A. Provide three sentences to explain:
1. The nature of the environmental concern.
The nature of this environmental concern is the spreading of West Nile virus worldwide to colder regions due to the impact of climate change related to global warming. These persistent warmer temperatures that we are seeing globally allows for the increased breeding and thriving of mosquitoes increasing our chances of being exposed to vector-spread disease such as West Nile virus. Given the increased rates of mosquitoes our risk for contracting WNV has drastically increased.
2. Why is this environmental concern good or bad for society, a population or community?
This environmental concern poses a great risk and can negatively impact the society. This raises concern because when we are bitten by a mosquito we can be exposed to West Nile virus. WNV can cause illness, serious neurological disease and increases the prevalence of morbidity and mortality.
3. How does this environmental concern impact the role of the nurse or nursing practice?
This environmental concern impacts the nursing role by expanding their responsibilities. Patient care and management; early recognition and diagnosis in order for early identification/treatment and symptom management. Patient education and the importance of vaccination and prevention strategies.
B. Explain your position and rationale for taking this position (you may take an excerpt from your paper for this section) with citations and appropriate references.
In order to improve upon this environmental concern we must try to mitigate climate change and protect ourselves against exposure to mosquito bites. Climate change mitigation involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions, shifting away from fossil fuels, improving energy efficiency, implementing sustainable agriculture and conservation of forests and reforestation (UNDP, 2024). We must transition to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power and promote energy efficiency. When we plant trees and restore forests it helps absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We can lower greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by implementing organic farming, crop rotation and reduced tillage. These gasses trap heat from the sun in our atmosphere making it unable to cool down so it is imperative that we get rid of these greenhouse gasses in order to improve upon global warming (UNDP, 2024). On top of trying to correct the root of the problem we must also try to prevent exposure to the inevitable. Implementation of mosquito control measures and effectively educating the public is vital to combating WNV. If we want to protect ourselves against exposure we must implement effective mosquito control programs that include regularly treating areas with insecticides, eliminating environments that they like to thrive like areas with stagnant water and introducing natural predators to mosquitoes. The public must be educated on prevention of WNV and minimizing risk of being bitten with implementation of personal protective measures with utilization of insect repellent, wearing long sleeve clothing and pants, treating clothing and gear, and minimizing outdoor exposure from dusk to dawn (CDC, 2024). If we can address both climate change issues and the other factors contributing to the spread of West Nile virus we can improve upon the health of the population and improve the quality of life of future generations.
