Discussion and replies

Discussion:

Despite increased abilities across developmental realms, including the maturation of pain systems involving self-regulation and the coordination of affect and cognition, the transition to young adulthood is accompanied by higher rates of mortality, greater engagement in health-damaging behaviors, and an increase in chronic conditions.  Rates of motor vehicle fatality and homicide peak during young adulthood, as do mental health problems, substance abuse, unintentional pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.  

Describe how the advanced practice nurse can play a role in improving the health of young adults through preventive screening and intervention.  

Instructions: 

Post your discussion to the Moodle Discussion Forum.  Initial post must be made by Day #3.  Word limit 500 words.  Reply to at least two other student posts with a reflection of their response.  Please make sure to provide citations and references (in APA, 7th ed. format) for your work.  

Due:

Saturday by 23:59 p.m. 

REPLIES:

Response to two classmates ,please one paragraph for each classmate(200 WORDS ).

CLASSMATE 1

       Society is an ever-changing scenario. Increasingly diverse lifestyles and habits appear in the daily work of nurses and other health science personnel. Putting into practice the duties and commitments of practicing nurses with the community is increasingly important to achieve high standards of health and physical and mental well-being of the population.

         It is evident that young adults are currently one of the most vulnerable populations to events that threaten not only their health but also endanger their lives and that of other beings that surround them. We are experiencing a considerable increase in the use of illegal drugs with high rates of addiction, traffic accidents increase for years with a high mortality rate, other problems such as sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies, all preventable with the joint work of the family, the community, medical and nursing staff, and different organizations. (Benfer I. et al. 2018)

       Improving the health of the population constitutes the essence of the professional work of nurses, young adults are undoubtedly one of the most complex challenges for the action of nurses. Two practical forms of help in this age group are health promotion and prevention. Both elements are found within the actions carried out by practicing nurses in their daily work. Promoting health is based on education, it is important to reach young people and place even more emphasis on those we consider to be at higher risk. It is a continuous work that begins with the study of the population that we assist. Evaluate behaviors, collect information, apply surveys, in short, all recognition that allows us to detect high-risk young adults. Beginning the education process is another element that we implement using different means of communication such as social networks, television, direct education in study or work centers. In all educational pathways there can be the presence of nurses contributing knowledge and educational qualities. Let us remember that as nurses we spend most of the time with our patients, we are the first to detect risk factors that can be addressed in time, we are able to anticipate phenomena by providing guidance and promoting healthy behaviors among young people. (Liu L, et al. 2022)

       The most important achievement that can derive from the work and action of the nurse in the community is the autonomy in the care and preservation of people’s health. The positive result among young adults is to strengthen their capacity for individual and community responsibility in health care. (Privett N. et al. 2021)

       Prevention is the other most effective element or way to achieve a positive impact on the state of health of human beings. In this field, nurses are also capable of obtaining beneficial results for the well-being of the community. In the case of young adults, it is important to insist on maintaining up-to-date vaccination according to age and established schedules, detection tests for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, evaluation of nutritional status that allows us to act and suggest treatments to address alterations early. of body weight such as obesity or overweight, recommend programs that help in addictions to drugs, alcohol, or smoking. In each action the role of the nurse is fundamental, and the impact can be very positive for this age group that continues to be increasingly vulnerable. (Bennett GG. et al. 2018)

CLASSMATE 2

    Advanced practice registered nurses(APRNs) must come out in their numbers to ensure a safe transition from adolescence to adulthood by the youths in society. The youth undergo many challenges from social vices, such as drug abuse, mental health issues, homicide, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections (Leader et al., 2020). Advanced practice nurses are professionally informed to carry out their respective duties to ensure the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses inflicting the members of society. Some of these roles can be generalized into health promotion services that ensure the management of diseases and health education. 

Role of APRN in Youth Care 

Education Service 

APRNs are mandated to offer free educational services to adolescents and the youth. Adolescents are among the vulnerable population in society and thus requires immediate interventions to ensure they do not continue to suffer. However, this stage is full of developmental issues, including low self-esteem. Youth always feel that society is harsh on them and primarily judges their behaviors (Sieving et al., 2020). The APRN’s role is to research the challenges affecting the youth, such as drug abuse, and offer evidence-based advisory services to inform youth about the impact of such negative behaviors. For example, the APRNS should develop education plans to address the mental health challenges that affect the youth. It is imperative to inform the youth about the symptoms and treatment interventions. Creating such awareness among the youth is very important since they will identify among themselves some of the symptoms relating to the mental health challenges, such as anxiety, low mood, and loneliness, which are some of the primary causes of increased vehicle accidents.  

Creation of immunization Centres 

Advanced practice registered nurses have been instrumental in offering vaccination and immunization services to the youth. Some commonly immunized diseases among the youth include; diphtheria, tuberculosis, poliovirus, Human Papilloma Virus(HPV), and Hepatitis B. The APRNs, therefore, involve themselves in primary healthcare and collaborate with the community health personnel to combat these infectious diseases among the youth. APRNs working in the pediatric units can work together with adolescents to create awareness that will increase vaccination rates (Thomas et al., 2023). The APRN should create immunization centers in rural areas reporting lower vaccination rates. The low number of youths vaccinated against some infectious diseases, such as diphtheria, results from skepticism among the residents who feel the vaccines are unsafe, thus increasing the number of youths who are highly susceptible to diseases, which should not be the case.  

Treatment and diagnosis of healthcare

APRNs are the leading advocates for safe and quality care. They practice through various activities that facilitate an evidence-based care approach. APRNs act as nursing leaders to the clinical nurses. Providing a supervisory role to these clinical nurses is one of the best practices in nursing that ensures safe and quality care. Supporting the clinical nurses to ensure that they work in a conducive environment is critical in adequately treating and diagnosing diseases affecting the youth (Thomas et al., 2023). For instance, APRNs always advocate for applying evidence-based approaches in offering care to adolescents. 

Youths are suffering greatly from the fear of the unknown. Many suffer from STIs such as Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, and other STDs that can easily be preventable through early and proper screening services. The APRNs must develop adequate interventions, including promotions services such as providing incentives to convene adolescents to screen against STIs. They can also involve testing reminders on theory telephones and social media (Thomas et al., 2023). The current technology in the 21st century is beneficial in enhancing nursing interventions. The use of Telehealth services by APRNs has facilitated timely medical treatment and screening during COVID-19. 

Offering public health advisory 

Besides educating the youth about the common challenges affecting them, APRNs are also public health advisors. They advocate for proper healthcare services for the youth based on their needs. A good APRN should conduct a community health analysis of a specific population and provide necessary recommendations to address their health needs (Sieving et al., 2020). The APRNs also act as the links between the federal government and the community. As a public health advocate, the APRN should always push the government to increase its funding for critical public health concerns affecting the youth, such as drug abuse and unwanted pregnancies. These funds will play a more significant role in training programs and the publication of source materials that address such health concerns.