Week 3: Epidemiology, the Basis for Public Health

The study of epidemiology includes the examination of infectious disease, mental health and health-related events such as accidents or violence, and occupational and environmental exposure and their effects, as well as the examination of positive health states (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016). Additionally, the study of epidemiology includes research into the morbidity and mortality of chronic illnesses that are found in the United States and across the globe. Infectious diseases like polio, TB, measles, and malaria have been almost eliminated in the United States; however, these diseases continue in other parts of the world for a variety of reasons. Highly contagious infectious diseases can and do lead to death despite the fact that many are preventable. The United States has used childhood vaccinations to prevent and eradicate illnesses such as smallpox and polio. In order to reduce the incidence of malaria in the United States, DDT—a known carcinogen in humans that is also toxic to birds—and other pesticides were used in the past and have since been replaced with nontoxic insecticides and larvicides to reduce the numbers of mosquitoes.

Unfortunately, developing countries often do not have the resources to engage in the same sorts of prevention programs and may have to resort to unsafe or toxic means to control vectors. They may not have the financial resources or health care personnel available to engage in mass vaccination campaigns. In addition, countries that experience frequent wars, acts of terrorism, and political instability face additional challenges to the provision of health care to their populations, especially when faced with an outbreak of an infectious disease.

This week, you will focus on the epidemiology of infectious and communicable disease and how nursing practices change in response to threats and outbreaks.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze public health settings in relation to prevention of disease transmission
• Analyze public health nurse’s role in outbreak investigations
• Apply the epidemiological triangle for an infectious or communicable disease outbreak
• Analyze leadership roles of nurses in bringing an outbreak under control
• Evaluate nursing strategies for health promotion in mitigating outbreaks

Photo Credit: IAN HOOTON/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

The Distinction Between Leadership and Management

Think of the managers you have reported to thus far in your career as a nurse. Now consider the people you have worked with or know of that you would consider leaders. Based on these experiences, what would you surmise about the responsibilities of managers and leaders and about the distinctions between these two categories in health care settings?

This week’s Learning Resources classify management and leadership (which are often confused in everyday discussion) and explain their significance for health care organizations. As you advance professionally, it is critical to understand the distinctions between management and leadership and how you can apply this knowledge for increasing effectiveness in your workplace.

To prepare:

• Review the information in the Learning Resources.
• Conduct additional research on your own and select at least two current, credible sources that contribute to your understanding of management and leadership.
• Reflect on how the roles of management and leadership differ in supporting the organization to set and achieve goals.
• Drawing upon specific examples from a current or previous practice setting, bring to mind someone who seemed to be a leader but not a manager and someone who seemed to be a manager but not a leader (generally speaking, or within a specific circumstance). Be prepared to support your assessment with specific behavioral descriptions found in the literature.

Post in APA Format a Minimum of 550 Words with Level 1 Headings as Followed:

1)  an analysis of how management and leadership roles differ in terms of supporting an organization to set and achieve goals.

2) In addition, post  descriptions of an individual who demonstrates leadership behaviors but not management behaviors

3) and an individual who demonstrates management behaviors but not leadership behaviors.

4) Provide your rationale, identifying specific characteristics of effective managers and leaders. (Note: Do not identify these individuals by name, position, or location.)

Include a Minimum of  4 References  from the List Provided below ONLY

Readings

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2015). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

• Review Chapters 2 and 3

  Note: Many of the articles in this week’s Required Readings are foundational in the leadership and management literature. The concepts presented in these early articles still apply to today’s workplace.

• • Jennings, B. M., Scalzi, C. C., Rodgers, J. D., & Keane, A. (2007). Differentiating nursing leadership and management competencies. Nursing Outlook, 55(4), 169–175.
    Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Coppin State University

College of Health Professions

Helene Fuld School of Nursing

NURS 216 Philosophy of Nursing Criteria & Grading Rubric

Name_____________________________________________

Directions:

Each student will develop their personal philosophy of nursing. The philosophy of nursing must include the theoretical framework used to develop this philosophy and the rationale for its selection. The nursing philosophy will be complete with the use of all four metaparadigms. See grading rubric below. All writings must be in APA format and submitted to Turnitin by the due date. A hard copy must be presented to course faculty in class.

Using these two articles write a 1-2 page paper discussing the Significance of Resistance to Change in terms of interprofessional leadership

 Literature Review: Article I

Catherine Coffey triangulates subsequent studies to conclude that due to the multi-dimensional challenges in the nursing environments, professionals, and the human support capital are predominantly resistant to change. In the past, health care reforms have focused on maintaining low inpatient index in the attempts to cut costs and treatment logistics. Coffey identifies that due to the changes projected by the new reforms, the traditional training on nursing are ineffective, as most practitioners and caregivers are resistant to the new treatment structures. Following the inefficacy, the author identifies the need to for the pediatric nurses and the social educator to train students on the inpatient procedures rather than the traditional inpatient settings. The model to increase the number of outpatients in the treatment facilities also follows the economic models that seek to reduce the cost of running local health care delivery systems(Coffey, 2011).

Best Practice

• Change of the teaching models- The author of the article proposes that for the USA health sector to maintain its primary efficacy, there is the need to come up with new training models. The models will seek to increase effectiveness despite the paradigm shift.
• Integrate Communities and the Institutions- Catherine suggests that the current opposition to the proposed changes and the low efficacy is a factor of poor integration of the institutions and the nursing training models. In the traditional training, most nurses focused on hospital conditions. The paradigm shift in the industry and the need to consider the economic models disorients most of the nurses. Therefore, a current alteration of the training model might increase the efficacy of the future practitioners.
• Community-Based Internships- Catherine proposes that the educators spend more time teaching the nurses on the importance of having positive interactions with the base communication. She points out that, if the programs support hands-on experience even before graduation, then the nurses internationalize their role in the society. For instance, a nurse brought up in marginalized communities is likely to rely on intrinsic motivation, which increases his or her empathy and social integrations.

Application to Nursing

The researcher proposes multi-perceptive approaches to minimize the resistance to change. Due to the confounding variables that determine the success rate in the nursing field the approach is applicable for various advantages. Firstly, the plan will increase nurses’ motivational level while working in the communities. The integrated training programs will improve their social attachment, which is necessary for nursing. The multidisciplinary method of reducing resistance is also applicable in situations where one change might lead to a ripple effect(Coffey, 2011). Therefore, the implementing team uses the most appropriate approach in ensuring a successful transition.

Reference

Coffey, C. (2011). Faculty and Student Resistance to Change the Need for Home Health and

Other Nursing Community Leaders to Partner with Nurse Educators to Change Nursing Education. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 23(5), 381-382.