NURS 4115 Role of the

Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

Nurse in Public and Global Health Week 4 Discussion

Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

In general, the CDC (2016) has recommended that people wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outside and apply insect repellant beforehand to avoid getting bitten. People who possibly have been infected with the Zika virus are urged to use a condom during sexual contact to avoid spreading the virus to others. In fact, some countries, such as El Salvador, have recommended that women avoid pregnancy for the next two years (The New York Times, 1/25/16). The CDC has also recommended that any vessels or containers of open water be protected from access to mosquitoes so that breeding cycles are disrupted. Brazil has begun a massive campaign to stop mosquitoes from accessing breeding grounds by closing their access to water collection systems and other sources of standing or still water. Could something like the Zika virus begin in your neighborhood?

In this Discussion, you will examine your neighborhood through the eyes of the public health nurse or a nurse epidemiologist. Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

To prepare for this Discussion:

Walk around a two-block radius near where you live or work.
Look to see if you can spot any areas where mosquitoes may reproduce. These sites may include abandoned tires, rainwater collection systems that have been installed at homes, parks or golf courses, low sections at roadsides or near sidewalks, and the like. You may include pictures of sites that you find to enhance your discussion thread.

Note any positive or negative findings that you observe. Have steps been taken to prevent mosquito breeding?

Find out what your community health department does for mosquito abatement.
Discover who in your community you would contact to report deficiencies/negative findings.
Determine what you can do, as a PHN, to change policy to reduce mosquito breeding grounds in your neighborhood.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), a vaccination has not been found to prevent the Zika virus, a disease that has been transmitted to humans through mosquito bites from mosquitoes that are most active during the day. Zika has been found in many countries around the globe, and its range is expanding. The symptoms of Zika are generally mild, last about a week, and include fever, rash, joint pain, and/or conjunctivitis. Symptoms are generally so mild that many victims will not know they have been infected, but about 20% of those individuals who are bitten will develop Zika. The most concerning symptom of Zika affects pregnant women, whose babies may develop microcephaly. Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

By Day 3

Post your findings regarding mosquito breeding grounds in a two-block radius near where you live or work. Include any preventative strategies you can see that are already in place. Report on the role your local health department plays in mosquito abatement and to whom you would report negative findings. Then, describe your role as a BSN in changing policy to ensure a healthier climate (reduced mosquito breeding grounds) in your neighborhood.

Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature. NURS 4115 Role of the Nurse in Public and Global Health Discussions

Week 5 Discussion – Cultural Considerations in Nursing

Many factors influence maternal health. In many countries, an unacceptable number of women die in childbirth or shortly after giving birth. As discussed by Dr. Leslie Mancuso in this week’s first media presentation, culture and religious beliefs influence childbirth practices.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review Case 6, Saving Mothers Lives in Sri Lanka.

Review Dr. Mancuso’s comments on cultural beliefs that influence maternal health.

In addition, consider the following questions:

NURS 4115 Role of the Nurse in Public and Global Health Week 5 Discussion-What cultural and historical features of Sri Lanka contributed to the success of the country’s maternal health program?
What are some assumptions that a person might make about you based on your appearance or cultural background? All cultural diversity is not about ethnicity, religious affiliation, or traditional backgrounds. When you consider what cultural issues affect you and/or your community, think about whether you represent diversity of another kind, such as; rural versus urban, east coast versus west coast, employed in a small hospital versus a large research center, or providing nursing practice to young versus elderly, acute care versus clinic care or mental health care. Each of these “types” of diversity contribute to you as a person and how you practice nursing.

What cultural information would you want a nurse or doctor to know about you?
What would you want a health promotion program to include that addresses a health concern for your cultural or ethnic community?

By Day 3

Post your response to the following prompts:

After considering the different aspects of cultural beliefs and practices, explain how culture influences health beliefs and how might most health programs address these beliefs? Describe how you would apply this to care you receive and care you provide to others
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature. NURS 4115 Role of the Nurse in Public and Global Health Discussions