340Katia: Public Health Nursing is a specialized nursing field that promotes and protects people’s health. In the past, I perceived the role of Public Health Nurses to be limited to providing basic health education and administering vaccines. I knew that they only worked with community agencies and organizations to ensure that resources were available to those needing medical services. However, my current understanding of public health nursing goes beyond just providing healthcare services at the local level. Public Health Nurses collaborate with international healthcare providers such as World Health Organization to address the root causes of health problems and achieve Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals at the national and global levels (World Health Organization, 2020). They also play a critical role in preventing illness and injury and maintaining the overall health of populations. Public Health Nurses are significant both at the local and global levels. Locally, they work with diverse communities to address health disparities and ensure equitable access to healthcare services. They are at the forefront of disease surveillance, response, and prevention. Regular visits also provide patient education, preventive services, and screenings for chronic conditions (Norful et al., 2022). They further link the community and the healthcare system by educating and advocating for patients and families about their healthcare options and resources. Globally, they contribute to addressing global health challenges, such as health pandemics, natural disasters, and bioterrorism, by providing emergency response services and supporting disaster relief efforts. They also advocate for policies to improve the health of their communities and support the development of health services and resources. For example, they have been instrumental in contact tracing, testing efforts, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Idalmi340: When I look back on the first two sessions of the public health nursing class, I realize that before I started the class, I knew a little bit about the role of the public health nurse and their importance, but only the fundamentals, such as the role of improving the overall population’s health by educating communities and providing care within those communities. I had no idea that registered nurses are able to create good changes via policy reform and community building value both locally and internationally to a variety of communities when they are in that specific leadership position. I am surprised and pleasantly surprised. As a result of the class, I now know that one of the main responsibilities of a public health nurse is to encourage the general population’s healthy lifestyle choices. When everyone has a fair and reasonable opportunity to be as healthy as they can be, health equality has been accomplished. Nurses are well positioned to play a major role in addressing the underlying causes of poor health by understanding and recognizing the wide range of factors that influence how well and long people live, helping to create individual- and community-targeted solutions, and facilitating and working with interdisciplinary and multi sector teams and partners to implement those solutions(Flaubert JL, 2021). In this job, registered nurses are entrusted for supporting those who are vulnerable and underserved in receiving access to the care that they require. The major goal of public health nurses is to help reduce health risks and prevent sickness at the community level via teaching and care that is supported by scientific evidence.
490victoria: While completing my academic classes at West Coast I knew that I was learning new and interesting aspects of nursing as well as research. However this class made me truly realize how much I have grown not only academically but professionally as well. This journey has opened me up to new fields in nursing as well as making professional connections with my fellow peers. I came into this journey just wanting to complete my BSN but now I want to go further and complete my MSN as well as one day become a professor. I do not know if I would of wanted these same goals now if I did not continue my education. The two cents I have for nurses coming into this program is to come in with an open mind and do not be scarred to learn something new, try something new, or change the way you think of nursing.
Karen490: I am so proud to say that I am at the last week of the RN-BSN program. It has been a journey that I will remember for the rest of my years. I have chosen two of the questions to answer below. The education I have gained from the RN-BSN program has given me the confidence to succeed in my current field and any future field of nursing that I decide to pursue in the future. I have learned communication styles, management styles, nursing theories and healthcare policies can affect nursing care how I can make a huge impact in the delivery of care to patients. I have been given tools that I will be able to use for a lifetime and feel confident in achieving my goals as a nurse. I decided to go back to school almost 11 years after graduating with my ADN degree. It was difficult for me to find time to manage self-studying online, working and having kids/family. But after a couple of months, I was becoming accustomed to studying and working and balancing family as if it was always a part of me. Another challenge for me was doing the PowerPoint presentations with the audio component. But I overcame these challenges with trial and error and the motivation to complete it with perseverance.
495ann: As I continue to work as a dialysis nurse I find that I love this population more and more. I do not have any desires to move up into management. My previous career I worked as a manager for 15 years. I have found that at this stage in my life I just want to be the best dialysis nurse that I can be. I am working on obtaining my Certified Dialysis Nurse certification to further my knowledge and level of expertise in the field of dialysis. I enjoy being a travel nurse and getting to see different areas of the country while providing care to this growing population. I would however love to get involved in preventing kidney disease in someway. I hate that so many end up on dialysis due to lack of preventive care. I also want to increase awareness of organ donation as there are so many that need transplants and not enough donors. This is such a great way to give someone the opportunity to do something good in the wake of death or tragedy.
Erika495: This week I learned or relearned how to manage a home suction device. I know, it sounds so basic, but when you have been out of the acute care setting for a while and the prior population you treated did not require such treatments, it can get foggy on how to use such equipment. It was easy, but I did relearn it. I learned how important it is to take care of oneself to avoid burnout. Every individual, in every career setting, even in the academic setting is at risk for burnout. I learned that in hospice it can affect the nurse on all the same levels, physically, emotionally, mental, “Burnout is defined as complete emotional, physical and mental exhaustion (Křivohlavý, 2012, p. 26)� (Pavelkova & Buzgova, 2015, p. 218). They deal with death on an almost daily basis, drive long distances sometimes daily, and have to pick up extra shifts when there is no one to cover. Some of these nurses take the work home with them after hours as the admission process may take 4-5 hours and has a time frame to be completed in. It’s very challenging both mentally, emotionally and physically. And when one acknowledges that there is a problem and that they cannot continue with this absolute burn out state, it’s time to make a change. Thankfully, for the individual that shared her extreme burnout, a vacation was the solution, one very soon. I agreed. We must take care of ourselves in order to be able to care for those around us.