the field of healthcare practically

the field of healthcare practically

Nursing as a basic science vs. an applied science

On one hand, basic science is defined as a branch of science that is concerned with understanding the manner in which things work. Basic science helps to come up with theories and discoveries in science. Applied science, on the other hand, is a field in science that is involved with the application of the theories and discoveries of science developed for example from basic science to help solve problems in the field of healthcare practically (DeNisco & Barker, 2016). Similar to the case of the discipline and the profession basic science and applied science differ in the purpose they serve as basic science helps in the development of new information on how things work while applied science applies this information and knowledge in a practical setting and they are both dependent on one another.

As the aspect of preventive care and evidence-based practice is greatly being incorporated into the field of nursing, the field has incorporated both basic and applied science practices. Nursing is considered as a basic science when nurses are involved in the development of new knowledge about how things work and this has become common as they try to understand the prevalence of diseases among the populations that they serve. Nursing is also an applied science and has long been considered so because nurses are engaged in the application of scientific knowledge to help enhance the health status of individuals at the hospital and the community level. Nursing as a basic science is a new phenomenon that falls in place following the involvement of nurses in scientific research.

In general, there is a link on whether nursing is a discipline or a profession and whether it is a basic or an applied science. The link is that is nursing is that it cannot be a discipline by being involved in scientific research without falling under basic sciences and it cannot be a profession without falling as an applied science.