Introduction
Topic Explanation
The topic we are addressing is impetigo, which is a highly contagious skin infection. Even though this disease does not have serious health outcomes, it is connected with high risks of spreading. Schoolchildren from 5 to 10 years old are the most common population that suffers from impetigo (Schachner et al., 2021). Impetigo is characterized by red sores that appear on the skin (Schachner et al., 2021). These blisters can be painful and cause discomfort among children who cannot control their desire to scratch them. As a result, the infection spreads more actively to other body parts, and itching causes significant problems (Schachner et al., 2021). It is more challenging to recognize the first signs of the disease in children with black or brown skin, which aggravates the risk of further spreading the infection (Schachner et al., 2020).
Main Points About Impetigo
It is essential to remember that impetigo spreads on the skin that is already damaged. Scratches aggravate the skin state and contribute to the active development of the disease (Nardi & Schaefer, 2021). Therefore, supporting adequate hygiene and avoiding scratching the body is critical. Insect bites and cuts are also potential places that lead to the spread of impetigo (Nardi & Schaefer, 2021).
The infection usually develops from the pathogens Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus (Nardi & Schaefer, 2021). Therefore, the bacterial nature of impetigo is proven, and the registered nurse should consider this characteristic while addressing the cases of impetigo among young school children. For example, proper hygiene of scratches and hands is the working method of reducing the number of bacteria on the skin.
Types of Impetigo
It is possible to distinguish two significant types of impetigo caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The standard variants of the infection are the bullous type, which constitutes 30% of all incidences, and the nonbullous type, which includes 70% of the cases. It is possible to describe the common signs and symptoms of impetigo in the following lines:
“The classic appearance of distinctive honey-colored, crusted legions aids in diagnosis, which is most often based on clinical presentation. The disease is generally mild and felt to be self-limited; however, antimicrobial treatment is often initiated to reduce spread and shorten clinical course” (Johnson, 2020, p. 262).
The Importance of the Topic in Relation to the Health of People
Justification of the Rationale for the Plan
All young children have issues with hand hygiene and negative health symptoms, which aggravates the situation of impetigo spread (Primhak et al., 2022). The information analysis on the topic shows that the demographic component is critical in understanding the essence of impetigo. In addition, it allows the registered nurse to develop a realistic healthcare plan to prevent contamination in the school environment. Registered nurses need to understand the demographics affected by impetigo and the significant ways to address this health issue, mainly because impetigo is highly contagious.
Incidence of Impetigo
Impetigo is a widespread infection affecting approximately 140 million people worldwide, constituting almost 2% of the global population (Brazel et al., 2021). The condition is most widespread among young children, as was already mentioned. Impetigo’s second name, “school sores,” reflects the demographic issues connected with this disease (Dollani & Marathe, 2020). Without special treatment with antibiotics, the infected people feel that the symptoms alleviate in three weeks. The infection can become chronic if the person’s immune system is not strong enough and the individual does not receive adequate and timely treatment for impetigo (Dollani & Marathe, 2020).
Statistical Data
According to the estimates, the average mortality rate among young children from 5 to 10 years old is approximately 3-5% (Primhak et al., 2022). The peculiar detail is that the mortality rate and the annual incidence of impetigo are almost ten times higher among children from indigenous communities compared to their peers (Primhak et al., 2022). Among these symptoms are constant skin discomfort, itching, and problems with sleep and concentration (Primhak et al., 2022). In general, the development of impetigo is connected with risks for the immune system that trigger other chronic and acute health states. This information is especially critical for New Zealand public health due to the need to pay attention to the indigenous people (Primhak et al., 2022). Fewer acute complications endanger the child’s health and well-being after contamination with impetigo.
Reasons for Nurses’ Concerns Regarding Impetigo
The primary concern of impetigo among young children is its infectional character. Contagious skin infections are hazardous in the school environment, where children of young age (from 5 to 10) have numerous uncontrollable contacts (Dollani & Marathe, 2020). As a result, the school nurse needs to control the skin state of students to prevent the spread of impetigo among their classmates. Timely diagnosis of impetigo is the main issue in reducing the risks that the skin infection will spread among all students.
Role of the Registered Nurse
The registered nurse has a critical role in the functioning of the health system. Their contribution can be analyzed using the example of diagnosis and treatment of impetigo among school students from 5 to 10 years old. The registered nurse has professional competence to see the first symptoms of the skin infection’s development and respond to them adequately. Young children cannot typically connect the first signs of the bacterial infection with the diagnosis. As a result, they do not reduce physical contact with others, which is especially vital for children from 5 to 10 years old in the school environment. Moreover, they can forget about proper hygiene, which is also essential in preventing the spread of impetigo (Schachner et al., 2020).
Duties of the Nurse
The registered nurse focuses on preventing the spread of impetigo, diagnosing it, and controlling the therapy, which are integral components of public health. The current health promotion plan is rationally justified because the number of young children suffering from impetigo is high. The school environment and the young age of the target population make this situation a critical concern of public healthcare that should be addressed. The topic is especially current in New Zealand due to indigenous populations’ higher risks of impetigo development (Primhak et al., 2022). Among the reasons that lead to this situation are difficulties with diagnosing impetigo on non-white skin and endemic peculiarities connected with the regions where the indigenous populations live (Primhak et al., 2022).
Risk Factors Nurses Should Consider
Among the risk factors that nurses should consider while checking students from 5 to 10 years old are skin breaks, including herpes, eczema, mosquito bites, participation in contact sports, diagnosed type 2 diabetes, poor nutrition of the student, attending crowded places and daycare (May et al., 2019). The diagnosis of impetigo among young children is visual and connected with the manifestation of the main symptoms. It foregrounds the need for the rapid response of the registered nurse to the illness. For example, the nurse should remember that skin infections and impetigo are typically treated with antibiotic cream and tablets (May et al., 2019). It reduces the risks of the spread of the condition and prevents its further development. The foremost step in preventing the spread of the infection in the school environment is reducing physical contact with the ill child.
Therefore, the professional nurse can use these symptoms as a guide to finding cases of impetigo among 5-10-year-old children to prevent the spread of the infection. The disease’s typical clinical appearance facilitates the nurse’s task. In this case, the main principle of the nurse’s plan is the attentive attitude to children who study in the particular school and the detailed examination of their skin state to find the signs of impetigo at once. The registered nurse is a responsible adult with professional knowledge on the topic, making regular check-ups of young children’s skin at school obligatory (Johnson, 2020).
In addition, the complication of impetigo caused by the spread of the Streptococcus bacteria discussed earlier proves the necessity for the timely diagnosis of the disease (Gahlawat et al., 2021). Preventing health complications is the only way to reduce the number of children infected with the bacteria who suffer from its spread, fever, and other related symptoms. Because young children in schools communicate in close groups, and there are many individuals in the classroom, the risks of the rapid spread of impetigo endanger the health state of all students (Gahlawat et al., 2021). If the nurse does not prevent it, the school can be closed for the quarantine, affecting public health and education.
The Implications of the Topic in Relation to Health
Risks Connected with Impetigo
The bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus triggers the further intoxication of the organism, which leads to the spread of the infection to other organs and the development of the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. The symptoms of impetigo and the spread of the staphylococcal infection typically spread quickly, and the person is aware of them (Brazel et al., 2021). However, the reluctant attitude of the contaminated person can lead to long-term disregard of the symptoms, potentially resulting in the toxic shock that endangers human life. These concerns are especially relevant to the diagnosis of impetigo among young children who can see the negative health systems but cannot evaluate them adequately. The soft tissue infection spreads rapidly, making the health state of the child with impetigo challenging to endure (Brazel et al., 2021).
Importance of Addressing Impetigo as a Healthcare Issue
Impetigo is connected with the risks of developing the chronic condition of bacterial etiology. As a result, the systematic and local spread of the infection endangers the well-being of people and requires attention from the public health system. Recurring inflammation can develop into septicemia, lymphangitis, and cellulitis (Johnson, 2020). In general, Staphylococcal bacteremia harms the human immune system, which increases the risks of the potential development of other diagnoses that are not directly connected with impetigo (Johnson, 2020). For instance, children can develop the symptoms of chronic kidney disease as the result of contamination with this bacteria, which significantly affects the child’s life in the long term (Johnson, 2020).
Risks Connected With Impetigo
In addition, the development of rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, and strep throat are among the diagnoses closely connected with contamination with the Streptococcus bacteria (Brazel et al., 2021). According to statistical information, rheumatic fever is a common symptom among children from 5 to 15 years old infected with Streptococcus (Brazel et al., 2021). It proves the need to pay special attention to the diagnosis and treatment of impetigo in this age group to avoid severe complications of the infection that appear without proper therapy. There is no need to say that the response of the fever in the immune system to the inflammation is also complicated for children, which aggravates their overall health.
Preventative Actions Among Young School Children
The spread and contamination of impetigo among school students are achieved through hand hygiene (especially washing hands properly), cleaning the injuries, and avoiding those individuals who have signs of impetigo (Galli et al., 2019). Using fusidic acid and mupirocin, the components of creams with antibiotics show clinical effectiveness (Galli et al., 2019). Children have also been prescribed cefalexin, an antibiotic they should take by mouth (Galli et al., 2019). In most cases, this therapy shows promising results when the pathogens are not antibiotic resistant (Galli et al., 2019).
Controversy
The peculiar detail is that all healthcare professionals agree that impetigo among young children is a problem that should receive adequate and timely attention. However, certain controversies concerning this diagnosis are connected with the management of the therapy against impetigo (Galli et al., 2022). Both ambulatory and hospital settings are effective in treating impetigo in pediatrics. At the same time, not all cases of impetigo should be treated in the home setting due to the inability of adults who are not professional doctors or nurses to address the issue appropriately (Galli et al., 2022). In addition, some families do not have the opportunity to isolate the infected child, which leads to the further spread of the infection and contamination of other people (Galli et al., 2022).
Implications of Impetigo in Community Health
The demographic information concerning impetigo determines the implications of this disease on community health. As mentioned, impetigo is among young children’s most common bacterial infections. The analysis shows that almost 10% of all skin infections in the pediatric practice are types of impetigo (Galli et al., 2022). In addition, refugees, the homeless, and children in immigrant families also tend to develop the symptoms of impetigo. It is connected mainly with these populations’ significant lack of personal hygiene and adequate living conditions (Galli et al., 2022). The most common time when the incidence of impetigo increases is summer because high temperatures lead to the active development of the bacteria.
Ways Nurses Can Address Impetigo
Young children from 5 to 10 years old belong to the school community, which determines the action plan for nurses. The health promotion plan to increase the quality of life and health for young school students is a crucial step in preserving children’s well-being. The rationale for developing the health promotion plan for students from 5 to 10 years old shows that young children often have poor hygiene skills, cannot connect the first signs of impetigo with severe illness, and do not avoid physical contact in the crowded school environment.
Conclusion
These details show that nurses should address impetigo among school students from 5 to 10 years old with precise attention. First, the registered nurse must educate children about proper hygiene rules and control their washing hands and skin scratches. Second, the nurse should regularly check the student’s skin state, looking for signs of impetigo. Third, the nurse should ensure the child with the symptoms of impetigo does not attend school and receives adequate therapy at home. These measures reduce the risks of the further spread of impetigo, a highly contagious skin infection.
References
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