As people age, our immune systems and bodies begin to weaken
As people age, our immune systems and bodies begin to weaken and… As people age, our immune systems and bodies begin to weaken and become more susceptible to illness and disease. It is part of our job as nurses to help the aging population to learn ways to prevent the spread of infection. Primary prevention refers to strategies that can and are used to prevent an illness before it occurs (Touhy & Jett, 2020). Once of most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs is to wash your hands. As nurses, this is one of the most important things that we do. We see so many patients, with so many different illnesses, that we must wash our hands in order to keep from spreading germs from patient to patient. Hand hygiene is considered a primary measure for reducing the risk of transmitting infection among patients and health care personnel (CDC, 2016). Another primary prevention strategy that I consider very valuable is vaccination. Starting at birth, receiving vaccinations against certain diseases and illnesses is strongly recommended, not only to prevent the person who is vaccinated from getting sick, but also to protect the community from the spread of disease. It is important for the aging population to receive the flu and pneumonia vaccines each year, as these infections can prove fatal for this age population. As a nurse working on an oncology unit, many of our patients are older. So, one primary prevention strategy that we use daily on our unit is turning and rotating our patients to prevent skin breakdown or pressure sores. Pressure sores don’t just exist on the sacrum. They can be on the arms, the legs, the knees, or even on the face (from oxygen tubing pressing against the face). It is our job to make sure that those who cannot help themselves are being rotated off of these bony areas and have protective gear such as heel boots, mepilex foam dressings, and wedges to help prevent breakdown of the skin. The last of the primary prevention strategies that I’ll mention is living a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating healthy, exercising regularly, not smoking or using tobacco products, and getting enough restful sleep. These are choices that we have control over. Even in our aging years, we can make changes that can affect life from that point on, such as smoking cessation or changing eating habits. These changes might sound small, but can make a huge difference in the way you feel and ultimately in your health. 1. Analyze this article and give brief explanation with what you think.Health Science Science Nursing NU 627
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