The word 'nursing has been used to describe a wide range of activities undertaken by many different people. These include the activities of informal carers, and also those of professionals such as nurses, midwives and health visitors. This article seeks to define the scope of nursing practice pertinent to those people who hold a statutory nursing qualification

Nursing is a professional discipline complementary to other health care professions. Its purpose is to help people adopt a healthy lifestyle, to enable people to cope with their health problems and to care for people during illness in ways which promote health and healing and minimise disability. The practice of nursing requires specialist knowledge and skills, a humane concern for others and the exercise of clinical judgement.