DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Sample Answer for DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2 Included After Question

Visit the World Health Organization (WHO) website and locate an article that relates to research on the global health crisis. Include the link to the article and summarize the crisis the article discusses. Propose two realistic and achievable initiatives within the scope of nursing science that could help to mitigate this crisis. Provide examples and relevant literature to support your response.

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

There are many health crises around the world, and no shortage of such crises listed on the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The health crisis that stuck out to me is the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.  Ebola causes inflammation and tissue damage throughout the body. Specifically, it causes problems with the clotting system, and can lead to internal bleeding (Garibaldi, n.d.). Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, and is often fatal (Garibaldi, n.d.). It is estimated that average fatality rates are around 50%, and rates have been anywhere from 25 to 90 % in previous outbreaks (Garibaldi, n.d.). With numbers this staggering, it is easy to see why this disease would cause so much concern.

Since there are no licensed vaccines to protect against Ebola, protection much come from other means. One simple yet effective means to protect against Ebola is to make sure people understand how the disease spreads, and how they can protect themselves (Ebola, n.d.). Although this seems easy, it can be very difficult in the poor corners of the world where outbreaks typically occur. As nurses, that would be our signal most effective tactic to use against this disease. The facts need to be shared with the population in question, and done so in ways that they understand. If the public is educated, future outbreaks may not have nearly as great of an impact.

Ebola. (n.d.). World Health Organization. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/ebola-uganda-2022

Garibaldi, B. T. (n.d.). Ebola. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/ebola

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

I agree with you that the Ebola outbreak in Uganda in one of the listed health crisis on the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The outbreak has resulted to deaths and high infection rates.  Ebola causes inflammation and tissue damage throughout the body. Specifically, it causes problems with the clotting system, and can lead to internal bleeding. Uganda is a developing nation with poor healthcare infrastructure (Wilhelm & Helleringer, 2019). Unreliable healthcare systems in the country have troubled the intervention efforts. However, domestic and global healthcare players such as the WHO has boasted the intervention process. Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, and is often fatal (Yerger et al., 2020). Absence of licensed vaccines to protect against Ebola has slowed down the intervention and recovery process. As a result, many Ugandans have been exposed to the virus as the mortality rates keeping increasing steadily. Nurses have been involved in sensitizing the public while attending to the patients of Ebola virus.

References

Wilhelm, J. A., & Helleringer, S. (2019). Utilization of non-Ebola health care services during Ebola outbreaks: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of global health, 9(1).  doi: 10.7189/jogh.09.010406

Yerger, P., Jalloh, M., Coltart, C. E., & King, C. (2020). Barriers to maternal health services during the Ebola outbreak in three West African countries: a literature review. BMJ global health, 5(9), e002974. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002974

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

The mental health crisis is due to an increase in the short- and long-term stresses caused by COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2022). During the first year of the pandemic, there was at least a 25% increase in depressive and anxiety disorders (World Health Organization, 2022). On the other hand, mental health services were severely hampered by the pandemic. Consequently, there has been a widening of the treatment gap due to an increase in mental health problems in the face of disruptions in mental health services.

Various nursing interventions can be applied to the mental health crisis. Nurse-led stress management training can help individuals improve the increase in stress. Training people to use stress management techniques can help them improve their stress reactivity, which in turn can lead to improvement in mental health. Research shows that stress management intervention can contribute to improvement in depression, sleep, and reactivity in social conflicts (Herr et al., 2018). The effort will help address the crisis by reducing the contribution of stress to depressive and anxiety disorders.

Technology-based applications can also be applied to improving mental health. The use of mobile health interventions to offer psychoeducational and mindfulness interventions is effective in reducing mental health problems among healthcare workers. Extending such mobile applications to the public is likely to yield similar results and reach a wider audience. Overall, the use of technology-based apps and providing stress management training to members of the public are potential interventions grounded in nursing science that could be beneficial in addressing the identified mental health crisis.

References

Herr, R. M., Barrech, A., Riedel, N., Gündel, H., Angerer, P., & Li, J. (2018). Long-term effectiveness of stress management at work: effects of the changes in perceived stress reactivity on mental health and sleep problems seven years later. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2), 255. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020255

World Health Organization (2022, October 10). World Mental Health Day 2022 – Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority. https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/10/10/default-calendar/world-mental-health-day-2022—make-mental-health-and-well-being-for-all-a-global-priority

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

LYDIA no one had prepared for COVID-19 pandemic. The limited warning time triggered panic among healthcare professionals and the public. Unfortunately, the mental health crisis escalated as a result of the pandemic. High global mortality rate at the peak of the pandemic resulted to deaths of loved ones (Thombs et al., 2020). At the same time, other families struggled to finance huge medical bills for their loved ones after they have recovered from the virus. Loss of source of livelihood and high inflations during the pandemic intensified the mental health crisis. Various nursing interventions can be applied to the mental health crisis. Healthcare professionals are important in guiding people to recover from mental complications (Moreno et al., 2020). However, fatigue and interacting with dying patients expose most healthcare workers to mental breakdown. Training people to use stress management techniques can help them improve their stress reactivity, which in turn can lead to improvement in mental health. Nurses are competent to lead these training routines.

References

Moreno, C., Wykes, T., Galderisi, S., Nordentoft, M., Crossley, N., Jones, N., … & Arango, C. (2020). How mental health care should change as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(9), 813-824. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30307-2

Thombs, B. D., Bonardi, O., Rice, D. B., Boruff, J. T., Azar, M., He, C., … & Benedetti, A. (2020). Curating evidence on mental health during COVID-19: A living systematic review. Journal of psychosomatic research, 133, 110113. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110113

A Sample Answer 5 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

We are all aware of the effect that COVID-19 had on global health. Despite all of the challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to be a part of the worldwide response to the pandemic and continue the other efforts they have been working on for many years. WHO published a report on their significant achievements in the midst of the pandemic (WHO, 2022). WHO led the largest-ever global response to a health crisis by working with 1600 technical and operational partners to deliver more than 1.4 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses globally (WHO, 2022). It also was part of the global rollout of crucial health materials of US$500 million worth of personal protective equipment, US$187 million in oxygen supplies, US$4.8 million in treatments, and 110 million diagnostic tests (WHO, 2022). An interesting piece of this report is that 117 of 127 countries surveyed reported disruption to at least one essential health service because of COVID (WHO, 2022). This learner finds it hard to believe that ten countries out there had no disruption from COVID-19. The DNP-prepared nurse can be an active part in educating patients about the COVID vaccination options and its benefits for them.

Another noteworthy achievement of the WHO during the pandemic is helping 58 countries prohibit the use of trans fatty acids (a hazardous food compound linked to cardiovascular disease) (WHO, 2022). They have a goal of a world free of trans-fats by the end of 2023 (WHO, 2022). That seems like a lofty goal, in this learner’s opinion. Overall, tobacco use is decreasing in 150 countries (WHO, 2022). Fifteen countries have achieved the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis (WHO, 2022). Park et al. (2022) found that provider education on the correct treatment of syphilis in pregnant women was a gap. They discussed that prenatal care providers receive focused, ongoing training on syphilis treatment guidelines for pregnant women, encompassing screening, testing, test interpretation, patient and partner notification, and the recommended follow-up treatment regimen.

WHO was part of the response to deliver the world’s first updated malaria vaccine (RTS,S/AS01) to 1 million children living in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission. This is a health risk with associated mortality for so many that live in those regions. Thompson et al. (2022) recommended malaria vaccination to all populations, including children, as an additional tool to existing interventions.

Park, E., Yip, J., Harville, E., Nelson, M., Giarratano, G., Buekens, P., & Wagman, J. (2022). Gaps in the congenital syphilis prevention cascade: Qualitative findings from Kern County, California. BMC Infectious Diseases, 22, 129. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8818245/

Thompson, H., Hogan, A., Walker, P., Winskill, P., Zongo, I., Sagara, I., Tinto, H., Ouedraogo, J., Dicko, A., Chandramohan, D., Greenwood, B., Cairns, M., & Ghani, A. (2022). Seasonal use case for the RTS, S?AS01 malaria vaccine: a mathematical modelling study. The Lancet, 10(12), E1782-E1792. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(22)00416-8/fulltext

World Health Organization. (2022). For a safer, healthier, and fairer world: Result report, Programme budget 2022-2021. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/about/accountability/results/who-results-report-2020-2021

A Sample Answer 6 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

I agree with you that we are all ware of the effects of COVID-19. Sadly, the pandemic got people and healthcare agencies unaware. As a result of poor preparations, high mortality and infection rates were reported at the peak of this pandemic (Hellewell et al., 2020). Different stakeholders such as the World Health Organization (WHO) played an important role in sensitizing the global public and healthcare institutions. WHO published a report on their significant achievements in the midst of the pandemic. Frequent updating of the information from the organization boasted the intervention process. Unfortunately, hefty healthcare budgets were directed towards prevention and response processes (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020). Due to financial constraints in the developing world the response and recovery was slower compared to the developed world. The discovery and rollout of vaccination programs boasted the intervention. The DNP-prepared nurse can be an active part in educating patients about the COVID vaccination options and its benefits for them.

References

Hellewell, J., Abbott, S., Gimma, A., Bosse, N. I., Jarvis, C. I., Russell, T. W., … & Eggo, R. M. (2020). Feasibility of controlling COVID-19 outbreaks by isolation of cases and contacts. The Lancet Global Health, 8(4), e488-e496. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30074-7

Rothan, H. A., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Journal of autoimmunity, 109, 102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102433

A Sample Answer 7 For the Assignment: DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

Title:  DNP 825 TOPIC 8 DQ 2

In a review of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 report titled Vaccines and immunization for monkeypox: Interim guidance, Monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus in the same genus as the variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox) and vaccinia virus (the virus used in the smallpox vaccine). Patients with mpox (previously referred to as monkeypox) typically develop a rash that is similar in appearance to smallpox; however, the mortality from mpox is significantly less than for smallpox. The rash of mpox can also be similar in appearance to more common infectious rashes, such as those observed in secondary syphilis, herpes simplex infection, and varicella-zoster virus infection.  Before 2022, most cases of mpox occurred in Central and West Africa. However, an ongoing outbreak associated with person-to-person transmission, first reported in May 2022, has involved thousands of individuals in dozens of non-endemic countries. Two vaccines are available: JYNNEOSTM (live, replication incompetent vaccinia virus) and ACAM2000® (live, replication-competent vaccinia virus). While most cases of monkeypox will have a mild and self-limited disease, with supportive care typically sufficient, antivirals (e.g., tecovirimat, brincidofovir, cidofovir) and vaccinia immune globulin intravenous (VIGIV) are available as treatments. Antivirals can be considered in severe disease, immunocompromised patients, pediatrics, pregnant and breastfeeding women, complicated lesions, and when lesions appear near the mouth, eyes, and genitals.  Transmission of monkeypox requires prolonged close interaction with a symptomatic individual. Brief interactions and those conducted using appropriate protective personal equipment (PPE) following standard precautions are not high risk and generally do not warrant post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The CDC has created informed guidance to assess the risk of exposure and make informed decisions concerning PEP. The CDC recommends that the first dose of vaccine be given within four days of exposure to prevent disease. If given 4–14 days after the exposure date, vaccination may reduce the symptoms of the disease but may not prevent disease onset. 

According to the WHO, all individuals with confirmed exposures to mpox should monitor for symptoms for 21 days. Contacts who remain asymptomatic can continue routine daily activities. If symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the health department or other designated point of contact (e.g., occupational health for HCP) for further guidance. Decisions regarding post-exposure vaccination depend primarily upon the type of exposure. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines exposure to risk as higher, intermediate, or low. For those with a known higher-risk exposure, we suggest post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine in addition to monitoring. The MVA vaccine is made from a highly attenuated, nonreplicating vaccinia virus and has an excellent safety profile, even in immunocompromised people and those with skin disorders.  Where the MVA vaccine is available, it may be offered to individuals who do not have a confirmed exposure but are at high risk for recent exposure (e.g., based on sexual risk). This is referred to as expanded PEP.  PEP should be considered for individuals after specific intermediate-risk exposures on a case-by-case basis. By contrast, vaccination is not indicated for those with lower-risk exposures.

Two realistic and achievable initiatives within the scope of nursing science that could help mitigate this crisis are patient education regarding vaccination and pre-and post-exposure prophylaxis both in the acute and community health sectors. Of optimal importance are the nurse’s education and understanding of the disease process of MPOX. This includes post-infection control practices, post-exposure management, and vaccination. According to WHO, due to behavioral or occupational risk factors, the MVA vaccine should be offered pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to selected persons at risk for orthopoxviral infection. In addition, all individuals with confirmed exposures to mpox should monitor for symptoms for 21 days. Infection prevention practices are a must for nurses. If the diagnosis of mpox is being considered, infection prevention precautions should be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission. Nurses must be aware that all health care personnel (HCP) involved in the care of a patient with mpox should use a gown, gloves, eye protection (goggles or face shield), and a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved N95 filtering facepiece or equivalent or higher-level respirator. 

Vaccines and immunization for monkeypox: Interim guidance. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2022, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MPX-Immunization

World Health Organization. Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox. Interim rapid response guidance. 2022. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MPX-Clinical-and-IPC-2022.1 (Accessed on December 19, 2022).