Nurses are on the frontline of preventative healthcare in their communities.
With more people than ever before having access to health insurance, it is now affordable for many to get the preventative healthcare they need throughout their lives.
Checkout Five Important Role Of Nurses In Preventative Medicine Today
Here are a few examples of nurses’ roles in preventing illness and disease:
1. Encourage Exercise
Nurses should encourage physical activity for patients to promote their physical and mental fitness. This means offering advice on what types of exercises a patient can do based on their abilities.
Nurses must make patients aware that physical activity can reduce stress, depression, and other symptoms of mental illness. An exercise is an effective tool for managing existing conditions as well as preventing new ones.
2. Educate on substance abuse
Alcohol and tobacco use have long been known to harm your health. Nurses are responsible for offering guidance on drinking only in moderation and quitting regular tobacco use.
They also work with patients to establish treatment and support options for more severe substance abuse. Supporting patients in developing healthier habits contribute to the overall health of the community.
3. Determine existing conditions as early as possible
The earlier a condition is diagnosed, the better. There are many conditions that, when caught early and treated, can be prevented from becoming life-threatening. Catching a disease before it progresses prevents patients from losing their quality of life and reduces healthcare costs.
Nurses contribute to this by carrying out necessary tests that help diagnose these conditions. It is essential for even healthy individuals to get regular physicals. Some medical tests and procedures are recommended for people of a certain age, including mammograms and prostate exams, which can catch common cancers early so treatments are more effective.
4. Reduce the likelihood of common preventable diseases
While some people have genetic factors that raise their risk of developing certain diseases and conditions, even these individuals can do a lot to help decrease their risk factors.
Nurses help encourage healthy eating and physical fitness to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. This is the result of all the above-mentioned aspects of preventative healthcare — nurses play a crucial role in the overall health of the community.
5. Continuing education
Continuing education is part of maintaining a nursing license, but many nurses choose to take their careers to the next level by pursuing an advanced degree. Thanks to the availability of online degree programs, it is simpler than ever to go back to school while maintaining full-time employment within the medical field.
A DNP-FNP online program is an excellent option for mid-career or senior-level nurses. The University of Indianapolis offers a long-distance degree that provides the flexibility that nurses will need to advance their skills as well as their careers.
Conclusion
Nurses play a critical role in helping prevent suffering and disease. Citizens need medical providers to encourage them to use preventative healthcare services and not wait until a medical problem is overly apparent before seeking treatment.
Preventative care keeps medical costs down and improves the quality of life of everyone within a community.
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