Posted: August 7th, 2024

Describe what life span considerations you might use in applying the nursing process to infants, school-age

Describe what life span considerations you might use in applying the nursing process to infants, school-age children, younger adults, and older adults in relation to immunizations and wellness.
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Immunization and public health,
Vaccine efficacy and cost-effectiveness,
Nurse’s role in immunization,
Vaccine hesitancy and patient education,
Immunization and specific age groups (e.g., infants, adolescents, elderly)
Immunization works by preventing a person from contracting the disease from which they are immunized against. This protective mechanism is crucial for public health. According to studies, the cost of vaccinating a person is cheaper and safer than the cost of treating a disease once a person falls ill. Before the immunization was introduced, illnesses such as polio, whooping cough, measles, and tetanus were relatively common. Today, thanks to vaccination, all these diseases and more are preventable with vaccine shots. Vaccination has managed to save millions of lives by preventing countless illnesses. The impact of immunization extends beyond individual health, contributing significantly to community well-being and reducing the economic burden of healthcare systems worldwide.

Vaccines contain a weaker version of antigens that mimic the antigens that cause disease. When they are introduced into the body, the body responds by producing antibodies to protect the body against contracting the disease. This way, when the real disease attacks, the body is able to respond effectively by producing antibodies required to fight off the antigen. The process of immunization essentially trains the immune system, creating a memory response that can be rapidly activated when needed. This remarkable mechanism underscores the importance of timely vaccinations across all age groups, from infancy to late adulthood.

Nurses are tasked with the primary role of administering immunizations to people across all stages of development. This responsibility requires a comprehensive understanding of vaccine science and patient care. Ideally, all nurses and healthcare providers are equipped with the knowledge relating to human growth and changes across the lifespan. As a nurse, having knowledge regarding development in humans enables you to analyze and provide the appropriate care for each patient. To do so, a nurse should be able to identify the developmental stage of each patient and the right tasks needed. At each stage of development, specific tasks need to be accomplished in regards to the administration of immunizations and ensuring the wellness of the patients. Nurses must also stay updated on the latest vaccine recommendations and potential side effects to provide accurate information to patients and their families.

For instance, when dealing with young children, the nurse should first seek consent from their parents. This step is crucial in establishing trust and ensuring informed decision-making. The nurse should also assess the parent’s beliefs about health and their view towards vaccinations and develop a plan from there. The nurse will again ask assessment questions to the parents about the infant to establish what milestones the baby has achieved and what immunizations should have been administered at that stage. In cases where the parents are against the vaccinations, then the intervention should be focused on the parents. Nurses must approach these situations with sensitivity, providing evidence-based information to address concerns and misconceptions about vaccine safety and efficacy.

The case is also similar for young adults. The nurse needs to make a detailed assessment to establish the previous vaccinations’ dates and establish whether the Tdap or the Td should be administered. This assessment is critical for maintaining continuous protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The nurse should also establish whether the young adults are receiving annual flu vaccinations and, if not, probe further to know why. With older adults, the nurse should assess the presence and progression of chronic illnesses common in old age. Older adults may also need vaccinations for diseases like pneumonia, shingles, hepatitis B, and flu. Nurses play a vital role in educating older adults about the importance of these vaccinations in maintaining their health and quality of life, especially given their potentially compromised immune systems.

References
Ames, S. and Kelly, G., 2024. Exploring how the uptake of childhood immunisations can be improved in England: A systematic review. British Journal of Child Health, 5(1), pp.29-44.
Bollaerts, K., Wyndham-Thomas, C., Miller, E., Izurieta, H.S., Black, S., Andrews, N., Rubbrecht, M., Van Heuverswyn, F. and Neels, P., 2024. The role of real-world evidence for regulatory and public health decision-making for Accelerated Vaccine Deployment-a meeting report. Biologicals, 85, p.101750.
Excler, J.L., Saville, M., Berkley, S. and Kim, J.H., 2021. Vaccine development for emerging infectious diseases. Nature medicine, 27(4), pp.591-600.
Jamal, A., 2023. Vaccines: Advancements, Impact, and the Road Ahead in Medicine. BULLET: Jurnal Multidisiplin Ilmu, 2(5), pp.1047-1055.
Reifferscheid, L., Kiely, M.S., Lin, M.S.N., Libon, J., Kennedy, M. and MacDonald, S.E., 2023. Effectiveness of hospital-based strategies for improving childhood immunization coverage: A systematic review. Vaccine.

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Tags: Immunization and public health, Immunization and specific age groups, Nurse's role in immunization, Vaccine efficacy and cost-effectiveness, Vaccine hesitancy and patient education