While most patients typically think of speaking to the doctor first and foremost, many will tell you that nurses play just as an important role in their healing process.  Nurses are there to help administer medication, check life vital signs, speak to the patient and their family, and serve food to the patient if the need requires.  They also check temperatures, give baths, prop up pillows, and serve as a caregiver to the sick and injured. 

The concept of nurses has been in existence for many thousands of years.  Nurses particularly served very important roles in times of war by helping wounded and injured soldiers, and gained a lot of respect and affection by helping those on the battlefield.  Many consider Florence Nightingale to be the mother of modern nursing.  Today, nurses must follow a stringent set of guidelines in order to be sure they are practicing ethically and correctly.  All registered nurses must obtain their nursing license for the state in which they plan to practice.  This entails receiving a proper education along with passing an exam. 

Nurses assess and diagnose the needs of a patient, then work closely with the doctor to develop a plan for their care and healing.  They are true professionals who work in over 200 different aspects of health care within the United States, and follow a rigorous structure of both practice and ethics.  Nurses can offer in home care, work at large or small hospitals, or work in schools.  No matter what the individual role, the overall goal is the same: to provide compassionate and thorough care to all patients they come in contact with.  They serve as real stewards for their communities, and offer help and care for all who are sick and in need.  Without nurses, the health care community would never be the same.