INTRODUCTION TO PATIENT CARE

The present approach aimed to provide healthcare community educators, students, and other stakeholders with an introductory foundation for patient care from a hospital nursing perspective. It was based on a documentary review of the international clinical literature, considering three main elements: specialized care and the nursing profession, stages of the caring process, and basic nursing care. The provision of fundamental nursing care is the disciplined foundation upon which advanced nursing competencies and professional development are built. Decisions regarding acute, chronic, critical, and end-of-life patient care are made within this area of nursing. Professionalization, practical application, and the expansion of care begin with training and education. For academic success, having the appropriate tools, knowledge, and ability to implement care will be crucial.