Epidemiology
ANSWERS
The role of a nurse in epidemiology can be divided into four categories. They are as follows:
Role in prevention
Promotional function
Curative function
role in rehabilitation
Prevention Role
One of the fundamental sciences applicable to nursing is epidemiology. Community nurses interact with people in various settings and assist them in resolving health issues. They are in charge of the nursing process. They identify and investigate the problem, develop and test hypotheses about the causal factors, develop alternative interventions to prevent and control the problem, and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.
They are actively involved in the prevention and control of infectious diseases such as:
– Identify infection sources and methods of infection spread.
– Health education for the general public.
– Playing an important role in preventing and controlling chronic and noninfectious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, car accidents, cancer, and so on.
– Notifying health authorities of certain diseases such as measles, diphtheria, tetanus, etc.
They can also train and supervise other surveillance workers.
Role in Health Promotion
Using epidemiology knowledge, community health nurses can prioritize health programs based on immediate health needs.
They establish health resources more effectively by emphasizing urgent health problems that require attention, using epidemiological knowledge.
Prepare strategies to meet the new health requirements. Nurses in the community participate in surveillance at all levels as health team members, depending on the situation, their preparation, and the level at which they work.
Curative Function
They may be able to handle the problem independently, especially if it is a nursing problem, minor ailment, or simply a health condition, and they are only health workers in a healthcare setting.
They may participate as members, particularly if it is a large-scale investigation, such as an epidemic.
They may be involved in data collection, analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
They may be able to provide early diagnosis and treatment.
They track the contacts and keep an eye on them.
They identify infection sources and methods of transmission.
Rehabilitation Role
They assess the efficacy of measures to control a specific disease or disorder.
They can assist people in re-establishing their family and social lives.
They can also aid in psychological rehabilitation by restoring personal dignity and confidence.
QUESTION
Epidemiology
Identify a current health issue of interest to you e.g diabetes, HIV/AIDS, heart disease etc. On the basis of current epidemiologic evidence, explain the factors that have contributed to the following: the observed trend in mortality rates for this disease, the changes in survival; the changes in incidence. A key concept in epidemiology is that of the levels of prevention. As a community health nurse, describe primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions related to this health issue. Are there modifiable factors, such as health behaviors that lend themselves to better prevention efforts?