Topic 2: Stigma Associated with Disease Essay

Topic 2: Stigma Associated with Disease Essay

Topic 2: Stigma Associated with Disease

In what ways would you choose to function as an advocate for vulnerable populations?

            As a nurse, advocacy involves several activities such as exploring self-awareness and lobbying for healthcare policies. Advocating for vulnerable populations will require the nurse to ensure their safety, educate them on how to manage their present condition, connect them to resources supporting their health and protect their patients’ rights (Williams et al., 2018). Advocacy is considered the ethics of nursing practice which requires nurses to be more directly involved in care provision.

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Discuss the types of assistance you might provide to each of the following clients from a vulnerable population:

1. A 24-year-old pregnant woman who is currently homeless and unmarried

Pregnant homeless single women may encounter several difficulties and health complications due to barriers to care services. As such, I will ensure that I provide care for this young adult female, without bias with the provision of prenatal care services (Azarmehr et al., 2018). I will also connect the patient to appropriate community resources which can provide further help such as y the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Homeless Prenatal Programs among others.

2. A 16-year-old girl who has run away from her foster home and who has an IV drug habit

First, I would evaluate the patient’s reasons behind running away from her foster home to understand her struggles. I will then conduct a full medical examination including tests for HIV and STDs given the patient is a teenage girl using drugs (Bounds et al., 2019). I will then evaluate the patient for substance use disorder, and offer medical assistance based on the findings. It will also be necessary to educate the patient on the dangers of running away from home and using drugs and advise her to go back to her foster home and talk to her foster parents about the problem. However, calling the foster parent might be necessary if the patient is quite reluctant to do so, especially to discuss her substance use.

3. An immigrant worker whose TB skin test just came back positive

Immigrants are normally faced with several barriers to TB treatment such as legal status, finances, transportation, and unavailability of TB care in other jurisdictions. As such, I will connect the patient to appropriate resources such as non-profit TB programs and the Office of Migrant Health, DHHS,  to help respond to the patient’s treatment barriers by enhancing the mobility of the patient and providing supportive services and counseling (Sinnathamby et al., 2021).

4. An employed, married man who contracted Hepatitis B through a blood transfusion 30 years ago

Given that the hepatitis B virus is normally transmitted through semen, blood, or other body fluids, it will be necessary to examine all the people who have been in contact with the patient. However, the initial step will be to examine the patient for possible complications given the long duration of the illness (Xiao et al., 2020). I will then educate the patient on how to manage the condition, and the importance of protecting those around him, thorough testing.

References

Azarmehr, H., Lowry, K., Sherman, A., Smith, C., & Zuñiga, J. A. (2018). Nursing practice strategies for prenatal care of homeless pregnant women. Nursing for women’s health, 22(6), 489-498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2018.09.005

Bounds, D. T., Edinburgh, L. D., Fogg, L. F., & Saeywc, E. M. (2019). A nurse practitioner-led intervention for runaway adolescents who have been sexually assaulted or sexually exploited: effects on trauma symptoms, suicidality, and self-injury. Child abuse & neglect, 90, 99-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.01.023

Sinnathamby, A., Ang, S., Bagdasarian, N., Chan, H. C., & Chan, S. M. (2021). Low uptake of isoniazid window prophylaxis in patients exposed to a health‐care worker with pulmonary tuberculosis in a paediatric ward. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15490

Williams, S. D., Phillips, J. M., & Koyama, K. (2018). Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a health in all policies approach. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No03Man01

Xiao, Y., Thompson, A. J., & Howell, J. (2020). Point-of-Care Tests for Hepatitis B: An Overview. Cells, 9(10), 2233. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9102233

 

Week 4 Discussion

The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics for this week on the basis of the course competencies covered. For this assignment, make sure you post your initial response to the Discussion Area by the due date assigned and complete your participation for this assignment by Day 7. To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use resources from the South University Online Library.
As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format. Support your work, using your course lectures and textbook readings. Helpful APA guides and resources are available in the South University Online Library. Below are guides that are located in the library and can be accessed and downloaded via the South University Online Citation Resources: APA Style page. The American Psychological Association website also provides detailed guidance on formatting, citations, and references at APA Style.
• APA Citation Helper
• APA Citations Quick Sheet
• APA-Style Formatting Guidelines for a Written Essay
• Basic Essay Template
Begin reviewing and replying to peer postings/responses early in the week to enhance peer discussion. See the rubric for participation points. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing viewpoints with a rationale, challenging aspects of the discussion, or indicating relationships between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress.

TASK

Post your initial response to one of the two topics below.

Sociocultural Norms, Health, and Nursing

Topic 1: Vulnerable Populations

As you discovered in this week’s lectures and textbook readings, numerous vulnerable populations exist in the community.

Identify three local organizations in your community that deliver healthcare services to vulnerable populations.
Based on your research findings, answer the following:
Which population does each organization serve?
What services does it provide?
Where does it get its funding (local, state, or federal sources)?
Evaluate the relative value of each organization’s services to individuals and families in the vulnerable population it serves.
Topic 2: Stigma Associated with Disease

Some vulnerable populations may have diseases, health impairments, and pregnancy that bring humiliation and predisposed judgment. Unfortunately, these health conditions can cause vulnerable populations to become ostracized by the general public.

What ways would you choose to function as an advocate for vulnerable populations?
Discuss the types of assistance you might provide to each of the following clients from a vulnerable population:
A 24-year-old pregnant woman who is currently homeless and unmarried
A 16-year-old girl who has run away from her foster home and who has an IV drug habit
An immigrant worker whose TB skin test just came back positive
An employed, married man who contracted Hepatitis B through a blood transfusion 30 years ago