Introduction
Nurses have a multifaceted role in public health and a critical impact on the well-being of individuals and communities. The modern world is constantly changing, bringing innovations to the protection of health. The role of a nurse is significant because these workers can adapt to any changes and set new goals and priorities. Their function is a delicate balancing act between advocacy and case management, and it is worth considering a specific scenario of this nurse’s task in elementary school.
Main Body
In the modern world, nurses face many challenges that require progressive solutions and the right set of priorities. First, an essential component of health care is justice. Nurses should eliminate inequities and ensure patients have equitable access to all resources. They need to work on improving health indicators among marginalized communities. The second priority that should be in the set of every nurse is the development of prevention and education. People’s ignorance of infectious diseases and global health threats can lead to catastrophic consequences.
Considering the recent events of the contemporary time, every nurse should be prepared for a pandemic and know how to act in such a case. As practice has shown, these employees are an important component of every medical enterprise. The last priority of nursing is the impact of climate and environmental factors on human bodies. Public health nurses can advocate for policies that address environmental health issues and promote sustainable practices.
Balancing advocacy and case management is the primary responsibility of every nurse. This requires a quality approach where the healthcare professional protects the patient’s interests while ensuring coordination. The balance is achieved through the smooth interplay of two different roles. Advocacy is ensured by defending the rights not only of a specific person but also of entire communities. Case management focuses on providing comprehensive care to individuals through a continuum of care and support for each explicit need (Armold, 2019). When these two components seamlessly blend, they give rise to the ideal image of a nurse, one that harmoniously balances all the requisite skills.
In the role of a school nurse in an elementary school, the case management process can involve several steps. According to Armold (2019), “Case managers work to meet patient needs through assessment, coordination, and planning, and by evaluating the available options and services” (p. 44). Students’ needs should first be assessed through regular checkups, observations, or studying each personal medical record. Then, it is the stage of planning concrete actions with the help of teachers, parents, and medical professionals. This will help them to react quickly in emergencies and, for example, create an action plan for asthma or other similar diseases. The third step is coordination, which focuses on staff education. This includes holding instructive sessions to teach certain workers about first-aid measures such as symptom recognition and first aid.
Afterward, the implementation phase takes place, during which students receive training on appropriate behavior in specific scenarios, along with guidance on whom to approach and the steps to take. If the situation concerns asthma, as in the studied scenario, it is worth showing the student how to use an inhaler and teachers – how to recognize signs of distress. The fifth stage encompasses evaluation, entailing consistent observations, assessment of staff awareness, and making necessary adjustments as required. Following such a plan generally facilitates quality case management, thereby ensuring robust coordination.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the nurse’s balance between advocacy and case management lies in competent prioritization and planning. The field of public health protection constantly introduces changes to which it is necessary to adapt. The nurse is an important part of this process because this employee is the most actively involved in many alterations. A school nurse’s case management scenario includes many stages that need to be constantly regulated, which is why the nurse is a significant figure in health care.
Reference
Armold, S. (2019). Case management: An overview for nurses. Nursing, 49(9), 43–45. Web.