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1 Sociology and Nursing and Their Relationship SOCIOLOGY AND NURSING SOCIOLOGY Sociology is the study of human social behavior and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions. It is a social science which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social actions, social structure and functions. A goal for many sociologists is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure. The traditional focuses of sociology include social stratification, social class, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance. As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to further subjects, such as health, medical, military and penal institutions, the Internet, and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge. The range of social scientific methods has also expanded. Social researchers draw upon a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques. The linguistic and cultural turns of the mid-twentieth century led to increasingly interpretative, hermeneutic, and philosophic approaches to the analysis of society. Conversely, recent decades have seen the rise of new analytically, mathematically and computationally rigorou s techniques, such as agent-based modeling and social network analysis. AREAS OF SOCIOLOGY

Sociology and Nursing

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Page 1: Sociology and Nursing

1Sociology and Nursing and Their Relationship

SOCIOLOGY AND NURSINGSOCIOLOGY

Sociology is the study of human social behavior and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions. 

It is a social science which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social actions, social structure and functions.

A goal for many sociologists is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes.

Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure.

The traditional focuses of sociology include social stratification, social class, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance.

As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to further subjects, such as health, medical, military and penal institutions, the Internet, and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge.

The range of social scientific methods has also expanded. Social researchers draw upon a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques.

The linguistic and cultural turns of the mid-twentieth century led to increasingly interpretative, hermeneutic, and philosophic approaches to the analysis of society. Conversely, recent decades have seen the rise of new analytically, mathematically and computationally rigorous techniques, such as agent-based modeling and social network analysis.

AREAS OF SOCIOLOGY

Social organization is the study of the various institutions, social groups, social stratification, social mobility, bureaucracy, ethnic groups and relations, and other similar subjects such as education, politics, religion, economy and so forth.

Social psychology is the study of human nature as an outcome of group life, social attitudes, collective behavior, and personality formation. It deals with group life and the individual's traits, attitudes, beliefs as influenced by group life, and it views man with reference to group life.

Social change and disorganization is the study of the change in culture and social relations and the disruption that may occur in society, and it deals with the study of such current problems in society such as juvenile delinquency, criminality, drug addiction, family conflicts, divorce, population problems, and other similar subjects.

Human ecology deals with the nature and behavior of a given population and its relationships to the group's present social institutions. For instance, studies of this kind

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have shown the prevalence of mental illness, criminality, delinquencies, prostitution, and drug addiction in urban centers and other highly developed places.

Population or demography is the study of population number, composition, change, and quality as they influence the economic, political, and social system.

Sociological theory and method is concerned with the applicability and usefulness of the principles and theories of group life as bases for the regulation of man's environment, and includes theory building and testing as bases for the prediction and control of man's social environment.

Applied sociology utilizes the findings of pure sociological research in various fields such as criminology, social work, community development, education, industrial relations, marriage, ethnic relations, family counseling, and other aspects and problems of daily life.

NURSING Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals,

families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.

Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in a wide diversity of practice areas with a different scope of practice and level of prescriber authority in each. Many nurses provide care within the ordering scope of physicians, and this traditional role has come to shape the historic public image of nurses as care providers. However, nurses are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice independently in a variety of settings depending on training level. In the postwar period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing

WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SOCIOLOGY AND NURSING?

The connection between sociology and nursing covers a few key factors that help nurses integrate key sociological theories into their practice. One of the most important subject matters to directly impact the topic is an understanding of the difference between sociology in nursing and the sociology of nursing.

After gaining an understanding of the difference in the two topics, the symbolic relationship between the disciplines is geared toward the application of sociology to nursing theory and practice. This relationship centers on developing skills that better enable nurses to deliver nursing care to patients, taking into account sociological forces that inherently affect patient care and recovery as well as for nurses delivering such care.

Other key factors that connect sociology and nursing include providing a more robust framework for conducting nursing research and gaining a better understanding of the nursing field itself, particularly its role in healthcare.

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Sociology of nursing focuses on the sociological factors that evolve from the practice of nursing. Such topics may include a nurse’s occupational concerns or turnover problems, which are commonly characteristic in the field or nursing.

Rather, the focus is on the sociological attributes of nursing itself, while sociology in nursing focuses on the application of sociology tools and theories to nursing practice and research.

While the two topics have a different focus, both form a crucial relationship with nursing, aimed at better enabling nurses to provide better patient care.

Application is required to solidify this relationship, since sociology is of little or no use to nursing if the key findings are not further researched and then applied.

Research framework for sociology and nursing provides the first key link between the two disciplines. Defining sociology usually begins with an attempt to understand the social factors that affect a particular topic, or human social interactions at large.

Thus, nursing itself takes place with a range of social interactions between nurses and patients and between nurses and other healthcare participants as well as between nurses and those outside the healthcare system who may have a stake in health-related outcomes, such as the relatives of a patient.

Applying sociological research methods to nursing research and integrating sound sociological principles with nursing theory, can help researchers better understand relevant factors that impact nursing care.

For example, better understanding how culture impacts a patient’s healthcare experience may help nurses better understand how to speed recovery, leading to the application of sociology and nursing.

Application of sociological principles and findings within the field of nursing — and in the practice of nursing — is the most obvious connection between the two disciplines.

Nurses who have a solid understanding of sociology in nursing theory are often in a better position to understand the needs of their patients and how to best accommodate those needs from a social perspective.

On the other hand, nursing administrators who have a good grasp in the sociology of nursing are better equipped to attend to factors that impact staff moral and the efficient allocation of nursing staff.

WHAT IS THE RELEVANCE OF STUDYING SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING?

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The main relevance of studying sociology in nursing is to understand human nature. By understand the patient's customs and personal ideals, nurses are able to understand the concerns of their patient. This also helps them carry out their duties as a nurse in a way that will both benefit them and the patient.

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING

It is necessary for a nurse to have knowledge of sociology, so that He/She can learn and understand the human nature society and social institution. He/She can be a good and successful nurse, when she/he knows Her/him Surrounding and know how to deal with people individually and in groups.

The nurse is a first person who deals with the patients in emergency. If a nurse has knowledge of sociology and she/he will help her in dealing her patients in emergencies, who are usually under stress and shock. She/he will take prompt decision, and tackling them.

A trained nurse can help patients who are irritated during illness psychologically and help them to get over and recovery from illness.

A nurse who has knowledge about rituals and customs of different peoples can handle patients who are superstitious have to take medicines and they believe more in which doctors and quacks.

As our country biggest drawbacks is illiteracy. A nurse can educate people about clean less, balance diet and also guide mother and child health and vaccination.

The knowledge of sociology can help nurse in a number of ways that also help in improving in society