How Nursing Relates to Biology

Nursing and Biology: An Introduction

Nursing and biology are two of the most important topics that are closely relevant to the human body. In reality, they all deal with various facets of human beings in some way. It is expected, in fact, that all nurses have been exposed to a variety of biology courses in order to gain a thorough understanding of the human body. However, in order to clearly understand how nursing and biology are linked, all facets must be described. Nursing involves providing autonomous and all-inclusive services to all residents as they face different health-related challenges. On the other hand, biology entails the study of living things, which include human body. This means that a nurse must first be aware of human body before offering care to patients. However, there is growing debate highlighting whether biology should be incorporated in nursing or not. Thus, it would be imperative to indicate that the role played by biology in nursing cannot be underestimated. In this perspective, the following paper develops a discussion expounding how nursing is related to biology.

Anatomy: The Connection Between Nursing and Biology

One of the main ways in which nursing relates to biology is through anatomy. Anatomy, in this case, refers to the larger part of morphology that normally deals with all structures of organisms. In biology, anatomy studies as a whole focusing on the human body and its functionality. When combined with physiology, anatomy enables nurses to accomplish all the functions undertaken by nurses in every day (Isik and Samiye 1079). In particular, anatomy and physiology dictate whether one is right to do nursing as a professional career. As highlighted, nurses use both anatomy and physiology in understanding how they can care for their patients. For a body to operate, it must always be in a balanced state. If a body does not maintain balance, the nurse must incorporate biological aspects of anatomy to restore the body to its equilibrium. Skills from biology are applied by a nurse helps in creating assessment, monitoring, as well as reporting the condition of patients. With the aspect of anatomy, which is one of the most important aspects of biology, nurses and other health care provides are able to perform surgeries to patients. Thus, anatomy creates an avenue through which one can understand the relationship between nursing and biology.

Biochemistry: The Biological Aspect of Nursing

Biochemistry is another way through which nursing relates to biology. Biochemistry in this regard entails the study of chemical-related processes, which are related to living organisms. Therefore, biochemistry is one of the main branches of biology since encapsulating the study of a living organism. Biochemistry pertains to the biological aspect of chemistry. In nursing, the importance of clinical biochemistry is invaluable. When a patient is admitted to a hospital, the nurse keeps watch on his/her condition is progressing through the aspect of biochemistry. This means that treatments help them recover from such conditions. All diseases that can be treatable have some biochemical relationship in them (Budimir et al. 1197). Thus, it is of vital importance to indicate that various clinical conditions are always possible when nurses incorporate biochemical estimations. For instances, nurses incorporate biochemistry kidney function test. In this case, if a patient has a kidney disorder, urine test help in understanding the excretion of drugs. Another application of biochemistry is in relation to blood test. For instance, in diabetes treatment, biochemical analytical test help nurses to ascertain the severity of diabetes disease. Thus, biochemistry can be a good example of illustrating the relationship between nursing and biology.

Cell and Developmental Biology: Advancing Biomedical Research

Cell and developmental biology is another aspect that can be used to explain the relationship between nursing and biology. Cell and developmental biology play a vital role in biology as it helps in advancing biomedical research in cellular and molecular levels. In this perspective, the nurses employ the use of the ultimate knowledge garnered from biological studies of a single cell to develop a clear understanding of multi-cellular organism as well as human medicine (Charbonneau et al. 48). Through this, nurses are able develop various mechanisms of morphogenesis. Further, understanding the development changes in growth and differentiation from the human body acts as the epicentre of nursing knowledge. In this particular fact, biology is related to nursing concerning cell and developmental biology.

Ecology: Understanding the Relationship Between Organisms and their Environment

Another factor that can help in expounding the relationship between nursing and biology is ecology. In ecology, biologists establish the relationship that lies between organisms and the surrounding environment. In simple terms, it is one of the most important branches of biology, which helps in establishing the way organisms and their environment are interrelated. In this regard, ecology is an important aspect of nursing. In particular, human ecology directly relates to functions of a nurse. It would be imperative to define human ecology before explaining the concept (Jansen et al. 1079). Thus, it is an umbrella concept encapsulating of physical, social and cultural related elements which acts as external environment of an individual. Establishing this core interrelationship acts as the first step towards acknowledging and identifying key factors that dictates patient’s health. For instance, a nurse can incorporate cultural competency into his/her operation. Since culture acts as one of the environments surrounding humans, nurses are able to offer health to diverse populations. Moreover, nurses incorporate human ecology in order to gain a clear understanding of health patterns. In particular, the ever-increasing pressure to incorporate other aspects of nursing care has provided a path of incorporating human ecology. Thus, the role played by ecology, one of the main branches of biology in nursing cannot be underestimated.

Entomology: Understanding Insects and their Impact on Health

Nursing is related to biology through entomology. In biology, entomology entails the biological study of insects. In nursing, various insects are considered carrier of diseases. In this perspective, medical entomology is used in nursing in identifying insects that cause various diseases. Through medical entomology, nurses are able to establish how insects and their relatives affect the health of humans. Thus, nurses undertake research pertaining to the interaction of arboviruses and their host (Mostyn et al. 12). Normally, such research encapsulates the use of genetics, biology, as well as ecology. Further studies in this branch of biology will help nurses establish the causes and prevention of various diseases caused by insects. Thus, there is a very broad interrelation between nursing biology related to entomology.

Microbiology: Understanding Infectious Diseases

Microbiology is another branch of biology which is directly related to nursing. As a branch of biology that deals with micro-organisms, microbiology helps in defining various infectious diseases. In nursing, microbiology plays a crucial role in providing nurses with proper knowledge of preventing the transmission of the organism in health care. This is inarguably one of the most vital roles played by nurses. In fact, a nurse cannot learn about disease control, how it transmitted either viral, bacterial or fungal without incorporating the aspect of microbiology. Hence, it is the basis of all the disease process in human beings (Cox et al. 83). To have a clear understanding, it is important to consider an example where antibiotic help bacteria related infection and nothing could be done if the disease happens to be a virus. Without microbiology, nurses would have never come to realize this fact. Therefore, through microbiology, nursing is related to biology.

Genetics: Exploring Heredity and Disease Risks

Genetics, which is the study of heredity, also creates a relationship between nursing and biology. Biologists use genetics as a way of explaining how traits are passed from one generation to another. Nurses, through the genetic nurses, perform risk assessment by analyzing the contribution of genes to disease risks (Calzone et al. 1). Consequently, nurses are able to discuss the impact of those risks on key stakeholders in the healthcare management. Therefore, a proper understanding of genetics made possible by biology has a created a room where nurses enhance their caregiving. Thus, nursing is related to biology through genetics.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that nursing and the “study of life” or biology are two related aspects that cannot be separated from each other. In the discussion, it is apparent that the role of nurses as health care providers necessitates a very deep appreciation of understanding how a living organism works. In nursing, human body acts as the most important living thing. Some people have come up with questions seeks explanation on why a student who wants to become a nurse, need to know biology first. The discussion provides has expounded the need for understanding biology in the nursing profession as it aids in improving patient’s healthcare.

Works Cited

Budimir, Ana, et al. “Prevalence and molecular characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in a multicenter study of nursing home residents in Croatia.” American journal of infection control 42.11 (2014): 1197-1202.

Calzone, Kathleen A., et al. “Relevance of genomics to healthcare and nursing practice.” Journal of Nursing Scholarship 45.1 (2013): 1-2.

Charbonneau, Mark R., et al. “A microbial perspective of human developmental biology.” Nature 535.7610 (2016): 48-55.

Cox, Jennifer L., et al. “Putting it into practice: Infection control professionals’ perspectives on early career nursing graduates’ microbiology and infection control knowledge and practice.” Contemporary nurse 49.1 (2014): 83-92.

Isik, Burcin, and Samiye Kuzudisli. “Learning Anatomy Of Nursing And Medical Students.” Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 197 (2015): 1079-1084.

Jansen, Carl-Philipp, et al. “Assessing the effect of a physical activity intervention in a nursing home ecology: a natural lab approach.” BMC geriatrics 14.1 (2014): 117.

Mostyn, Alison, et al. “An exploration of student experiences of using biology podcasts in nursing training.” BMC medical education 13.1 (2013): 12.

St-Martin, Genevieve, et al. “Preparing Nurses for Genetic Medicine: Integration of a Brief Education Session in an Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum.” Journal of Nursing Education 56.3 (2017): 170-173.