If you have encountered a nurse in your life, you have likely have already met a medical-surgical nurse. This diverse specialty encompasses the largest group of nurses who currently practice.

It is estimated that about 400,000 of the 2.9 million registered nurses in the U.S. are medical-surgical nurses. Each year, the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses devotes Nov. 1-7 to showcase and celebrate this dynamic group of nurses.

Historically, med-surg nursing is the backbone of nursing. In years past, all patients in the hospital were cared for on wards by medical-surgical nurses. All nurses were essentially medical-surgical nurses.

As medical and technological advancements were made, the specialization of patient care advanced also. With this shift in patient care models, med-surg nurses became a specialization in their own right. Once considered the stepping-stone to other specialty areas, medical-surgical nursing continues to be a challenging and demanding specialty.

Medical-surgical nurses must be knowledgeable in all aspects of adult health, while managing large patient loads with excellent prioritization skills. They are often the first-line providers who educate patients and families prior to discharge, while establishing they are in fact safe to be discharged into the community. They are the gate keepers and are required to demonstrate a high level of understanding of diverse populations.

Given any shift of a typical med-surg nurse, they are likely to care for at least 5-7 patients. Each of those patients will likely have multiple medical issues and co-morbidities that will need to be managed, assessed and cared for as part of the healthcare team. The medical-surgical nurse will assist in coordinating care for the patient, all while administering on average 5-10 medications per patient.

Considering the complexity and level of illness of the average hospital patient, the med-surg nurse profession requires a much higher level of education to safely care for their patients. They truly are the masters of many subjects, making it one of the most demanding nursing specialties.

The typical medical-surgical nurse not only has to be able to manage a "normal" patient load, but they also need to have exceptional assessment skills to identify patients who may be decompensating. They possess the knowledge to identify problems in their patients before they become an great issue and know how to intervene appropriately. Again, the masters of all things patient related.

However, medical-surgical nurses are not just relegated to the hospital environment. They are caring for patients in a variety of settings including clinics, home healthcare, long-term care and education. The diverse training of most med-surg nurses suits them well for many positions within the healthcare world.

So, during the week of Nov. 1-7, take time to thank those hard working medical-surgical nurses. They truly are the backbone of nursing and are saving lives while supporting families.

Happy Medical-Surgical Nurses Week!