What exactly does a community health nurse do?

 

Simply put, they aim to improve the health of community members. They do this in many ways, including through:

• Medical treatment
• Rehabilitation
• Health education
• Advocacy
• Research
• Collaboration with other healthcare workers and with government agencies 

Community health nurses work in schools, churches, and government agencies. They focus on vulnerable populations, including low-income families, people living in rural areas, immigrants, and individuals with disabilities. 

Public Health   

Public health nurses work specifically in disease prevention and health promotion. One role includes operating immunization clinics. These clinics are most commonly held for influenza, but these days they also focus on administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

Public health nurses also prepare to respond quickly during public health crises — such as natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics, and the impacts of climate change.

Faith community nurses, often known as parish nurses, provide health education for a specific church parish. They also counsel their faith communities on health issues, and perform medical evaluations for congregation members like administering blood pressure screenings in their place of worship or at a hospital. 

School nurses work at school sites, focusing on student health. They are responsible for administering immunizations, as well as medication to students with chronic health problems

Community health nurses work in a variety of environments, including:

• Government agencies (such as the U.S. Public Health Service) 
• Social service agencies
• Religious institutions 
• Schools 
• Hospitals
• Outpatient centers

The largest employer of these is the government, which employs 18% of community health workers, including nurses, followed by individual and family services at 17% and religious, civic, and similar organizations at 14%, 

A community health nurse must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to work for many organizations. Graduate degrees, such as the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing, or Nurse Educator Master of Science in Nursing offered by St. Catherine University, can help a community health nurse advance to leadership roles through courses that include Nurse Educator as Leader and Leadership for Designing Systems for Nursing Education.

 

Is it safe to use Medicines for Older Adults ?

 

Medicines, often referred to as drugs, can be:

Prescriptions. What you can get only with a doctor’s order (for example, pills to lower your cholesterol or an asthma inhaler) Over-the-counter pills, liquids, or creams. What you buy without a prescription (for example, pills for headaches or chew tablets for heartburn)Vitamins, eye drops, or dietary supplements. Here are some tips to help you take your medicines safely:

 Follow instructions. Read all medicine labels. Make sure to take your medicines the right way. For example, don’t use an over-the-counter cough and cold syrup if you only have a runny nose and no cough.Use the right amount. Don’t take a larger dose of a medicine thinking it will help you more. It can be very dangerous, even deadly. And, don’t skip or take half doses of a prescription drug to save money. (Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you can’t afford the medicine. There may be help. Read Saving Money on Medicines for more information.)

Take medicine on time. Some people use meals or bedtime as reminders to take their medicine. Other people use charts, calendars, or weekly pill boxes. You can also set timers and write reminders to take your medication.Turn on a light. Don’t take medicine in the dark; otherwise, you might make a mistake. Report problems. Call your doctor right away if you have any trouble with your prescription or over-the-counter medicine, or if you are worried that it might be doing more harm than good. There may be something else you can take.Tell your doctor about alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can affect how well your medicines work. Be honest with your doctor about how much you use.Check before stopping. Take prescription medicine until it’s finished or until your doctor says it’s all right to stop. Note that some medicines are supposed to be taken only “as needed.”Don’t share. Do not take medicines prescribed for another person or give yours to someone else. Make sure your doctor knows about ALL the medicines you take. This includes those prescribed by other doctors, as well as vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies, and over-the-counter drugs you use every now and then

 

What is medicine?

 

Medicine is defined as art, the science or practice of treatment, diagnosis, and the prevention of diseases. Medicine includes a variety of health care practices that involve the maintenance and restoration of the health of a patient by treatment and the prevention of the illness. Biomedical sciences, research, and medical technology are included in contemporary medicine which helps in diagnosis, treatment, and preventing injury and diseases through surgeries but therapies such as ionizing radiation, psychotherapy, and others could also help in treating a patient.

It has been practiced for ages and many civilizations had adapted medicine to treat the ones who were ill or injured in a battle. During prehistoric times the medicine was considered as an art or the area of skill or knowledge which was frequently connected to the philosophical or the religious belief of the local culture. For example, whenever soldiers were injured after the battle, herbs from the plants were used to heal the injured soldiers, and also if a person was ill a medicine man would apply sacred herbs and say prayers for the healing. As centuries passed there was an expansion in modern science which resulted in most medicine becoming a combination of art and science. 

Medicalspecialist could be as simple as a person who is an expert in certain fields of medicines. Medical specialists treat either a specific part of the body such as the lower back or the brain or are specialized in certain diseases such as cancer and other cardiovascular diseases. Dentist, Cardiologist. allergist, anesthesiologist, dermatologist, gynecologist, neurologist. Oncologists, pediatricians, and physical therapists, ophthalmologists, psychiatrists, and radiologists are some of the most common types of specialists. 

Modern medicine is also called allopathic medicine. Modern medicine involves the use of drugs and surgeries to help and cure the disease or solve the problem of the patient. Acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, other traditional medicines, and many more can be included in the Alternative and complementary types of medicines.