NURS 4211 WEEK 1 PRACTICUM WALDEN

WE WRITE ESSAYS FOR STUDENTS

Tell us about your assignment and we will find the best writer for your paper.

Write My Essay For Me

Pediatric Asthma and Prevention

The community I live in is East Texas, partly rural with farms and land and urban with more significant towns and cities. An elementary school is the practice setting where I will gather the information for my project. Upon speaking with the school nurse, she informed me that pediatric asthma is a prevalent problem at the school, and they are seeing more and more children suffer from this. 

According to an article in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing (2022)Links to an external site., approximately 6 million children under age 18 have asthma. It also leads to state that in 2018, there were 192 reported deaths from asthma in children under 18 years old. 

The determinants of health in the community are social and community context, given that asthma can be developed from environmental causes, secondhand smoke, nutrition, and genetics. Being part rural and part urban, many different environmental factors can contribute to the development of asthma in school-age children. Children who have grown up on or near a farm have a greater risk of exposure to allergens, plants, and animals, which can increase their risk of developing asthma or other lung issues (Mutius, 2020). On the other hand, children residing in urban areas are at an increased risk of developing asthma or lung disease due to increased exposure to pollutants produced by motor vehicles and factories (Serebrisky, 2019). These airborne pollutants make children more susceptible to asthma since they breathe more air per body weight than adults (Serebrisky, 2019).  

With the population of elementary school children, I will develop a nursing care plan around pediatric asthma, with a primary focus on education for prevention. I can use resources from the school nurse and the public health nurse in East Texas to obtain more knowledge and resources on education and prevention of the disease. Instruction will be on smoking cessation for the adult family members of the child. These environmental factors can increase the risk of asthma and nutritional information during pregnancy for the fetus and the child growing up. 

References:

Jordan, K. C. (2022). Identifying caregiver’s knowledge and perceptions of pediatric asthma management: A quality improvement initiative. Journal of Pediatric Nursing 65, 16-21.

Mutius, E. &. (2020). Primary prevention of asthma: from risk and protective factors to targeted strategies for prevention. Lancet 2020; Vol. 396, 854-866.

Serebrisky, D. &. (2019, January 22). Pediatric Asthma: A Global Epidemic. Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7052318/

Flu is a common respiratory illness brought on by influenza viruses that can sometimes spread to the lungs, nose, and throat (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). It can lead to mild to severe disease and occasionally even death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Influenza, also known as the “flu,” can sometimes cause death and mild to severe disease. Symptoms of the flu typically appear suddenly (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). According to most specialists, flu viruses are primarily transferred by the little droplets produced when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or talks (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). People close may catch these droplets in their mouths or noses (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Less frequently, someone can contract the flu by contacting anything or a surface with the virus and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).

The Sunshine State and a popular destination for retirees and winter visitors is Florida. In the winter, people go here from cold places to take advantage of the sun and pleasant climate. Flu and other respiratory illnesses are widespread in Florida during the winter due to the inflow of visitors. To establish the components of the annual northern hemisphere vaccination and to be ready for potential pandemics, surveillance is carried out to look for changes in the influenza virus (Influenza, n.d.). Except for novel flu A (a new subtype of flu A) and flu-related pediatric mortality, individual cases are not reportable in Florida. In Florida, all outbreaks must be reported (Influenza, n.d.). The current predominant strain is Influenza A H3. Although the flu positivity rate is increasing in Florida, the flu emergency department visits is decreasing (Influenza, n.d.). There are currently five reported outbreaks in the week of November 13 to 19 (Influenza, n.d.).

Nurses have the power to help the spread of Influenza or prevent people from getting severely ill from it. At the population level, nurses can do health teaching about influenza. Health teaching involves exchanging knowledge and experiences via educational activities to enhance learning, attitudes, behaviors, and skills around health (Public health interventions, 2019). Nurses can advocate for getting the flu vaccine and the benefits of getting one. Through screening, people with unknown health risk factors or asymptomatic illness problems are found in populations (Public health interventions, 2019). Nurses can also make referrals. A referral connects you to the tools you need to prevent or take care of issues (Public health interventions, 2019). Evaluation in the wake of resource use evaluates the results (Public health interventions, 2019).

The topics that were posted on this board for this week’s discussion post are also like the health issues that the communities here in Florida are facing, especially the opioid crisis, depression, and respiratory syncytial virus. By reading my colleagues’ topics on the discussion board made me aware of the health issues that other communities are also facing. As nurses, keeping abreast of what’s happening in their community health-wise is imperative. Everyone benefits when a community is healthy. And one way to create a healthy community is through community health.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 24). Key facts about influenza (flu). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htmLinks to an external site.

Influenza. Influenza | Florida Department of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/influenza/index.htmlLinks to an external site.

Public health interventions. (2019, July). Retrieved from https://health.mn.gov/communities/practice/research/phncouncil/docs/PHInterventionsHandout.pdf

PRACTICUM LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Develop an intervention plan in collaboration with other professionals that takes into account determinants of health, available resources, and activities that contribute to health and the prevention of illness or injury
• Provide culturally competent care, i.e., health promotion, disease and injury prevention interventions in collaboration with other health care professionals in a community health care setting
• Analyze data pertaining to a specific community health issue
• Evaluate how cultural competence improves nursing practice and health outcomes
• Evaluate current evidence-based practices for your selected population
• Analyze evidence-based practices
• Evaluate programs aimed at solving health problems
• Evaluate local disaster plans and contemplate collaborative efforts in problem solving
• Analyze effectiveness of practicum proposal through practice presentations
• Present practicum presentation to colleagues

Overall Purpose for Practicum: Develop a potential project to improve the health of a specific population of interest or a population at risk.

This practicum is designed to help you develop as a scholar practitioner and health leader to promote positive social change in your own community. In this practicum experience you will focus on primary prevention of a health problem in your community (see text for definition.)  You already possess the knowledge and skills to help those who are acutely ill. This experience will help learn how to prevent a health problem in a specific population at risk at the community and system level of care (see text for definition). Consequently, because you are well aware of how to care for individuals you will now develop leadership and advocacy skills to improve the health of the community.  Collaborating with other professionals and community members in your community will be the key to a successful practicum and project. Collaborate with each other in the discussions, with your instructor, with health care professionals (nurses and other disciplines), with local and state departments of health, and most importantly with the population you hope to help. As an advocate, you will promote positive social change through collaboration with families, communities, and professionals in the health care system. You will develop a culturally relevant proposal that could improve health outcomes for a specific population at risk in your community. 

Answer the following questions as you develop your evidence-based, culturally appropriate intervention for your community:

What health issue, problem, or disparity in health outcomes is of concern to you as a scholar practitioner in your community? What gaps in knowledge and care do you see as possible causes for the health issue? What does the health data tell you about the health issue? What does the literature tell you about the health issue? How can you learn about the health issue and about possible solutions from the viewpoint of families, community as a whole, and health professionals in your community? What evidence is there to support your proposal? What is one avenue you could advocate for improved health outcomes and know when a change has taken place?

Suggestions for the Project

Each week’s activities are geared to help you move along with your proposal. Use this time well and utilize some aspect of discussion and assignments in this course (e.g. windshield survey) to support your proposal as well. Read about the whole project before you start.

Suggestions for Discussions

The more you discuss your project with your group the better it will turn out. Consider posting earlier than Thursday to have a better discussion. Provide honest, respectful feedback to each other. Picture yourself as someone practicing in the other student’s community, working with and listening to your colleagues’ ideas weekly (as your read each other’s posts). You are responsible for helping your colleagues make the best decision in class in the same you would be if you were working side-by-side.

Review the focus for each week of the practicum. The weekly practicum discussions will help keep you focused on your project. You will receive guidance from faculty and help from other students in your group.

DISCUSSION

Overview: As a community of practice, your task for this week is to collaborate with professionals across the health care system. With your community of practice, in the Discussion, find a gap in care or social determinant that often results in poor health care outcomes. You will begin to take the lead in advocating for and collaborating with others to improve the health care outcomes for populations at risk.

Practicum Discussion: During this week, you will identify a population at risk in your community. This population will be the basis for your Practicum Discussions and your individual presentations over the next 6 weeks, as well as the focus of your final PowerPoint presentation in Week 6. To review, a population is a group of individuals who share a common environmental or personal characteristic, such as obese individuals who are at risk for diabetes or cardiovascular disease (populations at risk) or those individuals who are otherwise healthy and could stay healthy if they do not develop risky behaviors (populations of interest). An example of this is teenagers who don’t yet smoke but might consider it due to peer pressure (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020). Some of the topics you might consider are vaccination compliance, obesity rates among children and adults, teenage pregnancy, or infectious diseases such as Norwalk virus, genital warts, or sexually transmitted diseases/infections. You might look also at emerging public health problems such as Chagas or the Zika virus. Some of the places you might consider looking for information to substantiate and support your ideas about populations at risk in your communities are your local health department, the CDC, and the many evidence-based websites that the CDC supports, such as the CDC Wonder (http://wonder.cdc.gov/). You may also review the work of other community groups that focus on improving health care outcomes for your community. You should begin to support your selection of population and ideas about their health care problems through the use of health data and scholarly literature.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources. 

WEEKLY RESOURCES

BY DAY 4

Post your response to the following:

• Briefly describe your community and then describe your practice setting.
• What are the determinants of health in your community? (https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health)
• What are the most prevalent health problems in your community or in your practice?
• Choose a population at risk and describe the health problem specific to that population. Remember that you will have to define the population’s age, culture, religious beliefs, foods, and traditions eventually as your project progresses.

Support your response with references from professional nursing literature.

BY DAY 7

Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question. As a community of practice, help each other refine and clarify the health problem remembering that this project focuses on primary prevention strategies at the community and system level of care.

Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute ideas, tools, alternate points of view, resources, and information related to identified health problems.

For all posts, be sure to use evidenceLinks to an external site. from the readings and include in-text citationsLinks to an external site.. Avoid quotes; paraphraseLinks to an external site. to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference listLinks to an external site. is required. Use the most current evidenceLinks to an external site. (usually ≤ 5 years old).