Recognizing both health and disease is an integral part of the care process. Health pertains to the condition in which the body can normally perform its vital functions while the disease is the opposite of such a state. The knowledge obtained regarding such important healthcare concepts is vital for professionals to be reliable providers of care and help patients overcome the burden of disease that reduces their quality of life, which includes both physical and emotional well-being.
For a nursing student, the information obtained during the Human Disease course provides a framework on top of which one may build further knowledge, skills, and competencies that are essential in their future career. For example, by understanding how to gather data regarding how, when, and where diseases occur, nurses have an idea of how severe a disease is and which resources are necessary to put toward prevention and treatment (Zelman et al., 2015). In addition, the course provided valuable information regarding the epidemiology of the disease, which is highly relevant in the modern context. Nurses are now required to know COVD-19 epidemiology to make recommendations regarding the prevention, control, and treatment of the virus.
Health promotion and disease prevention are highly important functions of healthcare professionals as the latter is required to educate the public regarding the ways they can avoid chronic diseases and live healthy and happy life. The knowledge about the disease is not about fearmongering patients but rather providing them with support and qualified advice on how they can overcome the challenge of poor health. While treatment, either medical or holistic, is highly important, understanding disease helps to prevent it more successfully.
Reference
Zelman, M., Tompary, E., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., & Lou, M. (2015). Human diseases: A systemic approach (8th ed.). Pearson Education.