Global infections require strategic management and appropriate control techniques to reduce their evolving spread and incidence. In this regard, practitioners must apply all essential plans to mitigate the prevalence of these infections. The purpose of this paper is to develop an argument on the roles of nursing practices in managing such infections as dengue outbreak.
Summary of the Article
Prior to the prevalence of dengue within India, various researchers have performed and published studies in order to establish ways of dealing with the causative virus. Sankari, Hoti, Singh and Shanmugavel (2012) evaluated the potential effects of climate on the transmission of the infectious virus. They collected 42 and 16 blood samples of individuals thought to be infected by dengue virus in 2007 and 2008 respectively (Sankari, et al., 2012).
The viral RNA retrieved from these samples was tried through the polymerase chain reaction processes and the resultant amplicons analyzed phylogenetically. Furthermore, the climatic variations from various reliable stations were analyzed through ‘t’ test for the years 2000-2004 as well as 2005-2008. The results proved that the prevalent causative agent of the infections was Dengue virus serotype 2 in the area of study and Cambodia. Significant differences were established in the minimum temperature, relative humidity (RH), relative humanity and cumulative precipitation (CP) for years studied (Sankari et al., 2012).
In this light, the researchers argued that immediate outbreaks of the fever within Manipur was due to raised temperatures, RH and lowered CP. These conditions might have led to increased population of the Aedes mosquito, which transmitted the virus. Therefore, the researchers recommended that climatic variances should be incorporated in warning against the prevalence of vectors and diseases. However, it was indicated that people living in South East Asian were highly susceptible to Dengue infections since this region was endemic for the disease.
Impacts on the Nursing Practice
BSN Nurses and Outbreak
Disease prevention is an attribute that BSN nurses must tackle at all possible cost. Primarily, the preventive approaches were cheaper and easier to control than the treatment ones. They received information regarding the cases of dengue fever and established the root sources of the infections in order to implement the necessary precautions against the spreading and evading factor. For instance, the identification of a contagious zone helped to suppress the vices and perpetuation of the vector mosquito. Furthermore, they took care of infected patients by providing guidance and minor drugs to relieve the effects of fever.
A BSN nurse had the mandate to direct patients diagnosed with the dengue disease in such aspects as receiving substantive rest and taking beverages. In fact, some adverse cases required adequate monitoring like providing supplemented water through the veins. It was also apparent that collection of samples for laboratory evaluation as well as their proper maintenance and storage was nurses’ mandate.
Possible Health Promotion Strategies
Knowledge of the prevailing incidences of diseases within the area had to be possessed by the nurses. This did not only update and educate the public on the current outbreak, but also assisted in establishing stringent first aid reactions after receiving ill patients. For instance, the practitioners inquired on travel information of the patient and details of previous illnesses. Where essential, they created awareness of an outbreak and informed about the precautions that could be applied to avoid the transmissions. In this light, the patient stayed up-to-date with the current trends and helped in spreading the paramount information of controlling the outbreak.
In a final stage, prevention without treatment was not fully effective to curb the invading dengue virus. Although dengue fever does not have a vaccine to alert the human immune system against the virus, it was imperative to apply the experiences and skills of BSN nurses in observing patients’ progress and controlling the resultant hemorrhage. Apart from these, the most significant control plan for the fever was through ensuring inhabitable breeding sites for the Aedes mosquitoes. In fact, the United States have applied this strategy in the evacuation of the Aedes albopictus, where non-biodegradable containers were disposed properly, solid waste disposal techniques were implemented appropriately, and human growth as well as migrations were controlled (Hunter, Denman-Vilale, Garzon, Allen, & Schumann, 2007).
Summary
The tactical approach applied when handling outbreaks must be all inclusive. Dengue fever requires a superfluous coordination of activities and adequate research not only to identify a possible vaccine for its treatment, but also to acknowledge new strategies of controlling its prevalence in the globe (Wagatsuma, Breiman, Hossain, & Rahman, (2004). In this regard, this paper has shown that such factors as climate, region, and environmental mismanagement are core when striving to attain this goal.
The infectious species of Aedes, especially in regard to the dengue fever, can be managed strategically without raising alarm across the globe. In either regard of poor or good outcomes against the fight against the spread of dengue virus, BSN practitioners retain a superlative role in reducing its incidence and taking clinical care for the patients.
References
Hunter, A., Denman-Vilale, S., Garzon, L., Allen, P., & Schumann L. (2007). Global infections: Recognition, Management, and Prevention. The Nurse Practitioner, 1(3), 35-41.
Sankari, T., Hoti, S., Bhubonchandra, S., & Shanmugavel, J. (2012). Outbreak of dengue virus serotype-2 (DENV-2) of Cambodian origin in Manipur, India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 1(36), 649-655.
Wagatsuma, Y, Breiman, F., Hossain, A., & Rahman, M. (2004). Dengue Fever Outbreak in a Recreation Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 10(4), 747-750.