When you think of how medical professionals save lives on a daily basis, your mind probably turns to the hard work of physicians. While doctors carry a considerable load in promoting good health, nurses make a lifesaving impact on the lives of countless patients on a daily basis too. Nurses are an essential component in health promotion, disease prevention, patient care and education, and they are even more crucially important to promoting health and wellness during flu season.
The Lifesaving Impact of Nurses
Registered nurses are the backbone of the health care delivery system. They make significant impact on the lives of patients by providing around-the-clock monitoring, education, assessments and care. As the populations of the United States and Canada continue to age, with an increasing proportion of the populace made up of the elderly, nurses will play an even more important role in providing care and comfort to patients and their families. After all, the job of a nurse is to provide holistic care, educate patients, offer emotional support, prevent illness, promote health, deliver medication and aid in the cure of illness and injury.
There are many types of nurses you may encounter in a medical setting, including registered nurses, advance practice nurses, nurse practitioners and more. Nurses may have a specialty in labor and delivery, geriatrics, pediatrics, urgent care, psychiatry or other fields of expertise. During flu season, nurses with immunology expertise administer the flu vaccine to millions of recipients across North America.
How Nurses Change Lives
Nurses play an essential role in promoting health. The duties of nurses include patient education, vaccination, administration of medication, providing patient care, and providing medical rehabilitation. Nurses also advocate for their patients to help ensure that every individual gets appropriate care. Registered nurses not only make a day-to-day difference in your well-being and the well-being of your neighbors, friends and family, but they also promote public health and design innovative ways to enhance the health of people around the world.
The Importance of Flu Shots
Every fall, flu season begins in North America. The virus circulates around the world, and the virus typically changes enough that even if you got sick with the flu last year, you can still get sick again. The flu is a serious disease that can lead to life-threatening complications, especially among young children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Luckily, you can protect yourself from this potentially deadly disease by getting your annual flu vaccination, administered by a dedicated nurse.
Your flu nurse will generally administer the flu vaccine via one of two delivery methods. The nasal mist flu vaccine can be sprayed directly into a patient’s nostrils. Alternatively, most people choose to get a flu shot injection to protect not only themselves but also their loved ones and wider community from illness. Indeed, when a nurse gives you the flu shot, there is not only less chance that you will fall ill, but also less chance that you will unknowingly pass the virus on to others. Remember that the most vulnerable members of society, such as the very young or those with compromised immune systems, typically cannot get the flu shot. By getting vaccinated, you, and the nurse who administered your vaccine, help protect others.
Are you a Registered Nurse looking to make an extra impact this flu season? Apply for a rewarding job administering flu vaccine with Passport Health.
Sources:
Passport Health: Careers
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario: Careers in Nursing
EduBlogs: Why Registered Nurses Are Important
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine
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