1. Medical-surgical nursing is a nursing specialty area concerned with the
care of adult patients in a broad range of settings.
Medical-surgical nursing is the largest group of professionals in the field
of nursing. Advances in medicine and nursing have resulted in medical-
surgical nursing evolving into its own specialty.
Many years ago a majority of hospital nurses worked on wards, and
everyone was a medical-surgical nurse. Today licensed medical-surgical
nurses work in a variety of positions, inpatient clinics, emergency
departments, administration, out patient surgical centers, home health
care, ambulatory surgical care, and skilled nursing homes. Some
military medical-surgical nurses serve on battlefields.

2. THE
EVOLUTION
OF
NURSING

14. CONCEPT OF COMPREHENSIVE NURSING CARE
1. MANAGING PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSES TO ILLNESS
• Pain
• Dyspnea
• Nutrition and hydration
• Elimination
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
SOCIAL ISSUES
COMMUNICATION
SPIRITUAL CARE

15.  Autonomy
 Beneficence
 Nonmaleficence
 Confidentiality
 Double Effect
 Fidelity
 Justice
 Paternalism
 Respect for Persons
 Sanctity of Life
 Veracity