. They provide support to women, their babies, their partners, and their families, from conception to the first phase of post-natal care. It is in giving this support that the Midwifery Nurse acts as a Mental Health Nurse. In fact, in some countries babies are more likely to be delivered by a Midwifery Nurse rather than a Medical Doctor. "Midwives in Ireland, Scotland, and England deliver more than 65% of all babies." (www.medterms.com) They provide care for the newborn as well as for the mother. Midwifery Nurses usually care for adult mothers, but may also be required to care for very young mothers who are only children themselves. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "about 425,000...teens ages 15 to 19" give birth each year in the United States. Midwifery Nurses are Adult Nurses and Children's Nurses at the same time. Even when the mother is an adult, once the baby is born, the Midwifery Nurse becomes a Children's Nurse.

Children's Nurses care for sick children, from newborns to teenagers, and provide support to their families. Children have different health needs than adults because they are still growing. The impact of their treatment on their development must be taken into consideration when caring for a sick child. In addition, they may be more scared or confused than an adult would be in the same situation. Children's Nurses are by necessity Mental Health Nurses when comforting a frightened child or a worried parent. Additionally, since most Learning Disabilities are onset in childhood, the Children's Nurse must be able to recognize the signs of a Learning Disability and must know what to do about the discovery.

Adult Nurses are primarily concerned with nursing sick and injured adults back to health. However, that is not the only function of an Adult Nurse. They need to be able to address not only the physical condition of their patients, but also the mental states of those patients, and their families, concerning the patients' illness. It is in this sense that they act as Mental Health Nurses. Adult Nurses may also be required to act as Children's Nurses, when their primary patient is a parent with a frightened child in tow. Adult Nurses may have to deliver a baby at some point, thus performing the role of a Midwifery Nurse. If the patient requires special consideration because of a Learning Disability, the Adult Nurse will need to be able to handle the situation.