Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families and communities so they may attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training and scope of practice. Nurses practice in a wide diversity of practice areas with a different scope of practice and level of prescriber authority in each. Many nurses provide care within the ordering scope of physicians and this traditional role has come to shape the historic public image of nurses as care providers. However, nurses are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice independently in a variety of settings depending on training level.