NURS 6521 Week 8: Infections

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NURS 6521 Week 8: Infections essay assignment

NURS 6521: Advanced Pharmacology | Week 8

Prior to the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, it had been more than 40 years since an infectious virus had resulted in such substantial illness, hospitalizations, and deaths on a global scale (CDC, 2010). This can be attributed to improved prevention such as proper hygiene, as well as vaccinations and other drug therapies. However, as the H1N1 pandemic illustrates, infections are sometimes unavoidable even when appropriate prevention methods are implemented. In clinical settings, patients present with various infections including common disorders such as flus and colds, as well as disorders that require more extensive treatment and care such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or tuberculosis (TB). As an advanced practice nurse, you must evaluate patients presenting with symptoms of infections and recommend appropriate drug treatments.

NURS 6521 Week 8: Infections essay assignment

This week you begin to explore infections by considering issues surrounding the prevalence, management, and education about HIV/AIDS. You also examine viral and bacterial infections, as well as the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, students will:

• Analyze reasons for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS
• Analyze ways health care professionals can change society’s perceptions of HIV/AIDS
• Analyze strategies to educate HIV positive patients on treatment and management
• Analyze categories of antimicrobial agents
• Differentiate between viral and bacterial infections
• Analyze the relationship between infections and antimicrobial agents
• Understand and apply key terms, concepts, and principles related to prescribing drugs to treat infections and infestations

Discussion: Drug Treatments for HIV/AIDS essay assignment

While HIV/AIDS is still currently incurable, the prognosis for patients with this infectious disease has improved due to advancements in drug treatments. Consider the case of Kristy Aney. Kristy was diagnosed with HIV in 1992 and was told she would survive, at most, 10 more years. Despite unfavorable odds, Kristy is still alive 20 years later. Since her diagnosis, she has witnessed tremendous improvements in HIV/AIDS treatments which have helped patients live longer with fewer side effects. While she acknowledges that these drug treatments have kept her alive, she fears that improvements in drug therapy have led to more people becoming complacent about the disease (Idaho Statesmen, 2012). In fact, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States is higher than it has ever been (CDC, 2012). This poses the question: Is there a relationship between drug advancements, societal complacency, and infection?

To prepare:

• Review Chapter 49 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text, as well as the Montaner et al (2014) articles in the Learning Resources.
• Reflect on whether or not the prevalence of HIV cases might be attributed to increased complacency due to more advanced drug treatment options for HIV/AIDS.
• Consider how health care professionals can help to change perceptions and make people more aware of the realities of the disease.
• Think about strategies to educate HIV positive patients on medication adherence, as well as safe practices to reduce the risk of infecting others.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post an explanation of whether or not you think the prevalence of HIV cases might be attributed to increased complacency due to more advanced drug treatment options.Then, explain how health care professionals can help to change perceptions and increase awareness of the realities of the disease. Finally, describe strategies to educate HIV positive patients on medication adherence, as well as safe practices to reduce the risk of infecting others.

By Day 6

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who provided a different rationale than you did, in one or more of the following ways:

• Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
• Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.

Assignment:
Antimicrobial Agents essay assignment

Antimicrobial agents are essential components in the treatment of various bacterial infections as they help to kill or prevent the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoans. Prior to the discovery of antimicrobial agents, treatment options for patients with bacterial infections were limited. For many patients, treatment often resulted in the amputation of limbs or even death. Today, treatment options for bacterial infections typically have a more positive prognosis. Due to the various types of infections presented in patients, it is essential to be able to identify the underlying cause of the infection—whether bacterial or viral—before recommending drug treatments. This will help you identify whether or not an antimicrobial agent would be appropriate and which specific agent would target the infection. In this Assignment, you consider the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents for infections.

To prepare:

• Review this week’s media presentation on principles of antimicrobial therapy, as well as Chapter 8 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text.
• Consider the categories of antimicrobial agents.
• Think about differences between viral and bacterial infections.
• Reflect on why proper identification of the infection is key to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.

By Day 7

Write a 2- to 3- page paper that addresses the following:

• Describe the categories of antimicrobial agents.
• Describe differences between viral and bacterial infections.
• Explain why proper identification of viral and bacterial infections is key to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.