Anatomy is the study of the structure and relationship between body parts. Physiology is the study of the function of body parts and the body as a whole. Modern medical science is growing day by day. The volume of information available is huge. Detailed knowledge of the normal functions of living providing a firm foundation. Knowledge of the structure becomes an essential base to understand the functions better. Keeping in mind the close connection between the structure and functions we have tried to integrate Anatomy and Physiology in the first part of this book. Medical professionals are faced with challenges of handling infected persons as part of their practice. They face the threat of dealing with infections which do not have a satisfactory cure. We have added a section on Microbiology to give an insight into this important aspect of patient management.

Community health nurses work to improve the health and well-being of communities they serve by educating them about illness and disease prevention, safe health practices, nutrition, and wellness. They often provide treatment for poor, culturally diverse, and uninsured populations. One of the primary functions of a community health nurse is to identify health problems in the community and to provide health care to patients who may not have access to, or be able to afford, medical services. They develop intervention plans to address the health, safety, and nutritional issues they discover, and attempt to educate their patients about healthy choices that assist with disease and illness prevention.