Nurses as Educators: A Critical Examination of Their Role in Infectious Disease Prevention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/eijmhs.v7i2.230Keywords:
Nursing Education, Infectious Disease Prevention, Public Health, Patient Education, Patient Education, Community HealthAbstract
This critical review explores the pivotal role of nurses as educators in the prevention of infectious diseases. Nurses, being at the frontline of healthcare, possess a unique position to influence public health through patient and community education. The study delves into historical perspectives, current practices, and the challenges nurses face in this educational role. By analyzing various educational strategies and their impact on public health outcomes, the review highlights the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions in reducing infection rates. Case studies exemplify successful educational initiatives, providing a comprehensive understanding of best practices. The review also critically examines the barriers to effective education, such as limited resources and varying levels of health literacy among patients. Recommendations include policy changes to support nursing education, enhanced training programs, and further research to optimize educational strategies. The findings underscore the significant contribution of nursing education to infectious disease prevention and call for greater support and recognition of nurses in this role. This review aims to inform healthcare policymakers, educators, and practitioners about the vital role of nurses in fostering a well-informed public and mitigating the spread of infectious diseases.
References
• Berkman, N. D., Sheridan, S. L., Donahue, K. E., Halpern, D. J., & Crotty, K. (2011). Low health literacy and health outcomes: an updated systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 155(2), 97-107.
• Charlene A. Wong, Farrah Madanay, Elizabeth M. Ozer, Sion K. Harris, Megan Moore, Samuel O. Master, Megan Moreno, Elissa R. Weitzman, Digital Health Technology to Enhance Adolescent and Young Adult Clinical Preventive Services: Affordances and Challenges, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 67, Issue 2, Supplement, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.10.018.
• Dossey, B. M. (2010). Florence Nightingale: Mystic, visionary, healer. F.A. Davis Company.
• Hersh, W. R., Totten, A. M., Eden, K. B., Devine, B., Gorman, P., Kassakian, S. Z., ... & Graham, E. (2015). Telehealth for acute and chronic care consultations. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
• Karimi, H., & Masoudi Alavi, N. (2015). Florence Nightingale: The Mother of Nursing. Nursing and midwifery studies, 4(2), e29475. https://doi.org/10.17795/nmsjournal29475
• Smith, S. A., Blais, R., Fortin, A., & Ouellet, D. (2012). Continuing professional development for nurses: Evaluation of a unit dedicated to research utilization. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 43(12), 533-540.
