Learning Outcome #5: Critique extant nursing theories for their ability to address and provide guidance in relation to expanded concepts of health and well being

A)

This learning goal was met during class through the conversation of what nurses are doing and how well or how poorly they are doing it. For example, the article titled “Nurse – Led Teams in Chronic Disease Management” was discussed. The article explains strategies for reducing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, through nursing intervention. Nurses are at the forefront of healthcare and interact directly with patients and the community, and is a trusting profession. Nursing provides successful leadership when managing other conditions, however, there is a lack of support for cardio vascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A new trial was brought about called the Community Outreach and Cardiovascular Health Trial. It was a nurse lead team which adopted individual treatments to improve risk factors for patients for the two diseases. The team focused their interventions on behavioral interventions such as better exercise and proper eating, and following treatments. It was found that the nurse led program was successful as one year later, the patients had improved health, such as lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower hypoglycemic levels and lower LDL. Programs like this can be used all over the world can can make a difference everywhere. Not only do nurse lead initiatives work in developed countries, bringing knowledge to people in developing countries and teaching them about the importance of exercise or even hand hygiene can make a difference. Proper education on sanitation can reduce the number of communicable disease.

B) Evidence outside of course content

Evidence 1:

Gallant, P. (2015). For nurses, improving health means fighting poverty. The Star. Retrieved form https://www.thestar.com/life/nursing/2015/05/07/for-nurses-improving-health-means-fighting-poverty.html

This article describes a nurse who began to work towards making equitable health care for all, particularly for the homeless population. When someone has a lack of money, they do not have the means to pay for shelter, nutritious food, or medical bills, therefore are more likely to become ill, and only seek treatment when their symptoms are too much to handle. This nurse realized that she needed to start helping people earlier in their healthcare journey and offer them solutions. She offers care for people who have trouble going through mainstream healthcare. She has been successful in her upstream approach, in working with the social determinants of health, and preventing patients from getting worse.

Evidence 2:

Desjardins, L. (2018). Save safe injection sites in Ontario, plead nurses. Radio Canada International. Retrieved form http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/08/07/services-protect-drug-users-nurses/

This article explains that the Ford government is trying to take away safe injection sites, saying that it only increase the chance of people doing drugs and brings more drug addicts into the area. Nurses are standing up and trying to educate the government about how these sites decrease the chance of overdose, and the spread of disease, just by providing clean needles. This is a positive and upstream approach to try and combat the opioid crisis. Safe injection sites not only reduce the spread of disease, but also reduces the strain of people coming into the emergency department for drug related health problems.