Health promotion and specific protection” are examples of primary prevention (Edelman et al, pg. 18). The primary goal of
prevention is to prevent disease from developing and to concentrate on measures that will help people live a healthy life. “Its goal is to reduce an individual’s or a population’s vulnerability to disease or malfunction” (Edelman et al, p. 14). To improve patient health, nurses must play a role in supporting preventative and proper actions. In addition to primary prevention, there are two further subcategories: health promotion and health protection. Educating a patient about their health or diet is an example of health promotion. Any sort of instruction that promotes a healthy lifestyle qualifies as this type of promotion. Anything that protects one’s health would shield the patient from infection. For instance, health protection could involve immunizing people against the influenza virus during winter.
Secondary prevention includes measures such as screening and early diagnosis that aid in the treatment of an existing health condition, disease, or dangerous circumstance. “Secondary prevention encompasses everything from early disease detection and treatment to reducing disability by preventing or postponing the effects of advanced disease” (Edelman et al, p. 18). “Early detection happens in the window of time shortly before symptoms appear, which stimulates initial treatment and delays the onset of more significant symptoms” during secondary prevention (Murray, R., Zentner, J., Yakimo, p. 42). The distinction between primary and secondary prevention is straightforward. The focus of primary prevention is on how to avoid or reduce the likelihood of a disease or issue occurring before it occurs and allots several tips to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Secondary prevention, on the other hand, places a greater emphasis on screening and encourages early discovery and treatment before a significant disease develops.
The final degree of prevention that supports health is tertiary prevention. “Through long-term therapy and rehabilitation, tertiary prevention refers to the person’s optimum function or maintenance of life skills” (Murray et al, p. 42). Treatment, rehabilitation, quick treatment, and patient education are all part of this type of prevention. When a disability or disease cannot be reversed or is irreversible, tertiary prevention is usually used. It’s better to think of this level of prevention as treatment rather than prevention. The disease has already been proven, and the focus now is on minimizing the condition’s negative impacts and keeping good health. The nurse must “ensure[s] that persons with disabilities receive services that enable them to live and work according to their ability using the remaining resources at their disposal” (Edelman et al, p 19). The treatment in primary and secondary prevention is oriented primarily toward preventing the disease and detecting it early. Once the illness process has progressed, the focus of tertiary treatment becomes to prevent any more problems. All three levels are equally vital in disease prevention, but they also have a significant impact on nurse health promotion.
The nurse’s work in health-care promotion might be stressful and exhausting at times, but it is ultimately rewarding. To guarantee that patients’ health is promoted and maximized, nurses must assume a variety of duties. An educator, advocate, care giver, researcher, care manager, and consultant are some of the roles that may be available. Nurses educate individuals on how to be healthy by combining all these diverse duties. “Nurses must have an evidence-based awareness of the considerable impact that health promotion interventions may have, and they must disseminate this knowledge to the general population” (Murray et al, pg.42)
Nurses are taught to find alternative approaches that personalize every patient with whom they come into contact to execute health promotion. The bedside nurse does not do all sorts of health promotion; the clinic nurse and community nurses are also involved. The clinic and community nurse can ease these levels of promotion by supplying various presentations on topics that directly affect the community. The nurse contributes to primary and secondary promotion by involving the population in various techniques of health care promotion and prevention. If added help is needed, tertiary prevention can be used. Every side of nursing must be learned and understood by the nurse. To do his or her bit in preventing and encouraging healthier lives, the nurse must understand the concepts of prevention and promotion. Evidence-based practice is essential for helping and accomm
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