NURS 4115 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

NURS 4115 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

Mosquitos can be found throughout the world. Mosquitos may rest in trees or bushes; they must have water to complete their life cycle (Placer Mosquito, 2018). Common breeding grounds for mosquitos are stagnant water such as unattended birdbaths or pools, puddles of water, rain collection systems, any can or container that can collect water, and drainage systems (Placer Mosquito, 2018). The Zika Virus is spread mainly by the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) of mosquitos (CDC, 2018). I included a map of the United States with estimates from the CDC of the range of these mosquito species types.

I live in the country, outside of the town of Marietta, Ohio. I have no blocks or neighbors. Instead, I have a lot of farmland and farm animals. As I went and looked around my house, I saw numerous potential areas where mosquitos could breed. At the end of my driveway, there is stagnant water in the ditch. The drainage system has been blocked for several months, and the water is very stagnant and old. There was an old trash can lid laying out by the shed that had water settled in it. We also have a scrap pile up the hill from our house, and there are many areas where water can settle and remain for an extended period. Anywhere that water stands for four to seven days, mosquitos can breed and multiply (Placer Mosquito, 2018).

Many preventative measures can be taken to aid in decreasing the breeding grounds of mosquitos. Make sure to empty any trash cans or containers that can hold water. Turn them upside down so no water can get in them again. If you have a bird bath or foundation, they need to be flushed weekly (Placer Mosquito, 2018). We drilled holes in the bottom of our trash cans and recycling bins, so water can not remain sitting in them. Some other preventative tips, flush your sump pumps weekly, use landscaping to eliminate stagnant water sources, drain swimming pool covers, empty baby pools when not in use, and go around the house and empty or remove any item that can store water.

NURS 4115 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

In Marietta, Ohio, we are to report any findings to the City of Marietta. Our city health inspectors are not only responsible for inspecting restaurants but also for environmental hazards. As a BSN public health nurse, I would ensure that the citizens in my area were educated on how mosquitos breed and where they breed. I would help in creating a flyer with crucial information on it to make it easier for people to know what to do, and I would also have the inspectors check common areas where water can collect weekly to make sure that there isn’t any stagnant water.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Potential Range in the US. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/range.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Prevention and Transmission. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/index.html

Placer Mosquito & Vector Control District. (2018). Mosquito Facts. Retrieved from http://www.placermosquito.org/education/vectors-and-diseases/mosquito-facts/

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NURS 4115 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurses Working to Prevent Disease at Home

Post your findings regarding mosquito breeding grounds in a two-block radius near where you live or work. Include any preventative strategies you can see that are already in place. Report on the role your local health department plays in mosquito abatement and to whom you would report negative findings. Then, describe your role as a BSN in changing policy to ensure a healthier climate (reduced mosquito breeding grounds) in your neighborhood.