Introduction
Coronaviruses are a wide variety of pathogens that can spread to both people and animals. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on global public health security and highlighted the significance of nurses’ work in communities in advancing public health and preventing the transmission of communicable illnesses (Rhodes et al., 2020). Thus, it is essential to establish the meaning of the pandemic and the role of the community health worker at the world, national, state, and community levels.
Definition of a Pandemic
Pandemics are widespread outbreaks of emerging communicable illnesses affecting many individuals in various regions worldwide. Nonetheless, pandemics are commonly driven by disease agents or infectious viruses that are newly introduced. These can, for example, be zoonoses or diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans (Rhodes et al., 2020). Therefore, there is no available medicine in this case either, and many people can become sick with the virus.
World Level
The pandemics can rapidly expand across borders, reaching people from diverse nations and populations. The pandemic can also cause significant economic and social setbacks, influencing international commerce, journeys, and tourism (Rhodes et al., 2020). Consequently, international coordination and engagement are essential to global environmental safety and secure public health. Community health nurses are instrumental in strengthening global health safety by educating the population about the measures to promote the prevention and management of infectious diseases (Corless et al., 2018). They can also engage in epidemiological surveillance and control initiatives. Furthermore, they can collaborate with multilateral institutions to establish and deliver sustainable global public health initiatives that promote international security and enhance worldwide health protection.
National Level
In addition, the pandemic has serious implications for national security in the healthcare sector. They can overload health protection systems and interrupt the operation of essential services, such as food and water supplies, transportation, and communications (Rhodes et al., 2020). Hence, it is crucial to have efficient national public policy and public health systems to control and manage a pandemic. Community health nurses can contribute to national health security by supporting health care providers, government health officials, and policymakers in developing and implementing effective disease prevention and control strategies (Corless et al., 2018). They can also inform and enlighten the community in order to ensure that they recognize and observe relevant public health guidelines and rules.
State Level
States should have efficient public health policies and systems in place to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases inside their borders. They need to work with neighboring states and federal agencies to ensure that pandemics are avoided and monitored (Rhodes et al., 2020). Community health nurses have the capability to contribute to improving community security. This is because they work with national and local health departments to develop and maintain general health policies and programs to prevent and manage transmissible infectious diseases (Corless et al., 2018). They can also engage in surveillance and disease response, training, and outreach to the population.
Individual Community Level
In my community, pandemics have caused illness, death, and economic and social disruption. In particular, COVID-19 had fatal consequences for the healthcare sector and the population because the community was not prepared. Public health nurses in my community are supposed to work with local health officials and civic organizations to develop public health programs (Corless et al., 2018). They can also provide education and support to individuals to help reduce the spread of the pandemic at the local level. The community nurses in my local area can care for infected individuals and support their recovery.
Conclusion
In summary, pandemics can have a profound influence on world, national, state, and community health security. Community health nurses have a crucial role in promoting public health and preventing the spread of infectious diseases at all levels. They can partner with other healthcare professionals, healthcare system officials, policy officials, and members of the public to develop and implement effective strategies for disease management and prevention.
References
Corless, I. B., Nardi, D., Milstead, J. A., Larson, E., Nokes, K. M., Orsega, S., & Woith, W. (2018). Expanding nursing’s role in responding to global pandemics 5/14/2018. Nursing Outlook, 66(4), 412-415. Web.
Rhodes, T., Lancaster, K., Lees, S., & Parker, M. (2020). Modelling the pandemic: Attuning models to their contexts. BMJ Gobal Health, 5(6), 1-10. Web.
