We made it!!! I can't believe how fast this semester has gone. It was great to share this first blogging experience with you;before this year I had never imagined that I would be fascinated by reading blogs, let alone write one! It was interesting to see each week all the different perspectives and thoughts people would bring to the academic discussion. I think that was the most valuable concept I got out of blogging. That each of us brings different experience and research together have a chance to share it with everyone else! In nursing this research and life experiences will be a great tool to keep in mind when working with the many broad spectrum of people out there!
I have learned a lot about the different roles of public health nursing within this course material. However, what stands out the most is being aware of different diseases and conditions out there and the need for upstream thinking in any population of people. Most problems can be prevented or managed early with the use of screening, education, and outreach. Whether it is working in schools, with children, in a hospital, small town clinics, or in disadvantaged communities, these tools and thought processes will be essential in a public health nurse's job. Our speaker Tom Hurley's emergency management lecture really had a great impact on me. One of the most moving comments he made during his lecture was how much they need public health nurses to deal with patient care, support and managing stress in these difficult times. To me it just is amazing how much we can do in and outside of a hospital setting that makes this profession worth while. And if we are able to prevent these occurences we should do so at all costs; we are the communities advocates!
Finally, the most interesting topic to me was about video gaming. I really had a great time researching this topic and I believe it is going to be one of the main reason for health concerns among younger generations physically, mentally, and socially. As popularity of these games grows in younger children, it is altering the way children used to play and interact with others their age. It was additionally interesting to read responses to this topic because many people in the blog are within the age group that video games started becoming more advanced, and remember using games in elementary school. Unfortunately, obesity rates are climbing at staggering heights, and the amount of outside activity is decreasing. Also the nature of these games has become increasingly violent and and as a result, there has been correlation with children mimicking these behaviors. To make things worse there is lack of parental control and supervision. As we discussed, nurses can advocate for children and parents to offer education and guidance. I'm glad to have had this chance for a different type of learning experience and appreciate every ones contributions and hard work!
Hope everyone has a safe and happy summer!!! :)
Jillian,
ReplyDeleteI am on the same page as you that I never thought I would like reading or writing a blog and I found the experience to be very enjoyable. As someone who is a bit shy I don’t often voice my opinion or ideas about things. I hardly ever raise my hand or talk in class without being called on. I found this blogging experience to be an easier way to express my ideas and opinions and participate in discussion with my classmates. Hopefully after this experience in can lead me to be more confident in sharing my thoughts in person! I also thought it was interesting to read different people’s perspectives on the same topic. Its crazy that two people can approach the same topic from completely different directions. I agree that collaboration, especially in the nursing and health care field, is a great way to reach the best outcome.
I also agree with what you said about upstream thinking being so important for all people. Upstream thinking is an extremely important factor of health care that I feel is often times overlooked. Health care most often comes into play once a person becomes ill and needs to visit the clinic or hospital. Although we cannot stop treating problems as they occur we should be more proactive in preventing these issues. One topic that really stands out to me is obesity. Most people are well aware of the serious health complications that are caused by being overweight, yet people are resistant to make lifestyle changes that would decrease these health risks. A large amount of time, money and resources are being used to care for individuals with obesity-related illnesses and not to mention being overweight can actually lead to a person’s death. A proactive approach that promotes healthy eating habits and exercise routines would keep people a lot healthier and keep them out of the hospital and doctor’s offices. This would save time, money, resources and lives.