Martina Dunlop considers the role of the emergency nurse practitioner in health promotion

Theories and definitions of health range on a continuum, from the absence of disease to self-fulfilment (Hayman 1965, Blum 1981, Gott and O’Brien 1990, Ewles and Simnett 1995). Unfortunately, some of these definitions do not allow for varying degrees of illness and health, that is, if you are not completely well you must be ill (WHO 1946, Murray and Zentner 1989). Some authors do not even consider well-being and health to be one concept, although they overlap somewhat (Downie et al 1990). This has implications for ‘health promoters’in determining their sphere of activity, for instance, if patients do not consider themselves ‘unwell’ they will not see the value in health advice.