Homeostasis 2: nurses as external agents of homeostatic control

There are analogies between the components of homeostatic control and the components of the nursing process. Some nurses are familiar with the terms 'normal' and 'homeostasis' when referring to parameters of assessment associated with observations of vital signs, blood results and urinalysis. However, few nurses relate the components of homeostasis with the components of the nursing process. The last article, the first in a series of six (Clancy and McVicar, 2011), discussed the principles of homeostasis in restoring normal body function. This article, and others in this series, will discuss how the principles of homeostasis apply to health, illness and healthcare intervention. Taking a case study approach, the authors will highlight the role of the nurse as an external agent of homeostatic control. Nature-nurture interactions are responsible for health, illness and individualized health care.