Nurses’ Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The responsibility of nurses in managing a pandemic starts long before an illness. Managing COVID-19 has been challenging, such that governments, healthcare institutions, and individuals are making efforts to combat its health risks and effects on the global economy. Nurses have the communication and cultural competency skills necessary to help patients and families mitigate the risks of the virus. This essay focuses on the functions of nurses in controlling Coronavirus, including screening patients, administering triage, providing treatment, demonstrating prevention and protection against the disease, and dealing with life-threatening situations. Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare systems will improve patient information tracking, recording, and maintenance to improve their treatment and recovery process. The role of nurses in managing the coronavirus and adopting AI produces positive recovery processes, thus promoting public health and safety.

Screening, Urgent care, and Standard Precautions

Nurses are redoubling their efforts to provide the best home-based care to the affected victims. The nurses use “Personal Protective Equipment” (PPE), including clothing, face shields, gloves, goggles, respirators, and facemasks to protect themselves from contracting the virus. They are acquiring care-associated knowledge on applying the PPE and executing attention procedures, such as gathering data for “Polymerase Chain Reaction” (PCR) and sterilization (Rathnayake, 2021). Nurses collect the following data from the individuals affected by COVID-19 during the screening process: signs or symptoms of acute respiratory infections, recent travel history, and contact with an individual who has been proven to have the virus (Fawaz et al., 2020). After the initial screening, the physicians decide whether the patient should be evaluated for COVID-19 (Frederick, 2022; Power, 2020). Every company has a defined operational process for dealing with COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the nurses are familiarized and evaluate their prioritization policies and practices and follow them to ensure they successfully monitor COVID-19.

Nurses acknowledge or monitor people who should be separated or isolated if COVID-19 is presumed. If the sufferers do not isolate themselves, the nurses teach them how to manage respiratory cleanliness and cough etiquette by providing alcohol-based sanitizer, wrappings, and masks. The medics understand the minimal level of measures, also known as safe practices, that must be used when caring for all hospitalized or in society to promote safety and avoid new infections in care delivery. Nurses determine infection prevention strategies to avoid respiratory diseases, such as breathing hygiene and sneeze protocol and understand and execute all national healthcare actions to protect themselves (Fawaz et al., 2020). Standard precautions such as appropriate washing of hands and protective gear (PPE) are required in all medical services sectors. It also involves needle stick harm avoidance, harm from intelligent devices, efficient waste management, apparatus cleaning, sanitation and decontamination, and environmental cleaning.

Self-Protection Against Risks

Nurses play an essential role and have numerous responsibilities during a pandemic. They ensure that all clients receive individualized, high-quality treatment, irrespective of their health condition (Fawaz et al., 2020). They are preparing for COVID-19 outbreaks, resulting in increased demand for registered nurse services and potentially overwhelming infrastructures. Various nations imposed a complete lockdown during the COVID-19 epidemic, including closing schools, universities, colleges, the market, and other businesses to avoid and safeguard people’s health at work (Malik, 2021). It was ordered by numerous governments that everyone stays at home, excluding when essential to leave the house to purchase necessities.

Nurses guarantee the availability, correct utilization, and accessibility of hygienic item and safety equipment and give the affected up-to-date testing data, confinement guidelines, and triage protocols. In the case of a global epidemic, a strong nursing staff involved in assessment and therapy, information comprehension and transmission, and security is necessary. Nurses avoid direct contact with patients as much as possible. When dealing with good conditions, nurses put on personal protective equipment and wipe their hands carefully to prevent themselves from harm. It comprises changing out of their clothing and washing as soon as they get there. Nurses prepare for potential COVID-19 breakouts, which may increase the demand for working in clinical services, potentially overloading systems. If necessary, they maintain a safe space from others to defend themselves as much as feasible.

Physical Care

Doctors play a crucial part in the overall healthcare system and pandemic reaction. They are responsible for performing clinical management, triage, and isolation tasks. They can complete this assignment quickly since they have prior experience with clients (Fawaz et al., 2020). Nurses swiftly identify individuals who screened positive for COVID-19 or exhibit signs of the condition and place them in confinement or isolate them to preserve other people who may not possess the illness. The nurses use Artificial Intelligence to identify and record patient data to enhance easier retrieval (Malone et al., 2020). They support the seriousness of the ailments and recognize victims with moderate, minor, and unembellished viral signs. They participate in symptom control, illness evolution tracking, diet surveillance, fitness, psychosocial help, and lifestyle change education. The physician helps patients with false airway control and ventilators management. On the other hand, individuals with catheter insertion must need care to avoid bacterial infection, and bedridden patients must receive back support as needed.

Psychological Support

Nurses provide emotional help to service users to better cope with their fears, anxieties, and depression related to COVID-19. Nurses explain the cause, hazards, handling, and COVID-19 prognosis to patients, family members, and caregivers. Nurses encourage victims to learn about proper breathing techniques, ventilation, ambient temperature, and location (Fawaz et al., 2020). Find creative methods to convey the positive stories and happy images of local people who have been influenced by COVID-19. Because of the risk of coronavirus infection, doctors and medical professionals may encounter emotional issues (COVID-19). Nurses allocate specialists to the isolation area and educate them concerning the facility’s tools, tools, and services to cope with the medical staff’s psychosocial concerns. When needed, the supervisor supporting them will provide immediate assistance.

Equipment and Supply Management

Nurses aid the transmission of illness by offering a sufficient supply of safety equipment (mask, gloves, gown, and eye cover) and emergency aid in the healthcare system. COVID–19 is mainly transmitted through respiratory secretions, and medical practitioners keep medical devices and protective materials such as gloves, hand sanitizer, and masks during an outbreak (Kaye et al., 2021). These resources can quickly run out; nurses perform a critical role in preventing them from being misused, stolen, or hoarded. They are in charge of ensuring that the seclusion unit and critical care have enough supplies (Fawaz et al., 2020). They verify that the instruments are in excellent working order regularly before using them on customers. When necessary, they request appropriate tools for maintenance and upkeep and ascertain that all materials and machinery are kept where required. They guarantee that everyone in the hospital understands who is allowed to use ward items and equipment and is responsible for them. The nurse leader must be attentive to preventing waste and exploitation by teaching the team how to use all tools and supplies efficiently and appropriately.

Nurse’s Role in the Care of the Elderly

During the epidemic or in isolation, older persons alone and have memory loss may become apprehensive, fearful, worried, agitated, depressed, furious, and withdrawn. Nurses educate victims on the realities and how to limit the infection simply so that they can comprehend their language to older people with intellectual impairment (Fawaz et al., 2020). The knowledge helps the nurses to offer psychological assistance through informal groups such as care services and care providers. Nurses should provide written material, visuals, and pictures to assist the aged in comprehending the information. Empower their families and support systems to provide knowledge and assistance to older individuals in practicing proper infection prevention practices.

Conclusion

Nurses’ engagement in controlling the coronavirus and implementing AI results in beneficial recovery processes that benefit public safety. Artificial intelligence in hospital practices improves patient tracking, documenting, and upkeep, leading to better therapeutic and recovery outcomes. During the outbreak, nurses monitored the virus by various means, including collecting indications or signs of respiratory tract infections, recent tourism history, and interaction with someone diagnosed with the virus. Nurses establish infection prevention precautions to stop respiratory illness, such as inhaling, hygiene, and sneezing protocol and comprehend and carry out all socialized healthcare measures to defend themselves. Nurses play a critical role during a pandemic and are responsible for various tasks. Regardless of their health status, they guarantee that all customers receive tailored, high-quality care. Diagnosis and management, evaluation, and isolation are among their responsibilities. Nurses offer emotional support to COVID-19 patients to help them cope with their worries, anxieties, and despair.

References

Fawaz, M., Anshasi, H., & Samaha, A. (2020). Nurses at the front line of COVID-19: Roles, responsibilities, risks, and rights. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 103(4), 1341. Web.

Frederick, J. (2022). Through it all, duke nurses stand by COVID-19 patients. Duke Today. Web.

Kaye, A. D., Okeagu, C. N., Pham, A. D., Silva, R. A., Hurley, J. J., Arron, B. L.,… & Cornett, E. M. (2021). The economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare facilities and systems: International perspectives. Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, 35(3), 293-306. Web.

Malik, N. (2021). When I was young, I left Sudan searching for ‘success.’ Now, I yearn for family and home. The Guardian. Web.

Malone, T. W., Rus, D., & Laubacher, R. (2020). Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work. MIT Task Force on Work of the Future. Web.

Power, K. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the care burden on women and families. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16(1), 67-73, Web.

Rathnayake, S., Dasanayake, D., Maithreepala, S. D., Ekanayake, R., & Basnayake, P. L. (2021). Nurses’ perspectives of taking care of patients with Coronavirus disease 2019: A phenomenological study. Plos ONE, 16(9). Web.

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NursingBird. (2024, December 7). Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://nursingbird.com/the-role-of-nurses-in-managing-coronavirus-essay-examples/

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"Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic." NursingBird, 7 Dec. 2024, nursingbird.com/the-role-of-nurses-in-managing-coronavirus-essay-examples/.

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NursingBird. (2024) 'Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic'. 7 December.

References

NursingBird. 2024. "Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic." December 7, 2024. https://nursingbird.com/the-role-of-nurses-in-managing-coronavirus-essay-examples/.

1. NursingBird. "Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic." December 7, 2024. https://nursingbird.com/the-role-of-nurses-in-managing-coronavirus-essay-examples/.


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NursingBird. "Nurses' Critical Role in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic." December 7, 2024. https://nursingbird.com/the-role-of-nurses-in-managing-coronavirus-essay-examples/.