Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), a vaccination has not been found
to prevent the Zika virus, a disease that has been transmitted to humans through mosquito bites from
mosquitoes that are most active during the day. Zika has been found in many countries around the globe, and
its range is expanding. The symptoms of Zika are generally mild, last about a week, and include fever, rash,
joint pain, and/or conjunctivitis. Symptoms are generally so mild that many victims will not know they have
been infected, but about 20% of those individuals who are bitten will develop Zika. The most concerning
symptom of Zika affects pregnant women, whose babies may develop microcephaly.
In general, the CDC (2016) has recommended that people wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when
outside and apply insect repellant beforehand to avoid getting bitten. People who possibly have been infected
with the Zika virus are urged to use a condom during sexual contact to avoid spreading the virus to others. In
fact, some countries, such as El Salvador, have recommended that women avoid pregnancy for the next two
years (The New York Times, 1/25/16). The CDC has also recommended that any vessels or containers of open
water be protected from access to mosquitoes so that breeding cycles are disrupted. Brazil has begun a
massive campaign to stop mosquitoes from accessing breeding grounds by closing their access to water
collection systems and other sources of standing or still water. Could something like the Zika virus begin in
your neighborhood?
In this Discussion, you will examine your neighborhood through the eyes of the public health nurse or a nurse
epidemiologist.
To prepare for this Discussion:
• Walk around a two-block radius near where you live or work.
• Look to see if you can spot any areas where mosquitoes may reproduce. These sites may include abandoned
tires, rainwater collection systems that have been installed at homes, parks or golf courses, low sections at
roadsides or near sidewalks, and the like. You may include pictures of sites that you find to enhance your
discussion thread.
• Note any positive or negative findings that you observe. Have steps been taken to prevent mosquito
breeding?
• Find out what your community health department does for mosquito abatement.
• Discover who in your community you would contact to report deficiencies/negative findings.
• Determine what you can do, as a PHN, to change policy to reduce mosquito breeding grounds in your
neighborhood.
By Day 3
Post your findings regarding mosquito breeding grounds in a two-block radius near where you live or work.
Include any preventative strategies you can see that are already in place. Report on the role your local health
department plays in mosquito abatement and to whom you would report negative findings. Then, describe your
role as a BSN in changing policy to ensure a healthier climate (reduced mosquito breeding grounds) in your
neighborhood.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Note Initial Post: A 3-paragraph (at least 275 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and
include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material
and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A
reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).