Medical surge is the ability of a health care organization to provide adequate medical evaluation and sufficient medical care to victims of public health disasters.
Public health disasters can result from both natural and human-made causes (Clements & Casani, 2016).
Examples of natural disasters include floods, earthquakes, and pandemic influenza while human-made causes include explosions, exposure from ionization radiation sources, and bioterrorism attacks.
Public health disasters surpass the established limits of medical infrastructure in the affected region.
Therefore, medical surge seeks to establish a framework for healthcare providers and medical institutions to survive the effects of a public health disaster and to maintain or recover compromised operations quickly.
Through medical surge, the healthcare institutions can obtain medical system resiliency which is the survival of a hazard impact and the maintenance or rapid recovery of compromised operations.
Medical Surge Capacity
Medical surge capacity refers to the ability of healthcare facilities to evaluate and provide the necessary medical care to a significant number of patients particularly above its ordinary performance operations ( The MSCC Management System, 2020).
The evaluation and care provided to patients include laboratory studies and extensive epidemiological investigations. It is not necessarily confined to direct patient care. In cases of a pandemic caused by an outbreak of a new infection, for example, the health care workers have to conduct widespread investigations to determine the appropriate prevention and treatment procedures.
Since medical surge capacity has a direct relation to the number of patients, physical resources such as personnel, hospital beds, supplies, and equipment have to be considered.
The existing assets have to be tested against various elements such as identification of the medical need, identification of the resources required to address the needs in a timely manner, moving the resources quickly to places where they are required, and supporting and managing the resources to their maximum output capacity.
In most occasions, the available resources are not sufficient to cater to the needs of all the patients seeking medical attention.
Therefore, additional resources have to be sought such as state intervention, standby resources, and federal aid.
However, the facilities have to ensure they maximize the available resources before integrating other products.
Medical Surge Capability
Medical surge capability is the ability of healthcare organizations to manage patients who need unusual or specialized medical care and evaluation.
Medical surge provides a variety of specialized medical services such as personnel, information, expertise, equipment, and procedures.
The medical services needed are not normally available where they are required. For example, the need for specialized pediatric care provided in non-pediatric facilities.
Medical surge capability also involves the integration of special intervention methods to protect healthcare providers, other patients, and the reputation of the healthcare facility. The interventions are instituted against patients with severe and highly communicable illnesses.
MSCC System
The MSCC is an abbreviation for medical surge capacity and capability.
It is a system instituted in healthcare facilities to meet patient needs that challenge or surpass the ordinary operational activities of the facility while preserving the quality of its care and the integrity of the healthcare system.
Through MSCC, healthcare organizations and adequately utilize their existing resources and then obtain external help in an efficient and timely manner.
In that case, the facilities can move from the baseline medical capacity and capability to the incident medical surge capacity and capability and then return to the baseline.
The incident MSCC facilitates the ability of the organization to address the needs of catastrophic situations that cause public health disasters.
It incorporates timely and primary strategies for emergency interventions at the local level.
The MSCC system bridges the public and the private gap as it is used to obtain help from the federal government or privately owned medical assets ( The MSCC Management System, 2020)
Six Levels of Emergency Response and Recovery
The MSCC System provides six tier levels of emergency response and recovery.
Tier 1 Management of individual healthcare assets
Tier 2 Management of the healthcare coalition
Tier 3 Jurisdiction Incident management
Tier 4 Management of state response and coordination of interstate jurisdictions
Tier 6 Federal support to state, tribal, and jurisdiction management
How the MSCC System Relates to ICS
The MSCC system involves four processes whereby mitigation reduces or prevents the likelihood of the occurrence of a hazard, preparedness entails capacity and capability approaches for medical resiliency, response activities are taken in anticipation of an event or immediately it has happened while recovery activities are restorative to return the community to its initial state before the catastrophic event struck.
ICS provides the necessary guidelines on how to organize assets to respond to an event and the necessary measures to manage the response through its respective stages (Jensen & Thompson, 2016).
The management of the assets is in relation to various functions of the assets. Through command, the overall response is provided, operations integrate various strategies to achieve the goals set at the command level, logistics provides facilities, personnel, and supplies, planning section outlines the key plans to be followed as well as tracking the resources provided and the finance, also called the administration element, supports ICS through regulatory compliance and financial reimbursement.
References
Clements, B. W., & Casani, J. (2016). Disasters and public health: Planning and response (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.
The endocrine system is a complex network of glands and organs that uses hormones to control and coordinate the bodys energy level, metabolism, reproduction, and response to injuries. There are four main organs of the endocrine system, which include; female ovaries, male testes, thyroid, and adrenal glands. Most of the endocrine system is controlled by a feedback mechanism that has both negative and positive responses used in the regulation. In negative response, the concentration of hormones is relatively narrow and maintains homeostasis while in positive feedback, hormone concentration is increasingly higher.
Discussion
The negative feedback loop controls the synthesis and secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland. When the thyroid hormone circulating in the blood decreases, thyrotropin hormone (TRH) is released, which is secreted by the hypothalamus. The hormone moves directly to the pituitary gland through a thin stock connecting the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. In the gland, TRH stimulates the pituitary to secret thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which travels through the bloodstream and reaches the thyroid gland, which stimulates it to secrete thyroid hormones (Chong et al. 2020). The process continues until the level of thyroid hormones is high enough for the body. When this is achieved, the hypothalamus stops secreting TRH and the pituitary from secreting (TSH). If stimulation of TSH stops, thyroids stop secreting hormones that lead to levels of thyroids to start falling again.
Positive feedback regulation mostly happens in breastfeeding or nursing mothers. Prolactin is a non-steroid hormone secreted by the pituitary gland which helps to stimulate the mammary glands of a nursing mother to produce milk. Prolactin is regulated in a mother by a positive feedback loop that involves the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, nipples, and mammary glands (Douglas, 2021). The positive feedback begins when a baby sacks the nipple of its mother. A nerve from the nipple reaches the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland is stimulated to secrete prolactin. The hormone travels through the blood to the mammary gland and stimulates them to produce milk. Due to the release of milk, the baby continues sacking the nipples which cause more secretion of prolactin and more milk is produced. The positive feedback continues until the baby stops suckling the nipple.
Every hormone in the body recognizes their targets cells from the many other cells in the body by the use of receptors that exist on a cell which help them to bind to each other. A receptor initiates a series of chemical reactions within the cell to complete the intended purpose of the hormone (Spring et al. 2020). For example, most endocrine hormones may stimulate a release of a chemical that induces the production of a certain gene which causes the action of the release of hormone from the endocrine gland which must be regulated by a negative feedback loop to control the process and prevent continuous activation of receptors.
Conclusion
Positive feedback provides a response that increases to produce the desired effect. The endocrine system is important to our bodies because it helps control growth and development during childhood, and regulates bodily functions in adulthood and the reproductive system. The system supports the life cycle of reproduction, childhood, and adulthood. The system controls and regulates all the functions of the body. They ensure that the levels of hormones are not too high or too low for better functioning of the body. The failure of a certain gland to produce the required hormone results in malfunctioning of the body, which might require medical attention.
The healthcare sector is evolving at a very rapidly. Such evolution, while having added advantages is also generating new challenges for healthcare managers to contend with. One such challenge involves human resource management in the healthcare industry, specifically keeping the healthcare sector adequately staffed and the workforce adequately trained. While staffing and training healthcare sector are crucial, there are potential dangers for lack of it, especially since the health care sector deals with peoples lives. Suffice to state that the nature and content of training of healthcare professionals determine their success as a team.
Training and staffing needs in healthcare
A number of indicators, such as the general increase in enrolment rates in healthcare courses and the creation of new 428,000 jobs within the healthcare sector portray concerted efforts to staff and train professionals to serve in healthcare. Despite all these efforts, the American healthcare sector is not adequately staffed (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011). This assertion should be taken Vis a Vis the notion that the sector is rapidly growing and with that growth there are emerging new healthcare dynamics which needs adequate staffing as well as training of existing healthcare personnel. These new challenges mostly involve occurrences in the recent past that pose health risks, and as such current healthcare professionals need new skills to enable them handle new threats. Such occurrences include the threat of terrorism, evolution of Health IT, natural disasters such earthquakes, outbreak of new diseases such as SARs and manmade calamities such as effects of harmful chemicals which leak into the atmosphere (Rubin, 2004).
Staffing and training: the consequences
In view of the new health threats, lack of training and staffing of the health care sector has severe consequences not only to the consumers of healthcare services but also to other sectors of the economy such as security. According to Senate Report 107-84, one of the key functions of training healthcare workers is to enlighten them on the latest healthcare trends and needs, with the aim of enhancing efficiency. As such the report concluded that if healthcare workforce is not continuously trained on new procedures, safety issues and use of new technologies then the rate of medical errors will shoot up, with disastrous results (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, n.d.). Similarly, Rubin (2004) asserts that healthcare institutions are vital in disaster preparedness and response, especially in healthcare issues emanating from one off disastrous occurrences such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters like typhoons, floods, as well as manmade catastrophes such as effects of nuclear leaks. In view of Rubins (2004) assertions, lack of training healthcare professionals to handle such disasters is a disaster in itself. Additionally, healthcare workers need to be trained on minimizing the risks within their professional practice. For instance newly qualified professionals need to be trained on handling emergencies as well as working odd hours. Furthermore, the healthcare sector needs to be adequately equipped with experienced workers to collaborate with inexperienced ones to impart tacit knowledge on healthcare matters otherwise the sector will be ill equipped to minimize risks (Scott, 2003).
Conclusion
Adequate staffing and training of healthcare workforce are vital if the sector is to achieve address emerging threats to people health. This implies that to impart tacit knowledge training has to go on beyond college into an everyday occurrence. Furthermore, to meet these new threats the sector needs adequate staffing in terms of number and skills. This will help the sector avoid potential dangers and manage healthcare risks efficiently.
Reference List
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). Nursing shortage resource. Web.
Rubin, J. (2004). Recurring pitfalls in hospital preparedness and response. Homeland Security Journal. Web.
Scott, C. (2003). Setting safe nurse staffing levels: An exploration of the issues. Web.
Managers play a significant role in ensuring their organizations and institutions succeed (Longest, 2010). One of the core competencies of such managers is the ability to strategize. Several procedures are followed throughout the strategizing process in order to achieve quality results. The first step is identifying and acknowledging the targeted problem. This is followed by the creation of a strong strategy team (Sullivan, 2013, p. 39). The team should be formed in accordance with the existing opportunities and weaknesses. The manager will then be expected to analyze the existing ecosystem. For example, the major behaviors and actions that can deliver positive results should be identified. The manager should then identify the right tools and resources. The current strategic issues and future expectations should also be outlined. The leader will then outline new practices and goals for the team. Such practices should focus on the best strategies that can be used to address the existing challenge. The ultimate goal of every strategizing process is to address problems and improve organizational performance.
Situational Analysis
Organizational leaders embrace the power of situational analysis in order to achieve the best results. Sullivan (2013) defines situational analysis as the systematic collection and evaluation of organizational data in order to understand the major internal and external aspects affecting business performance and capabilities (p. 47). The approach also helps managers understand the needs of the targeted customers and the capabilities of their companies (Longest, 2010). Several models are used to analyze the situation of an organization in order to formulate new strategies that can deliver positive outcomes. This practice is appropriate because it outlines specific strengths and weaknesses that characterize a companys performance. The approach is therefore critical because it helps managers develop the best strategy.
Dental Public Health Program
The above two practices can be used to support different programs. The targeted public health program seeks to educate more people about the importance of proper dental hygiene. The program will encourage more people to avoid sugary foods and brush their teeth regularly. Such practices will make it easier for more people to achieve their dental health goals (Longest, 2010).
That being the case, the leaders will be required to strategize before implementing the program. They will begin by analyzing the major dental health problem affecting the targeted community. The managers will then outline new tools and human resources that have the potential to support the public health campaign (Sullivan, 2013). The existing opportunities and avenues for delivering quality results will be examined. The leaders will then implement the campaign and monitor every process in order to record positive results. The managers should also develop appropriate leadership skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving (Sullivan, 2013). Such competencies will ensure the public health program is implemented in a professional manner.
A situational analysis should also be completed to ensure the campaign team focuses on the best processes. The team will have to consider the changing needs of the targeted members of the public. The dental public health program will then be customized to address the needs of the targeted persons (Longest, 2010). The situational analysis will outline new strengths and opportunities that can be used to achieve the best results. In conclusion, a proper strategic approach and situational analysis will play a positive role in supporting the proposed dental public health program.
Reference List
Longest, B. (2010). Health Policymaking in the United States. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.
Sullivan, J. (2013). Effective Leadership and Management in Nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
The argument that supports the statement that weight is a biopsychosocial phenomenon is the psychogenic causes of excess weight, eliminating which, one can lose weight without dieting. Compulsive overeating is an uncontrolled eating behavior that is expressed in the absorption of large amounts of food. The nature of such overeating is psychogenic and is not associated with a real feeling of hunger. The physiological regulator of food consumption is the biological phenomenon of hunger. Hunger is primarily an instinctive feeling of the need to eat. Signs of hunger are emptiness in the stomach, lack of energy, weakness, dizziness. Hunger activates eating behavior aimed at finding food. Appetite is a psychological regulator of eating behavior. Appetite manifests itself as a reaction to mental discomfort, boredom and anxiety (Driver et al., 2021). While hunger cannot turn into overeating, then appetite easily gets out of control and turns into it. Appetite is the use of food for pleasure.
Although nutrition is certainly a physiological need, the psychological component plays a huge role in human eating behavior. Currently, there is a biopsychosocial model that comprehensively considers the causes of the accumulation of excess weight and the possibility of getting rid of it. Biological causes include a sedentary lifestyle, a hereditary predisposition and a state of energy metabolism. At the same time, the biological component of overweight largely depends on the psychological component. Psychological reasons are emotional dependence on food. Food is used to correct mood, like alcohol or nicotine. Cakes and chocolates raise the mood and do not cause censure from society. For example, evidence of weight as a biopsychosocial phenomenon is a hyperphagic stress response when food is used during or after stress.
Reference
Driver, S., Douglas, M., Reynolds, M. McShan, E., Swank, C., & Dubiel, R. (2021). A narrative review of biopsychosocial factors which impact overweight and obesity for individuals with acquired brain injury. Brain Injury, 35(9), 10751085.
This study investigated the efficacy of a psychoeducational intervention in reducing mortality among suicidal adolescents.
The proposed article first discusses the high adolescent suicide prevalence in the United States and globally. The authors acknowledge that the current understanding of effective dialectical behavioral or supportive therapy interventions is limited. Therefore, an RCT can provide the evidence base for greater utilization of youth-nominated support team (YST) intervention with high-risk adolescents. Mortality outcomes related to psychoeducation has not been measured previously. As a result, this study evaluated suicide-related deaths after the YST intervention.
The main aspects of the research design include:
448 adolescents aged 13-17 years were randomized into YST and control groups (King et al., 2019).
The study used baseline and follow-up assessments (psychiatric health utilization).
Specified inclusion criteria were used suicidal thoughts or attempt within the last month.
The YST intervention involved teachers or family members but the sessions are not indicated.
Measures included self-reported suicidal ideation and attempts and deaths analyzed by the t-test and Chi-square test.
The authors covered three key topics, including:
Common symptoms of youth hospitalized for suicide attempt and mortality risk.
Therapeutic interventions for high-risk adolescents and those with self-injurious behavior.
The YST design and potential to improve mortality and suicidal ideation outcomes.
The research established that the YST intervention significantly reduced reported mortality due to suicide compared to usual care (2 vs. 13), at twelve months follow-up (King et al., 2019). The authors attributed this difference to improved problem-solving in YST participants, decreasing suicidal ideation and attempt. As a result, they concluded that implementing YST psychoeducational intervention reduces the mortality risk in high-risk youth.
The study tested the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in decreasing suicidal behaviors in students.
The article begins with a discussion of the prevalence of suicide among young people and associated negative outcomes. It examines the potential use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in suicide prevention for adolescents. The studys premise is that online CBT programs delivered by school staff could reduce suicidal ideation and depression in this group but the evidence is lacking. Consequently, the researchers developed Reframe-IT, which was found to be effective based on pilot study results.
The main components of the research methodology were:
Participants were 50 students recruited from 18 Australian high schools randomized into control and intervention groups (Hetrick et al., 2017).
Inclusion criteria were students aged 13-19 years, engaged by school staff, and with suicidal ideation history.
Reframe-IT (eight modules) was delivered via a personalized web page for 10 weeks.
Primary measures included suicide attempts, depressive signs, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis of variables at baseline and 10 and 22 weeks post-intervention.
The main topics covered in this study were:
Suicide-related behaviors, such as distress and suicidal ideation and attempt.
Standard CBT approaches, including effective internet-based interventions designed for the youth.
Outcomes of intervention use compared to usual care or controls.
In this study, the Reframe-IT group had better outcomes than the usual care arm. After the eight modules, suicidal ideation decreased significantly in the intervention subjects but distress did not differ substantially between the two groups. The researchers concluded that Reframe-IT engages adolescents optimally, which reduces suicidal thoughts and depression.
The study compared the outcomes of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and supportive therapy when used with suicidal adolescents.
The article is unique, as it evaluated a multicomponent CBT intervention (DBT) that included teaching emotion-regulation skills. The researchers first give statistics on rates of suicide-related deaths and then claim that DBTs effectiveness has been demonstrated in suicidal adults. Therefore, they sought to compare its efficacy in high-risk adolescents against supportive therapy (ST) offered individually and in groups. They hypothesized that DBT would reduce suicide attempts and self-harming behaviors (SHB).
The design of this randomized control trial was as follows:
173 participants aged 12-18 years were recruited in 5 trial sites in the United States (McCauley et al., 2018).
Adolescents gave informed assent or consent and were randomized into the ST group or DBT that included 7 telephone teaching sessions.
Inclusion criteria were suicide attempt history, elevated suicidal thoughts, and repeated self-harm (McCauley et al., 2018).
Measures included suicide attempts, SHB episodes, and mental disorders, and substance use.
Data were analyzed using t-test, logistic regression, and intention-to-treat analyses.
The main topics covered in the study are:
The prevalence of suicide and suicide-related behaviors suicidal attempts and self-harm.
Therapeutic interventions for decreasing suicide among the youth, including DBT.
Evidence supporting the efficacy of DBT use with suicidal youth.
In this study, rates of self-harm and suicide attempt were significantly lower in DBT subjects than in ST participants at 12-months follow-up. The authors concluded that DBT delivered through telephone coaching is an empirically supported suicide prevention intervention for the youth.
The study investigated the efficacy of gatekeeper training in preventing suicide among youth.
The article first gives global mortality rates, including suicide-related deaths. The authors note that professional gatekeepers school staff and police in contact with high-risk adolescents can help identify risk for suicide and intervene. Therefore, training them on symptom recognition, counseling, and referral can be an effective intervention.
The following research methodology was adopted in this study:
211 gatekeepers working with adolescents (12-20 years) were randomized into experimental and control groups (Ghoncheh et al., 2016).
Inclusion criteria: Dutch speakers working with youth, including school nurses.
The intervention involved 8 e-learning modules focusing on suicide risk factors.
Pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up assessments of perceived self-efficacy and self-confidence.
Data analysis involved hierarchical linear modeling of the study variables.
The main topics covered in this study were:
Gatekeeper training models and focus areas in adolescent suicide prevention.
Types of gatekeepers that work with students, including academic staff.
Effective delivery methods for gatekeeper training: face-to-face and web-based strategies.
The studys results demonstrated that the gatekeepers perceived self-efficacy and self-confidence were significantly elevated in the intervention group at post-test and 3-month follow-up. The authors concluded that online training modules can support gatekeepers to prevent adolescent suicide due to their accessibility and flexibility.
The study tested motivational interviewing (MI) as the basis for a psychoeducational intervention targeting high-risk youth.
The article first highlights the adolescent suicide problem in the United States. As such, prevention of suicide-related deaths is a priority. The authors note that referral to psychoeducational programs or other interventions is limited due to poor screening of suicide risk factors. Consequently, they sought to use MI to improve mental health utilization and outcomes.
The studys methodology included the following components:
168 participants (12-17 years) visiting an Ohio academic emergency department (ED) were enrolled in intervention and control groups (Grupp-Phelan et al., 2019).
The study was conducted in September 2018 to October 2019 period and included follow-up assessments.
Outcome measures included suicidal thoughts and attempts and depressive symptoms.
Data were analyzed by Chi-square tests and logistic regression models.
The main topics covered in this study were:
Effectiveness of interventions for youth seeking ED care in hospitals.
Screening for suicide risk factors and outpatient referral of suicidal youth.
The study found that MI can be an effective strategy for screening for suicide risk factors and referral to outpatient care. The authors conclude that youth presenting with nonpsychiatric complaints can be assessed for suicide-related behaviors and referred to mental health interventions, including psychoeducation.
Aging changes in the skin are a condition and development that naturally happens when people grow older. It is based on an accumulation of cellular because of the deterioration of regenerative processes (Gerasymchuk et al., 2022). It is revealed through the whitening or graving of hair with nerve receptors that make individuals feel touch, pain, and pressure (MedlinePlus, 2020). The precise and effective administration of therapeutic substances is one of the main objectives of skin treatment. For this, liposomes have been studied in great detail. A vesicle having one or more double layers of phospholipid and cholesterol that may or may not enclose a significant aqueous area is known as a liposome. Liposomes key benefit is their ability to encapsulate and occasionally deliver hydrophobic and hydrophilic medications to a therapeutic target. This is conceivable because the massive water core of the liposome can encapsulate hydrophilic pharmaceuticals. In contrast, the liposomes lipid bilayer can entrap hydrophobic molecules and contain anionic, cationic, or neutral phospholipids.
Reason for selecting a chosen topic
This review is critical in helping people understand skin problems and find solutions to maintain healthy skin as they age (What Do We Know about Healthy Aging? n.d.).
Limitations to the Research
The technique relies on documented knowledge; thus, the researcher cannot control the quality of the data, and time-consuming as well (Evaluation Briefs, 2018).
Resources Accessed
The analysis will be based on the document review method of data collection. It involved an assessment of online articles, journal entries, books, and website articles to extract relevant data and develop insightful information from them.
Aging Skin Disorder
An intricate metabolic pathway, skin aging is regulated by both endogenous and exogenous elements. Together, these elements cause cumulative structural and physiologic changes, continuous changes in each skin layer, and alterations in the skins appearance, particularly on skin exposed to the sun. Prematurely photoaged skin often has a thicker epidermis, mottled discoloration, deep wrinkles, suppleness, dullness, and roughness in opposition to thin and atrophic, finely wrinkled, and dry intrinsically aged skin. Sagging is a result of the skins suppleness gradually deteriorating.
A general overview of the Disorder
Skin aging has extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics, with the latter attributed to environmental factors, including air pollution and exposure to the sun. Intrinsic aging is caused by the genetic composition of an individual and depends on time. Aging skin is dry with wrinkles, pigmented lesions, and elastosis (Gorog et al., 2022). About 90% of apparent aging symptoms in Australians result from chronic sun exposure (Ageing Skin and Rejuvenation, 2022). It is projected that individuals aged 65 and above will rise from 13% in 2010 to 23% by 2050 (Ageing Skin and Rejuvenation, 2022).
Consequently, this has led to a rise in skin cancer in Australia, with close to 80% of all cancer cases being of a skin nature. Additionally, it negatively impacts the health and economy of individuals, families, and communities (Department of Health and Age Care, n.d.). It places a heavy financial burden on the government to provide health services.
Pathophysiology
The process of skin getting older involves gene mutation and cellular metabolism. The outer layer becomes thin with aging, but several cell layers are unchanged. Further, the disorder is aided by glycation, free radicals, cell cycle, and molecular mechanisms. Skin quality fades with age because of chronological, photo-aging, hormonal deficiency, and environmental influences (Chaudhary et al., 2020). It is characterized by a reduced number of fibroblasts that affect the synthesis of collagen and vessels which supply the skin, leading to wrinkles. Skin aging necessitates abnormalities such as susceptibility to infection, skin appearance, and neurodegenerative disorders. Numerous physiological changes are connected to aging. Research is required to foresee, recognize, and, if appropriate, handle these changes. Anti-aging creams are often moisturizer-based cosmeceutical skincare items that claim to make users look younger by minimizing, concealing, or avoiding the indications of aging skin. In multiple short-lived experimental models, caloric restriction increases lifespan and improves health, and it has revealed the function of various molecular effectors involved in nutrition sensing pathways and longevity. This allows modifying these molecular effectors in humans to extend life and improve health. Caloric restriction, time-restricted feeding, intermittent fasting, fasting mimicking diets, diets with low levels of specific nutrients, and diets rich in phytochemicals and essential fatty acids are some of the nutritional therapies for anti-aging. The investigation is necessary because despite using these interventions, aging skin is still a big issue.
Causes
Skin aging is a complex process determined by an individuals genetic makeup and environmental elements. However, sun exposure is the most significant contributor to skin aging, according to the Skin Health Institute (2022). A combination of biological and atmospheric factors includes exposure to sunlight, air pollution, and lifestyle choices (McDaniel et al., 2018). The skin becomes thinner, transparent, and less luminous for intrinsic aging. Extreme UV light breaks elastin in the dermis and causes the skin to sag and stretch, leading to easy bruises and tears that take a long to heal (Rodrigues, 2018). Smoking cigarette creates insufficient oxygen supply to the skin, blocks blood vessels, and increases enzymes that break down collagen leading to wrinkles.
The Treatment Intervention
Many anti-aging treatment measures involve systematic therapeutic mechanisms that rejuvenate the skin. Retinoids, chemical peels, and dermabrasion, when applied on the skin, reduce severe damage caused by the sun (WebMD, 2021). Cell transplantation improves the quality and volume of the skin. Laboratory tests show that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) enhance skin regeneration during aging (Zhang & Duan, 2018).
There are several in-office techniques, the majority of which aim to resurface the epidermis: remove the damaged epidermis and replace the tissue with redesigned skin layers while occasionally encouraging the production of new collagen. Shortly, technical development and innovation in the emerging disciplines of tissue engineering and gene therapy will likely allow anyone to utilize the potential of cytokines and telomerase someday.
Injectables & fillers, laser therapy, and topical therapies are the most frequently used treatment procedures for women over 35 (Ahluwalia & Fabi, 2019). For example, laser treatments are resurfacing surgery that decreases the appearance of wrinkles and age spots (Holcomb et al., 2022). Hyaluronic acid and Ceramides are equally essential ingredients in any beneficial moisturizer (Spada et al., 2018). However, efforts to postpone, stop and even reverse the aging process continue to increase research on aging-related disorders to advance health and life span.
Effective Anti-Ageing Treatments for Women Over 35
Skin aging manifests in many ways, including wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and dryness. Both internal and external factors contribute to the causes of aging. Human skin needs water and lipid-soluble nutrient components such as hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants (Rattanawiwatpong et al., 2020). Additionally, Vitamins C and E, key in protecting the skin in the aging process, must be supplied to the body constantly. This review looked into the treatment methods and their effectiveness in reducing aging skin (Greenlaw, 2021). Further, it examined the interventions effectiveness, weaknesses, and gaps in skin aging medication.
Treatment Methods
Anti-aging treatment includes therapies that are carried out to improve the appearance or the beauty of the skin. Firstly, botulinum toxin injections remove the fine lines in the face, keeping the muscles tight to eliminate wrinkles. It usually takes three to four months for results to be realized. Secondly, dermabrasion therapy causes sun damage by removing the faces outer layer of the skin. Depending on how severe the lesions are, it can take a variation of sessions, and the impact always takes many weeks to be visible (Brilliant Skin Australia, 2022). Thirdly, microdermabrasion uses a machine to spray small particles on the skin, and because it has a little abrasive effect, it may require many sessions. The patients skin could be red for one to two weeks and takes a long to regenerate.
For laser, the medic places a unique light on the skin. It then penetrates and stimulates the growth of new skin cells. To make the dry parts of the skin soft and younger. However, it may cause redness and pain, and it could take weeks to regenerate the skin. Changing lifestyle and good physical care is an efficient, less expensive, and the best but most challenging method to treat skin aging Cao et al., 2020). HIFU is among the best rejuvenation techniques, which creates an instant facelift, tightens skin, and eliminates wrinkles (Brilliant Skin Australia, 2022). Additionally, dermal filler injections fill the layer beneath the wrinkles, and their results can last for two or three years.
Effectiveness of the Treatment Interventions
The best treatment depends on the particular concern that the patient wants to address. However, the standard medications are facials, injectables, fillers, lasers, and topical products. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and micro-needling are the most efficient facials (Atiyeh et al., 2021). Botox or Dysport are excellent for fine lines and wrinkles for injectables, while fillers are suitable for mitigating facial volume loss (The Dermatology Specialists, n.d.). On the other hand, laser treatments have proven to reduce fine lines and fade spots, with studies revealing that laser with carbon dioxide eliminates 45% of wrinkles about two years after the procedure, according to InStyles Transformative Beauty study, which interviewed over 2,000 women across the U.S (Greaves, 2022). The findings indicated that, for patients who want fine lines, the research found that Botox cosmetics are the most effective treatment.
Weaknesses of Some Skin Ageing Treatments
Several weaknesses come with various skin aging treatments. Firstly, the formulation is complex for most topical skincare because their ingredients cannot penetrate the skin barrier easily. Thus, there is only a limit to which many skin care products can influence the skin over time (Skin Essentials, 2021). Injectables seem to work better than all skincare interventions; currently, none of the latter can compare to the former. Further, all skincare involves several treatments and modalities typically compared to injectables, which are done only once. Additionally, skincare alone cannot remove wrinkles and will not replace hollows and dark circles under the eyes, unlike injections.
Gaps in Skin Ageing Medication
Australia has one of the oldest populations in the world, and UV radiation from the sun causes significant health problems. In Australia, it is estimated that excessive UVR exposure is the root cause of 95% of melanomas and 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) (Walker et al., 2022). This is complicated by the fact that Australia is one of the nations with the fairest skin tones, making its residents vulnerable to the dangers posed by the environments high UVR levels. The aged, especially women, have not been effectively shielded from the problems associated with aging skin by the treatments currently available. The governments spending is likewise inadequate, and there are no systems to gather patient data. This pattern makes it urgent to develop a clinical remedy for some age-related skin defects (Tobin, 2017). Therefore, the best chance to stop skin aging is through a comprehensive plan that includes public awareness campaigns and legislative changes.
Conclusion
Both internal and external factors contribute to the causes of aging. Anti-aging treatment includes therapies to improve the appearance or the skins beauty, such as botulinum toxin injections, dermabrasion therapy, microdermabrasion, and laser. Consequently, the best treatment depends on the particular concern that the patient wants to address. However, the standard medications are facials, injectables, fillers, lasers, and topical products. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment and micro-needling were the most effective anti-aging facials.
Extrinsic and intrinsic aspects of skin aging exist, with the latter being linked to environmental variables such as air pollution and sun exposure. Numerous studies that include skin rejuvenation therapy are used as an anti-aging treatment. The effectiveness of several treatments for slowing the aging process was examined in this review (Greenlaw, 2021). Therapies used to enhance the skins beauty, or look are included in anti-aging treatments. Botulinum toxin injections, dermabrasion therapy, microdermabrasion, and laser are a few anti-aging treatments that aim to enhance the skins beauty. The most successful anti-aging facials used micro-needling and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
Interestingly, Botox or Dysport are excellent for fine lines and wrinkles, while fillers are suitable for mitigating facial volume loss. Lastly, Australia has the highest aging population, but it has a gap since all the treatment mechanisms are not meeting the needs of older women. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy comprising public education and regulatory measures presents the best chance to curb skin aging.
Spada, F., Barnes, T. M., & Greive, K. A. (2018). Skin hydration is significantly increased by a cream formulated to mimic the skins natural moisturizing systems. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 11, 491. Web.
Currently, the rate of breastfeeding among minority women is too low, which can lead to detrimental outcomes. Research indicates that African American women face more obstacles to breastfeeding than other population groups (Jones, Power, Queenan, & Schulkin, 2015). The core barrier among these is the lack of education on breastfeeding. Thus, the expected outcome is the improvement of breastfeeding exclusivity in the target population. The benefits of such a consequence are evident, the major one being the improvement of newborns health and immune system (Gertosio, Meazza, Pagani, & Bozzola, 2016).
Also, breast milk has the potential to safeguard babies against infectious illnesses and promote their cognitive development, as well as to scale down infant mortality and enhance their recovery during a disease (Gertosio et al., 2016).
Furthermore, the incidence of newborn falls and drops is likely to decrease once the program is successfully implemented (The Joint Commission, 2018). Chronic diseases, the rate of which can be reduced by breastfeeding, include hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease (Binns, Lee, & Low, 2016). Therefore, the positive effects of the project on infants are numerous and crucial.
Apart from a range of advantages breastfeeding can bring about for newborns, there are also benefits for mothers. Most importantly, the women who breastfeed are less likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer (Schwarz & Nothnagle, 2015). Besides, breastfeeding mothers metabolic health is better than in those who do not breastfeed (Schwarz & Nothnagle, 2015). Finally, the risk of diabetes and heart disease among those who breastfeed is lower.
Aim Statement
The purpose of the suggested project is to change the attitude towards breastfeeding among African American women by means of enrolling them in an educational program. The insufficient rate of breastfeeding in this population group poses a threat both to newborns and their mothers. Hence, the aim of the change is to introduce a positive tendency among the participants and make it a stable trend in the long run.
Measures for Improvement Efforts
Outcome Measures
Outcome measures commonly help to identify how the suggested change will affect the values and well-being of patients. The program on breastfeeding education can be assessed by the rate of participants who change their unhealthy practice of non-breastfeeding into the healthy choice to breastfeed. Hence, the outcome measure will be the increase in women belonging to the target population group who decide to practice breastfeeding.
Process Measures
These benchmarks allow evaluating whether the planned phases of the process flow as expected. The current projects process measure is the decrease in the most common complications caused by the refusal from breastfeeding. Thus, it will be necessary to measure the number of infants mothers addressing the healthcare institution within a certain period after the intervention in comparison to the same period of time before the intervention.
Balancing Measures
Finally, balancing measures help to identify whether the program does not cause difficulties in other processes. For the current project, it will be necessary to check whether the inclusion of nurses in the educational process has a negative effect on these professionals workload and burnout. Hence, the team leader will evaluate not only the progress of the participants understanding of breastfeeding practices benefits but also the effect of the whole intervention on nurses coping skills. The outcomes will be measured over a period of three months.
Prospective Changes
The major changes to be made are those associated with the barriers to breastfeeding in the target population group. The main obstacles include poor education, a positive HIV status or drug screen, socioeconomic situation, and working mothers (Heidari, Keshvari, & Kohan, 2016). Hence, the most important change to make is to educate women on the benefits of breastfeeding, as well as on the ways of coping with the difficulties they might be facing. The key stakeholders are African American women, their newborn children, nurses, and hospital administration.
References
Binns, C., Lee, M., & Low, W. Y. (2016). The long-term public health benefits of breastfeeding. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 28(1), 714.
Gertosio, C., Meazza, C., Pagani, S., & Bozzola, M. (2016). Breastfeeding and its gamut of benefits. Minerva Pediatrica, 68(3), 201212.
Heidari, Z., Keshvari, M., & Kohan, S. (2016). Breastfeeding promotion, challenges and barriers: A qualitative research. International Journal of Pediatrics, 4(5), 16871685.
Jones, K. M., Power, M. L., Queenan, J. T., & Schulkin, J. (2015). Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Medicine, 10(4), 186196. Web.
Schwarz, E. B., & Nothnagle, M. (2015). The maternal health benefits of breastfeeding. American Family Physician, 91(9), 603604.
The problem of access to care has become one of the pressing issues in contemporary nursing and healthcare;
The detrimental impact of the issue has been amplified by inadequate patient education and inconsistent communication between nurses and their communities;
The issue affects particularly ethnic minorities due to cultural difference and language issues;
In his study, Nguyen (2012) addresses the effects that sociocultural factors produce on the level of access to care for aging Asian American patients.
Background
A rapid rise in the number of ethnic and racial minorities has been observed in the U.S. communities lately;
The number of Asian people in the U.S. is currently twice as large as it was in the 1970s;
Aging Asian American people constitute 2.3% of the total of Asian American citizens (801,000 according to the 2001 Census);
Despite the increase in their number, Aging Asian American citizens still have low access to healthcare services;
Due to the challenging social position in their home state, Asian American refuges have difficulties adjusting to the U.S. setting;
Hypothesis: due to the lack of English skills and the subsequent drop in the availability of health-related options can be observed.
Conceptual Framework
Andersens behavioral model is traditionally seen as the best tool for studying the issue at hand;
However, it may cause difficulties when conceptualizing key cultural variables linked to the target group;
Including economic factors into the conceptual framework is useful since the specified factors have proven to be of noticeable influence;
The concept of cultural capital should also be incorporated into the conceptual framework to characterize the target group;
The term group is believed to reflect the characteristics of the target population best, according to the research.
Methods
Since correlations and causations between key variables had to be located, the quantitative research design was used;
The chi-square test was deployed as the means of establishing the cause-and-effect relationships between the variables;
A sample size of 3,011 participants was used to examine the hypothesis;
Ethnic background (Asian Americans) and age (50-85) were used as the main inclusion criteria for considering the participants for the research;
The jackknife replication method was used as the sampling tool;
A survey was utilized to collect key data;
The independent variables were represented by Andersons behavioral model;
The dependent variable was represented by the existence of the source of care for the target population.
Results and Discussion
The research results indicated that most of the participants had a good command of English;
On average, the participants were 63.19 years old;
10% of the research participants had been living in the U.S. at least for ten years at the time of the assessment;
Within the sample, 10.66% did not have healthcare insurance;
Within the sample, 7.8% did not have healthcare insurance;
Women represented the majority of the respondents (52.17%) (Nguyen, 2012).
Conclusion
The research results have proven that the correlation between the access to care among Asian Americans and the issues such as their command of English, ethnicity, and immigration status exists;
The study has also found noticeable variations across the Asian population due to the presence of multiple ethnicities, such as Vietnamese and Chinese;
The research has indicated that the development of culture-specific and culture-appropriate interventions will help to increase access to care for Asian Americans.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide high-quality and personalized medical services in various settings. Successful transition from graduate school to practicing NP is critical. Personally, I have identified specific interventions that I will implement to navigate seamlessly in accordance with Brown and Olshanskys (1997) model. In the Laying the Foundation phase, I will identify a mentor and embrace the concept of formal orientation. This strategy will allow me to identify potential challenges and be prepared for various roles (Faraz, 2016). In the Launching phase, it will be appropriate to engage in continuous learning to acquire additional ideas for completing my duties and seek the relevant organizational and professional support. I will form new teams with some of the colleagues in my unit and encourage them to focus on the wider picture. These initiatives will make it easier for me to transition efficiently and be in a position to achieve positive gains.
The third stage is that of Meeting the Challenge and it entails the ability to undertake various tasks that can transform patients health experiences. During this phase, I am planning to interact with my physician and colleagues. This initiative will deliver the required support for delivering timely services and support to the targeted patients. I will identify additional strategies for acquiring new skills that will guide me to deal with the primary barriers to role transition (Faraz, 2016). I am planning to consider and follow the intervention in the facility to transition smoothly and eventually achieve my aims. Finally, Broadening the Perspective will be the final phase that will dictate how I will address my patients needs. I will design a superior philosophy to sustain the recorded achievements and guide me to control providing high-quality services to my patients.
In the recent past, many societies have been experiencing numerous changes whereby more patients and stakeholders demand high-quality and cheaper medical costs. The patient-centered medical home has emerged as a new model whereby primary care physicians are providing coordinate patient treatment to maximize health outcomes. Similarly, value-based payment models are concepts whereby consumers of care and payers focus on systems that are accountable for reduced cost and quality (Shi et al., 2017). These developments will impact my personal practice as a NP in various ways. First, I will collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure that the established care delivery procedures are evidence-based and capable of maximizing patients experiences. Second, I am focusing on the best ways to acquire additional competencies and technologies that can support the delivery of personalized medical services to more patients. Third, I am considering the need to identify medical facilities that are associated with quality and affordable medical services. This personal approach will meet the emerging demands of the targeted stakeholders.
Similarly, these new concepts are capable of transforming the nature of primary care in this country. For instance, the government will have to design superior systems that strike a balance between the interests of all key stakeholders. Such an approach will support the delivery of high-quality, cheaper, and timely medical services. The country might have to establish new facilities that rely on emerging technologies and telemedicine to keep costs of medical services as low as possible (Cuenca, 2017). Finally, hospitals and homecare facilities will have to consider these rapid changes to transform their models, focus on new ways to improve the nature of primary care, and eventually meet the demands of both physicians and consumers of health.
Medical agencies, researchers, and institutions have completed various studies to learn more about the role and benefits of NPs in healthcare practices. For instance, White et al. (2017) observe that these professionals possess adequate competencies and ideas that they could apply in the field of care delivery to maximize outcomes. Their involvement in different settings could reduce the length of hospitalization since they possess adequate competencies, can solve emerging challenges, and transform the nature of care delivery. Their competencies make it easier to consult and offer the relevant treatment depending on the unique personal needs of the patients. These achievements indicate that the targeted facility will record increased levels of cost savings and patient satisfaction. Such experts can open additional retail clinics that can maximize the level of access to primary medical services at reduced costs. From these observations, I believe that the studied articles offer timely insights for transforming the nature of care delivery in this country.
When asked in a job interview, I would indicate that the current problem of nursing shortage was associated with increased medical costs and poor health outcomes. However, the inclusion of NPs in health systems could address most of the recorded challenges since they were able to work without continuous physician supervision, thereby reducing the time patients take when traveling from one region to another in need for medical services. NPs were also capable of reducing wait times and hospital stay, thereby reducing the potential percentage of costs and wastes (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2015). The American government should, therefore, consider these core benefits and employ more professionals to address the current shortage and transform the experiences of more patients.