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Introduction
As evidenced by a rise in positive COVID-19 cases, especially among the aging population of Hennepin County, Minnesota (HCM), the diagnosis relates to an increased risk of infection due to less knowledge of the preventative measures such as hand hygiene, social distancing, avoiding crowded areas, and early identification of symptoms through screening. Additionally, health disparity among this target group is also a cause of concern. Therefore, this essay explores the community health nursing diagnosis statement, prevention resources, the underlying issues, evidence-based practice, social media campaign, and the future of nursing practice based on the COVID-19 outbreak in HCM.
Community Health Nursing Diagnosis Statement
COVID-19 has no age-related discrimination, and anyone can become infected. However, with chronic health conditions and age, the severity of the infection increases, putting older persons at a more significant risk of hospitalization and death. Essentially, because of the close living arrangements, residents in communal areas and institutions such as home care are at an even higher risk of infection. Additionally, health inequities, including delayed medical treatment use and a lack of consistency of care are likely to harm older individuals’ health (Jang & Kim, 2020). Overall, this particular population relies on caregivers to properly apply infection-prevention techniques.
The primary community and prevention resources available at HCM include community health facilities, online updates, and strategically positioned banners. The health department in HCM has publicized testing locations and prevention techniques throughout the community via billboards, radio, and television. COVID-19 information and resources are available on Hennepin County Minnesota Public Health’s website. COVID-19 registration and immunization events, vaccine incentives, isolation and quarantine, and other language community resources, including information from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), are among the materials available (HCM, n.d.). Generally, the HCM website can prompt someone to the MDH site to get detailed data on situational updates. There is signage regarding health mask requirements, screening, hand hygiene, and visitations in long-term care nursing institutions. Employees at these care facilities must be tested and proven to be negative before providing the services. Staff found to have contracted the disease are sent on isolation until they test negative again. Overall, the testing frequency is determined by the infection rate reported by MDH.
The main underlying health issue impacting HCM COVID-19 infection is the immunization status of the residents. According to New York Times (NYT, 2022) report, unvaccinated individuals in HCM are at exceedingly high risk. Essentially, when community infection rates are high, transmission to the elderly population of 60 and over, especially those in nursing facilities, are likely to increase. Another cause of health concerns is the behavior of people, especially health professionals. Pfender (2018) writes that 48 percent of caregivers are between 18 and 49. Generally, this is a group associated with social life besides community interaction. Therefore, the habits of caregivers outside of work have a direct impact on the individuals whom they serve.
The last cause of health concern is the overwhelming number of infected and hospitalized. Some individuals may not be diagnosed in time, and they may go back to the community and infect others. In such a situation, early identification, treatments, and other measures like social distancing are difficult to ascertain, especially in care facilities. Additionally, long-term care professionals may not consider social distancing when putting a resident at the nurses’ station for supervision, redirecting a wandering patient, or eating lunch with other staff. Therefore, there has been a concern regarding the spread of COVID-19 within hospital settings.
The existing evidence-based practices that can help reduce COVID-19 infection in HCM are vaccination and adhering to the CDC guidelines. MDH (2022) reported that following current scientific data and CDC advice, it is highly encouraged to maintain up-to-date on COVID-19 immunizations, as well as the continued regular use of layered countermeasures to help restrict the spread of COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021), COVID-19 is transmitted primarily through close or physical contact. Staying 6 feet away from others, wearing a mask over your mouth and nose, washing your hands with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, staying home when sick, and routinely cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces are all strategies to reduce exposure and spread (CDC, 2021). All admitted patients should have their daily assessments, including checking for fever, be treated and appropriately examined (CDC, 2021). Therefore, additional steps must be taken, such as screening and quarantining everyone entering the healthcare facility having signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and restricting and tracking the hospital’s admission points.
According to NYT (2022) report, there have been 2,687 cases recorded per day on average, up 58% from the previous weeks in HCM. Essentially, at least one out of every five residents has been ill since the epidemic began, with a total of 255,452 reported incidents (NYT, 2022). As of January 23, 2022, the positivity rate stood at 25%, with 21% hospitalized and 72 fatalities within the last two weeks (NYT, 2022). The total number of infections in HCM was 2,687 (NYT, 2022). The number may appear low compared to the positive cases in Minnesota, which totaled 1,216,734 (MDH, n.d.). Even though mortality has stayed relatively constant, the number of hospitalized patients in the HCM area has increased. However, the rise in cases of HCM indicates an increase in mortality will presume (NYT, 2022). MHD recounts that the latest addition in COVID-19 instances has resulted in the highest lab work since the epidemic began. The daily number of newly reported cases is an undercount as of January 2022 (MHD, n.d.). Generally, because of the enormous volume of reports, certain circumstances await processing in the system.
Community Health Nursing Social Media Campaign
My purpose for this social media campaign is to raise awareness about how COVID-19 mitigation methods, including hand hygiene, social distancing, and avoiding congested settings, are critical in protecting people from infections, especially the elderly. Essentially, by increasing understanding, the virus’s transmission would be reduced. Generally, the initiative’s goal is to reach at least 1000 members of HCM, particularly adults and caregivers.
The two main population-focused social marketing interventions will be training and the creation of awareness. Educating HCM residents would increase their understanding of the COVID-19 crisis and how to prevent infection. Essentially, this will target the youths and caregivers to reduce the overall population impact. I would put daily facts about COVID-19 prevention, testing, and vaccination on these sites. Additionally, I will increase public awareness of the threats people (youths) pose, particularly to the elderly, due to their failure to follow COVID-19 guidelines. I will make weekly fun movies for the page that include information on proper handwashing, hand sanitizer, the necessity of social distancing, and avoiding crowded areas to avoid transmission. Overall, the HCM Health Department and the CDC would be linked to these campaigns to ensure credibility.
The leading social media platform I will use is Facebook due to its comprehensive coverage. Essentially, this medium would be the most prominent among the residents of HCM. Facebook users can freely share information, potentially increasing the number of people who see it. TikTok is a video-sharing platform on the social networking platform they can utilize. Generally, Tik Tok videos tend to appeal to a younger demographic.
The chosen media are beneficial because Facebook and Tik Tok are free to use on a computer, tablet, or phone. Facebook is still one of the most popular social networks among adults in the U.S. (Perrin & Anderson, 2019). Facebook offers an excellent content-sharing option, further extending its coverage. According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans use video-sharing sites (Perrin & Anderson, 2019). Overall, both have the potential to reach a significant number of people.
The social media campaign will positively impact the target population because it is intended to generate new information. The HCM community may be unaware of how their actions affect others, particularly those over 60 years old, and contribute to a surge in infection. Therefore, it may be feasible to save lives by informing as many people as possible about how to safeguard the elderly by implementing mitigation methods. Posting COVID-19 facts and links about mitigating strategies and statistics on elderly fatalities could influence community behavior. Facebook has over a billion users and can reach out to over a billion people. Overall, to reach a younger audience, videos from the Facebook page might be re-posted on similar platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Best Practices for Implementing Social Media Tools
The best strategy is to avoid using protected health information or anything else on social media that would violate HIPPA legislation. I would not publish photographs of patients or their families. Instead, I will only include general details that readers can utilize to improve their chances of receiving the care they require. I would keep an eye on both platforms daily to ensure that remarks don’t infringe on patients’ privacy. While preserving professional limits, I would respond to any queries asked in the comments. For example, if someone seeks medical advice, I would recommend calling a physician rather than answering the issue because it falls outside my scope of practice. Adding other professionals to the page as administrators would assist in boosting its reputation and provide more resources for answering issues within one’s scope of practice. Generally, I have to ensure that any links to other websites on the page are transparent.
Implementation Plan
Various stakeholders will be included in the implementation plan. The first stakeholder is the Facebook and Tik Tok users, who are responsible for learning the information and asking questions. The healthcare professionals, which include both local and national health providers, are the second partners, and their role is to offer the expert information that will be presented. Caregivers can collaborate to develop flyers, billboards, social media/internet marketing, and set up booths at community health fairs to spread the word about available resources. Finally, the last participant will be the Facebook administrators tasked with running the ads and posting the videos.
The HCM Department of Health would be the principal public partner in this program. Health professionals from local nursing homes assisted living facilities, and community centers would form private collaborations. These stakeholders are aware of the impact of COVID-19 on everyone in society, especially the elderly, and believe that educating the community on prevention would be beneficial. A link to the HCM Department of Health’s COVID-19 prevention, testing, and statistics page is helpful. Healthcare workers would use short films to provide education and describe the impact COVID-19 has on the residents. Generally, the campaign would be promoted on the websites and Facebook pages of the HCM and the nursing facility operators.
The social media campaign and implementation program are expected to take approximately 10 weeks. During the first week, I would research the facts I intend to include on the pages and create films. I will then contact the HCM Health Department, area nursing homes, and community centers in weeks 2-3 to present the campaign, and my educational ideas, and propose a partnership. Meetings with partners to discuss the campaign’s goals, solutions, and outcomes would take place around weeks 6-7. The program would be launched to the general public on week 8, and monitoring and data collection would begin immediately. Finally, the findings would be examined in weeks 9-10 to see whether modifications were required.
For evaluation of success, quantitative data will be used extensively after they are collected. Likes, page views, shares, followers, and post reach are all tracked by Facebook’s analytics. The data will decide whether or not the campaign was successful and whether or not revisions are necessary. The number of new patients who come into the free clinic after the new advertising push begins is measurable. Questioners should ask where they heard about the free clinic and how to use it. Overall, the effectiveness of the programs will be determined by the reduction in infection rates in HCM.
The cost of implementation would be minimal since accessing Facebook is free. However, there may be a cost associated with setting up internet connectivity. Making films, performing research, contacting health specialists, and monitoring social media pages all come at a hefty price in time. Furthermore, assessing the campaign’s success may necessitate additional costs for questionnaire preparation, interviewer assignment, and data collection. Generally, to alleviate the burden, I would advise long-term care and assist living facility owners in advertising on social media pages.
Reflection on the Social Media Campaign
The social media campaign is beneficial because practically everyone uses digital platforms for communication. In essence, it is often used for entertainment, but it is also an effective instructional tool. People are not aware they are being educated until after reading the information or watching the video. We live in an instant information society, and we have one-stop access to data. Therefore, SMM taps into the networks of a large number of individuals in a short amount of time to spread the word rapidly and precisely at no expense.
Overall, the social media campaign can apply to future nursing practice. For instance, I will potentially use social media as a practical approach to disseminating crucial information in my future nursing job if I come across an epidemic or other outbreaks. I am a caregiver in a management position, and I have noticed that most people in my sector use social media daily. It has been challenging to transmit information to personnel during the COVID-19 crisis since they are busy and regular data on regulatory compliance and guidance changes. Staff and the general public can use SMM to get support and guidance outside of the workplace.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). How COVID-19 spreads. Web.
Hennepin County Minnesota (HCM). (n.d.). COVID-19 response. Web.
Hennepin County, Minnesota Covid case and risk tracker. (2022). New York Times (NYT). Web.
Jang, S., & Kim, C. (2020). Care inequality among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research, 24(4), 229-231. Web.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). (2022). Best practice recommendations for COVID-19 prevention in schools for the 2021-22 school year. Web.
Minnesota Department of Health (MHD). (n.d.). Situation update for COVID-19. Web.
Perrin, A., & Anderson, M. (2019). Share of U.S. adults using social media, including Facebook, is mostly unchanged since 2018. Pew Research Center. Web.
Pfender, E. (2018). Caregiver statistics broken down by age, gender, race + infographic. CaregiverConnection.org. Web.
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