Influenza
The threat of bird flu, H5n1 can escalate into a more devastating threat than that in 1918-1919, considering its potential to recombine and form new and deadlier strains and the world’s lack of resources and preparation for it. A vaccine has remained in experimental status and still failure-prone. Meantime, the flu virus is easily and quickly transmissible by coughing, sneezing and direct contact and through the air. An infected person can transfer the infection in a day, with or without symptoms, and carry the virus for several days and continue infecting others. Many groups are at-risk and symptoms are debilitating. The community health nurse must apply a holistic approach in tending to patients or victims of this scourge.
Introduction
Leading infectious disease experts recently warned about the health and economic consequences of an outbreak of pandemic influenza from a deadly strain of bird flu, H5N1, which has destroyed flocks in Southeast Asia (Russell 2005). This virus has the potential to trigger another flu pandemic far different and more virulent than those of prior years and one to which the human population has no natural resistance. Alongside, they also warned about the world’s lack of preparation to meet the disaster. Director Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland said that federal spending on influenza preparedness has gone up to $419 million from $40 million in the past five years, but added that he was dissatisfied over the United States’ current level of readiness. An experimental H5N1 vaccine is being tested, but the system for manufacturing it, the same, which produces millions of ordinary flu injections, is prone to failure. The federal government has enough reserves of the Tamiflu anti-viral, which shows promise against bird flu, for only 2.3 million Americans, or less than 1% of the population. Director Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy noted that the H5N1 pandemic strain could be more devastating than the 1918 pandemic and urged the world’s leading economic powers to confront the problem directly. He estimated that a flu strain as lethal as the one of 1918 could kill 180 to 360 million of the world’s population of 6.5 billion and emphasized that industrialized nations accustomed to the “prompt” delivery of health care good still do not have enough medical supplies to care for the sick, not even detailed plans on how to handle dead bodies.
Epidemiological Problem – Influenza or flu, a rare virus with a genome in 8 separate segments, has an increased potential to form recombinants and may also contribute to the rapid development of new flu strains (Keen 1995). Avian and human strains of the virus may recombine in pigs in the Far East to develop virulent human strains. The Influenza a virus, an avian virus, appeared to have “recently” infected mammals. Every 10 to 15 years, a major new pandemic strain appears in man with a completely new HA and a new NA, which cause a major epidemic around the world. The constant antigenic change of the flu through the years requires new vaccines on a regular basis. In addition, new flu strains spread quickly among children in schools and in crowded places. Influenza epidemics lead to economically significant absenteeism (Keen).
Description, Agent, and Data – Influenza, commonly known as flu or grippe, is a highly infectious respiratory disease, belonging to the Orthomyxoviridae variety (Smith 2005). It is rapidly spread via droplets in the air from other infected persons. When the virus is inhaled, it attacks the cells in the upper respiratory tract and brings on the typical flu symptoms, like fatigue, fever and chills, hacking cough and body aches. The person also becomes susceptible to potentially life-threatening secondary infections. Incubation period is short from a day to three days, where rapid spread leads to epidemics.
Impact – Flu is more debilitating than the common cold and occurs more suddenly (Smith 2005). The annual death tolls linked to influenza and its complications averages 20,000 in the U.S. alone. The 1918-1919 Spanish flu pandemic wiped out 20-40 million worldwide, half a million of which occurred in America. There have been regular influenza outbreaks, the most serious of which are pandemics, affecting millions worldwide and lasting for several months. A primary example was the 1918-1919 influenza outbreak. Other pandemics also occurred in 1957 as the Asian flu and in 1968 as the Hong Kong flu. Epidemics occur every two to three years and affect 5-10% of the population.
Risk Factors – Influenza occurs throughout the world. Its basic antigen types are a, B and C. Types B. And C. are known to affect only humans, while Type a may infect both humans and animals. Influenza reaches a peak from December to March in temperate climates. Between 1976 and 2002, peak influenza activity in the U.S. was noted in January and February. Influenza occurs throughout the year in tropical areas. Documents show increased morbidity in “high-risk” adults, who require hospitalization from two to five times during major epidemics. People 65 years old or older, those of any age with chromic medical conditions and very young children are likeliest to develop complications from influenza. These complications include pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004). Flu can also make chronic health problems worse, such as asthma, and chronic congestive heart failure. Winter is the time for flu in the Northern hemisphere. Other persons at-risk are residents of nursing homes and chronic-care facilities, those with chronic heart or lung problems, chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes and renal dysfunction, young people on long-term aspirin therapy, pregnant women in their second or third trimester, those immuno-compromised, those in contact with these persons and travelers to foreign countries.
A cough or a sneeze from an infected person can spread flu to others within three feet through the air and deposited into the nose or mouth of others (Centers for Disease Control Prevention 2004). It is also transmitted when a person touches the respiratory droplets of an infected person or an infected object and touches his mouth or nose before washing his hands. An infected person can spread the flu from day one before he or she can even feel sick. Adults can transmit the virus to others for another 3-7 days before symptoms show up. Children can pass it on longer than 7 days. Symptoms begin to show up from the first to fourth days after infection. Some show no symptoms yet pass the virus on to others during this time.
The Role of the Community Health Nurse – the community health nurse combines nursing know-how and public health practice in promoting and preserving the health of the population. As such, she is not limited to any specific age group and performs her functions on a continuing, rather than episodic, manner on the individual, family, and group and community levels. On the individual level, she focuses on the specific treatment of the virus and the care of the patient by verbally explaining the cause and course of the disease and how the patient can recover fast or by giving him reading materials that can help explain his condition and control the spread of the infection. If the individual belongs to the at-risk category, the nurse explains why he is at risk. If the individual is not yet infected, he should be encouraged to get an influenza vaccine injection each year before the flu season from late December till early March. On the family level, the nurse can discuss the threats of the flu with the members, distribute reading materials, conduct check-ups with the members and encourage them to get the vaccine and practice proper hygiene to avoid flu infection. She must warn them, though, that infants six months and younger will not benefit from vaccines. And in the community level, she can conduct orientation seminars or meetings with small groups on the threats of influenza and the benefit of vaccination. Community awareness may be intensified by regular newspaper and magazine write-ups, columns and teasers; radio and television spots and announcements; brochures, posters and children’s stories on comic books. The importance of hygiene, of getting the flu vaccine and prompt treatment may be emphasized during check-ups on the individual level; during regular and outreach visits on the family level; and when conducting nationwide health campaigns on the community level through radio, television, school, surveillance programs, preparedness activities and response or implementation activities in the control of the pandemic.
As a general prevention strategy, the community health nurse can motivate individuals, families and communities to acquire influenza vaccination every fall, wash their hands frequently, avoid close contact with those infected with flu, cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, and refraining from touching their mouth, nose and eyes. Employees of long-term care facilities should all be vaccinated and to stay at their nurses’ homes when infected.
In case of influenza outbreak, the community health nurse should provide anti-influenza medications to protect those in close contact, and these are the three prescription drugs, anantadine, rimantadine and oseltamivir. Medications must be continued until the vaccine becomes effective. She should contact the state of local health department immediately about the outbreak and report cases to the local health department.
The Watson Caring Theory may be infused in the role and functions of the community health nurse when treating and caring for patients or victims of influenza. Jean Watson’s 10 carative factors can translate into clinical caritas processes and bring about subject healing processes that can help speed up the recovery of a patient as an individual, as part of a family or as a member of the community. In applying Watson’s caring theory or model, the nurse can form or build a humanistic-altruistic system of values with the individual patient, the family or community; instill faith and hope; become more sensitive to them in their suffering; develop a more trusting relationship with them; elicit and accept their expression of positive or negative feelings; promote a creative problem-solving caring process with them; induce a transpersonal teaching-learning environment; build a supportive, protective and corrective or curative physical, mental, social and spiritual environment; help gratify other human needs; and allow necessary existential-phenomenological-spiritual forces to form and work for speedy healing.
Summary and Conclusion
The 1918-1919 flu pandemic makes plain the nightmarish threat of new strains that natural human resistance cannot fend of and for which the world is hardly prepared. Tamiflu can cover only 2.3 million Americans or less than 1% of its population. Health care budget rose from $40 to $419 million in the past 5 years, but the quality and level or preparedness have not been satisfactory to health experts. Experiments to counteract H5N1 have been error and failure-prone. The Influenza a virus is seen as capable of recombining and creating new strains of the viral disease every 10 to 15 years with a completely new structure that can cause major epidemics throughout the world likely to be more devastating than the 1918 pandemic. This constant antigenic change will require new vaccines to be developed on a regular basis and will always outpace these vaccines, as the new strains are expected to spread quickly in crowded places, especially schools and workplaces. Absenteeism is seen to increase and prove economically disastrous. The community health nurse must respond more effectively to the need of the hour. She must expand to combine nursing know-how and public health practice in providing assistance and support to the stricken or exposed individual, family and community.
Bibliography
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Influenza: the Disease. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease.htm
Ghosh, T. (2004). Preventing Widespread Influenza: Influenza Surveillance Activities. Public Health Update. http://www.tchd.org/pdfs/update9.04_flu.pdf
Keen, a. (1995). Influenza. Virology lectures. Department of Medical Microbiology: University of Cape Town. http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/mmi/jmondie/influen2.html
La Porte, RE. (2005). Influenza: Epidemiology, Prevention and Control. A Supercourse. Global Health Network. http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/lecture/lec0652/index.htm
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2004). Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/pandemicplan_e.html
Russell, S. (2005). Flu Pandemic Looms, Experts Warn World. New York Times Syndicate: Medline Plus. http://www.nlm, nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_2488.html
Smith, J.F. (2005). Influenza. Dr. Joseph F. Smith Medical Library: The Thompson Corporation. http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00053640.html
Zimmerman, R.K. (2005). Recent Changes in Influenza Epidemiology and Vaccination Recommendations. The Journal of Family Practice, vol 54 # 1. http://www.jfponline.com/supplements/JFP_Jan_05/WYE_J_2_influenza
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
GET A PERFECT SCORE!!! 
Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.
You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.
Read moreEach paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.
Read moreThanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.
Read moreYour email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.
Read moreBy sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.
Read more