Nursing involves independent, cooperative, person-centered care for people of all ages, families, groups, and communities. Nurses assist the sick or the well person in all settings. Nursing includes promoting health, preventing illness, and caring for ill, disabled, and dying people. Health promotion encourages people to take responsibility for their health. It focuses on the healthy behavior of individuals, families, and the community and the factors that impact their health. Examples of healthy behaviors include sleep hygiene and maintaining healthy relationships.

Nurses play a crucial role in health-promoting activities by assessing individual and societal needs, identifying resources, and evaluating and implementing programs to meet the needs. Illness prevention focuses on reducing the risk of illness and maintaining holistic functioning. Nurses partake in preventative health efforts, for example, by providing health education on smoking cessation.

Caring for the ill emphasizes the people who have an illness. It involves early disease identification, rehabilitation, and health education during recovery.

Care for the disabled involves improving the disabled individual's strengths and potential to the fullest. Improving an individual's strengths can be achieved via health education and referring them to community support systems.

Care for the dying involves care for the patients and their families during end-of-life care. A patient can receive end-of-life care and services in various settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and homes. The nurse assists the patients and their relatives in preparing for death and helps them live comfortably physically, psychologically, psychosocially, and spiritually.