In what way the study of sociology and anthropology be of use to a student of nursing or even other fields?

From a BS in Nursing of 1969-------------------

These courses will give you a better rounded education and promote a greater undertanding of human nature in general. It will make you a more interesting person and teach you to think and explore more fully. It helps you in dealing with others who may or may not come from a different place either geographically or culturally than you do. It will perhaps give you greater patience or empathy for others.

If you're a nursing student faced with the need to take these courses to graduate with a BS, believe me, one day you'll be glad you took these courses. They made my life ricer and fuller. Some people measure success and value with material things. I feel learning something new is better than anything. Never stop learning.

Because you will be working with men, women and children of all races, creeds and colors all your life. If you know about them, you are less likely to offend them, and even help them more.

I'm not sure about sociology but Anthropological knowledge can be of tremendous help to anyone. Basically it allows someone to respect and understand as well as communicate with people across cultures and belief systems.

Well sociology is the study of people as a group right? Well you need to understand how people in act in a group. For instance: patients, how a group a patients act with you or other patients. Plus its really interesting to learn how people act in different social groups.

They are both important. You will understand people's behaviour better, and it will help you explain you observation better if you have a good background of socio- and anthropology.

When you are a nurse and a patient comes in with strange tattoos, markings, or cuts and says they tried a traditional healer first, you will be able to better advise them if you have read some medical anthropology. Similarly, patients from different cultures or subcultures approach medicine in different ways. Some will not come in until they are miserable, some will try praying for healing first, some will take medicinal herbs or traditional remedies. Patients from different cultures will also describe their symptoms in different ways. They may attribute the symptoms to different causes as well. For example, stomach problems in India are often attributed to being greedy rather than to bad water. Medical anthropology offers information about all these topics so that you and other medical practitioners can make informed decisions for treating patients, rather than accidentally offending them or even driving them away from your medical clinic becuase of your cultural insensitivity.

they will give you good people skills. you be able to better treat your patients b/c you will be able to 'connect' with them, rather than just treat them. i am an anthro major and it gave me confidence in helpin/conversing w/ strangers through fieldwork and studyin other cultures..
i think i gained alot of good necessary people skills from my degree...