NUR 330 Population and Community Health: Documentation of Practicum Experiences

Name: Jessica Te
Practicum Agency: Online Module: Clinical Care Severe Acute Respiratory Infection
Department or Division Location: n/a
Preceptor: n/a

Date(s) of Practicum Hours: 3/24/20

Hours of the experience: 10 hours
Objectives: CCPO 1,2,4, 5
Description: This online module discusses preventative and safety measures and clinical care
when dealing with patients who have severe acute respiratory infection (ARI). The most recent
viral infection that is going on today is the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Symptoms of
COVID-19 are fever, cough, and severe respiratory distress and these patients have recently
traveled outside the U.S to Wuhan in China. Nurses who are treating these patients must be
careful and must maintain all standard precautions at all time, hand hygiene and respiratory
hygiene is the most important. COVID-19 patients are placed on droplet precautions, patients are
placed in single rooms and nurses must wear masks with face shield to and try to limit the
amount of times they enter the room. Overall, patients who are diagnosed with ARI should be
closely monitored and nurses and other healthcare providers should be aware of signs of ARI
like using accessory muscle, fatigue, change in mental status, cool extremities, etc. Also, along
with ARI healthcare providers need to monitor for signs of sepsis and what to do when patients
are positive for sepsis. Due to the increase cases of COVID-19, it has become a pandemic and
when there is a pandemic there should be some plan entailed and that includes increasing
capacity response, public engagement, health system strengthening and making sure resources
are available.