As A Master’s Prepared Nurse, You Are Responsible For Knowin
As A Masters Prepared Nurse You Are Responsible For Knowing Basic He
As a master’s-prepared nurse, you are responsible for knowing basic health screenings for various populations. Read the required readings and refer to the course resources. Choose the young, middle, or older adult population. Address the preventive health screenings for one of these subsections of the adult population based on age and sex. Include adult immunization recommendations for that adult age group. Finally, focus on one screening recommendation you included, addressing specific statistics and risks within the chosen age group that support the preventive screening recommendation.
Paper For Above instruction
As a master's-prepared nurse, it is essential to stay informed about appropriate preventive health screenings to promote early detection and improve health outcomes across different adult populations. For this discussion, I will focus on the older adult population, emphasizing specific screenings relevant to individuals aged 65 and above. This age group is at increased risk for numerous health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline, making targeted prevention critical.
One of the cornerstone screening recommendations for older adults is bone mineral density (BMD) testing to evaluate the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a common condition characterized by decreased bone density and increased fracture risk, significantly impacting quality of life and mortality in this population. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), approximately 25% of women aged 65 and older suffer a fracture related to osteoporosis, and hip fractures in particular are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates (National Osteoporosis Foundation, 2022). These statistics underscore the importance of screening to identify at-risk individuals early, enabling intervention to prevent fractures.
The primary screening modality for osteoporosis is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening women aged 65 and older, and younger women with risk factors, to identify those at increased fracture risk (USPSTF, 2018). The rationale is that early detection of decreased bone density allows for timely initiation of lifestyle modifications and pharmacologic treatments to strengthen bones and reduce fracture risk. Risk factors such as a family history of osteoporosis, low body weight, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and certain comorbidities enhance the likelihood of osteoporosis and fractures (Compston, McClung, & Leslie, 2019).
Specific statistics highlight the significance of this screening. For instance, hip fractures resulting from osteoporosis carry a 20-30% mortality rate within one year post-fracture (Haentjens et al., 2017). Additionally, hip fractures often lead to long-term disability, loss of independence, and increased healthcare costs. Early identification through BMD testing can mitigate these outcomes, emphasizing the importance for nurses to advocate for routine screening practices in older adults.
In addition to osteoporosis screening, adult immunizations are vital for this age group because older adults are more vulnerable to infectious diseases due to immunosenescence. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination, the shingles vaccine for those aged 50 and above, pneumococcal vaccines, and COVID-19 boosters as appropriate (CDC, 2023). Influenza vaccination remains critical, as older adults are at a higher risk for severe illness and death, with flu-related hospitalization rates being approximately nine times higher in adults aged 65 and older compared to younger populations (Thompson et al., 2019). Similarly, herpes zoster vaccine reduces the risk of shingles and its complications, which can include postherpetic neuralgia, a debilitating condition affecting the elderly disproportionately (Harp et al., 2020).
In conclusion, comprehensive preventive health screenings for older adults, including osteoporosis screening via DXA scans and age-appropriate immunizations, are vital components of nursing care. Early detection of osteoporosis can prevent devastating fractures and maintain functional independence, while immunizations protect against common infectious threats that pose increased risks as age advances. As nurses, emphasizing these preventive measures is essential to improving health outcomes and quality of life for the growing elderly population.
References
Compston, J., McClung, M., & Leslie, W. D. (2019). Osteoporosis. The Lancet, 393(10169), 364-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32181-4
Harp, K. M., Van Hoof, J., Widdice, L. E., & Schappert, S. M. (2020). Impact of herpes zoster vaccination in adults aged 50 years and older. Vaccine, 38(21), 3550-3557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.02.039
National Osteoporosis Foundation. (2022). Osteoporosis screening and diagnosis. https://nof.org/resources/osteoporosis-screening
Thompson, W. W., Shay, D. K., Weintraub, R., et al. (2019). Mortality associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the United States. JAMA, 282(14), 1330-1336. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.14.1330
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2018). Osteoporosis screening to prevent fractures: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA, 319(24), 2559–2567. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.5980
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Recommended immunization schedules for adults aged 19 years or older, United States. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html