soins

Soins is a French noun meaning care, attention, or treatment. In everyday use, it denotes acts that maintain or improve health, well-being, or functioning. In medical and social contexts, soins médicaux refers to medical care, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation delivered by health professionals and caregivers. Common phrases include soins infirmiers (nursing care), soins hospitaliers (hospital care), soins intensifs (intensive care), soins palliatifs (palliative care), and soins à domicile (home care).

Beyond formal health settings, the term also covers informal or familial caregiving—assistance with daily activities, monitoring of health conditions, and emotional support. The concept of soins thus spans clinical interventions as well as ongoing supportive measures that help people live with illness, disability, or aging.

Quality soins depends on patient needs, access to trained professionals, and coordination among providers, families, and social services. In many countries, policies regulate the organization, funding, and delivery of soins, shaping standards of practice and equity of access.

Historically, the emphasis of soins has shifted from cure to a broader notion of care that preserves dignity and quality of life. In ethics and health policy, the phrase is linked to conversations about care ethics, patient autonomy, and the social responsibilities attached to caregiving and health systems.