This interchange is impacted by humans' internal environment that consists of physiological, psychosocial, developmental, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. The external environmental system consists of groups of humans united by common familial, geographic, socioeconomic, political, spiritual, and cultural characteristics. Societal groups within the external environment such as families, communities, institutions, and nations are interrelated and interdependent. The viability of any individual or societal group is a consequence of the complementary performance of societal roles within each group in adapting to environmental stressors. Nursing is a humanistic professional service that assists client systems such as individuals, families, groups, and communities to utilize their adaptive responses to any potential or actual environmental stressor at any point on the health-illness continuum.
Nursing is a dynamic profession impacting on stressors and forces within the environment.
Conversely, environmental stressors and forces impact the goals and direction of nursing. The faculty believe that the baccalaureate degree in nursing education is the minimum requirement for entry into professional practice. Professional nurses are generalists who apply concepts from the liberal arts, sciences, and nursing in their practice. Professional nurses utilize inter-disciplinary knowledge and the nursing process to develop and carry out a holistic plan of care to assist client systems in adapting to potential and actual environmental stressors. Critical thinking skills are essential to the logical interrelationship of knowledge from all disciplines in their application to nursing practice.