Introduction
New Jersey gets a very major boost from the office of the local public health, which works to strengthen its system and improve the performance and practice of the local health. Public health being both a science and art of caring and improving the health of the entire population, New Jersey has five major facts, which are its major concern. To start with, this state is greatly concerned with educating the public on health matters. It does this to strengthen the regional collaboration and coordination of the public. This state also recognizes that there is a need to educate the public on how to live healthily. The public needs to know and apply the basic knowledge and skills of how to stay safe, healthy, and how to deal with emergencies before the local public health officials intervene. Owing to these, the government introduced health education in schools and to the public through the media, internet, and public seminars (State of New Jersey: Department of Human Services, 2011, p.1).
This state is also supporting research on diseases and other medical innovations. Through the enhancement of educational activities and research centers to improve the quality of services and preparedness, this state has focused on public health research using the available resources, because it recognizes that, this is one of the primary methods of improving the quality of service delivery and health goals. Another fact about this state is that it is greatly concerned about the prevention of diseases and injuries. The local public health department works so hard to ensure that all citizens adopt the right measures of preventing themselves from diseases and injuries. In addition, health education and research centers all over the state are equally dedicated to preventing the residents from diseases. On the other hand, promoting healthy lifestyles is another fact that the local public health is concerned about. By giving the public the best and most reliable services, it tries to sustain and improve healthy lifestyles among its citizenry (Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, 2011, p.1 and State of New Jersey: Department of Human Services, 2011, p.1).
The Oil Disaster in the Gulf
The oil spill in the gulf in the recent past has raised serious concerns on public health problems. Apart from the environmental and economic crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, attention is also being diverted to the gushing sea bottom well. Reports say that the hundreds of millions of liters of crude oil that has been gushing from the broken well into the Gulf of Mexico in the past three months alone is enough to pose numerous dangers to public health. The most affected are the cleanup workers who are in close contact with not only crude oil but also smoke fumes and dispersants. There have been reports that, although most of them are not ill. Likelihoods of them becoming victims of the side effects of dangerous toxins, which are likely to cause untreatable strains of respiratory problems (Schure, 2010, 1)
Another new fact on the spillage at the Gulf is the health investigation. The center of American progress news called for a coordinated public health investigation into the Gulf spill. This was meant to coordinate collaborative efforts to correct, monitor, and standardize data and target funding for immediate and long-term intervention measures.
Issues and Trends in Nursing
Shared governance is in a case where a committee votes for some of the new decisions, plans, and strategies or/and proposals that are to be implemented. The manager or most superior person has very little responsibility in such a setting. This practice greatly affects professional nursing practice, decision-making, and empowerment in the following ways. By fostering a sense of empowerment, it has helped have an opportunity to participate in decision making. It has encouraged me to accept responsibility for decision-making and support/protect what has been collectively created. It has improved my communication since it involves more people in the decision process. Lastly, shared governance encourages compromise and helps to forestall harmful statements among factions on critical issues (Roach, 2011, pp. 1-3).
References
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. New Jersey Health Initiative Program. Rutgers. 2011. Web.
Roach, E. J. 2009. Shared Governance in Nursing. The Nursing Journal of India, C (4). Web.
Schure, T. 2010. The gulf oil spill: crisis of unfathomable consequences.WordPress. Web.
State of New Jersey: Department of Human Services. Disability and wellness initiative. Department of Human Services; Division of Disability Services. 2011. Web.