Microbiology is the study of tiny living things and the way they affect the world. It is a very important subject for nursing students, as it provides them with a basic foundation that is necessary for their profession. Nurses must have a deep understanding of microbiology in their daily nursing practice. The knowledge that nursing students gain in microbiology courses helps them to interact with patients in a variety of settings. Although nurses are responsible for caring for their patients, it is not possible to do so without putting health and safety first. Nurses use concepts of microbiology to maintain environments that are free of contamination and infection.
Microbiology courses teach the basics of reproduction, morphology, and genetics. The course also teaches students about molecular identification methods. Nurses use microbiology on the job in many ways. For example, when nurses administer smears for the gram positive and negative testing, they use microbiology to analyze the smears for bacterial contamination. Nurses must also use microbiology when it comes to the disposal of biomedical waste of all types. They must determine the proper procedure to handle the waste so that it does not cause harm to anyone.
There is no microbiology course requirement in the current Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. However, microbiology is central to the top three threats in healthcare: healthcare-associated infections, antibiotic resistance, and emerging diseases. Nurses and other allied healthcare workers should be able to effectively communicate about microbiology-related topics in written and oral formats. Furthermore, nurses are often called upon to explain concepts that physicians mention to patients.
Microbiology helps nursing professionals to understand the basic concepts of reproduction, morphology, biochemical characteristics, and genetics. It also makes them aware of new diseases and modern molecular identification methods. The role of microorganisms in the development of certain medications and vaccinations cannot be ignored either. Nurses should understand how microbes are enriched for and isolated from clinical samples. They should also understand how their work at the patient level can impact the accuracy of clinical microbiology tests.
In summary, microbiology is a crucial subject for nursing students as it provides them with the basic foundation necessary for their profession. Nurses use microbiology in many ways on the job, including analyzing smears for bacterial contamination and determining the proper procedure for handling biomedical waste. Although there is no microbiology course requirement in the current Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, it is central to the top three threats in healthcare and nurses should be able to effectively communicate about microbiology-related topics. Microbiology helps nursing professionals to understand the basic concepts of reproduction, morphology, biochemical characteristics, and genetics, and makes them aware of new diseases and modern molecular identification methods.
