This is my discussion post to correct and turn into 1 page and add one citation to the 1 page Each post must cite and reference at least one peer-reviewed source (a journal article published within the last 5 years) in APA 7th edition.
Hi Co,
I agree, insurance is very important. But sometimes people don’t always have the Income to afford insurance. But they don’t qualify for Medicaid. But they can’t afford to pay out of pocket because their money is already accounted for on other essential things they may need. A lot of people get their insurance through their employer and if they lose their job, they’ll lose their insurance. What was it like taking care of a patient with bacterial meningitis? Do you know about the outbreak before taking care of a patient? And did you use Evidence-based practice (EBP) to take care of the patient? You did a wonderful job on this discussion post. Keep up the great work. Look forward to reading more posts from you.
This is the discussion post I responded to:
Based on my experience, insurance plans serve as the primary economic source of healthcare. In my practice setting, retrospective payment methods from Medicare, Medicaid, or other health maintenance organizations, as well as preferred provider organizations, are commonly observed. In my practice setting, case workers obtain specific reimbursement information from the patient, regardless of whether the patient has insurance, utilizes a third-party payer, or is paying out of pocket. I developed an interest in reading about Medicaid and Medicare, along with exploring how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to Medicaid/Medicare (Rector & Stanley, 2022, p. 142). The decrease in the percentage of uninsured Americans from 18% at the ACA passage in 2010 to 10.9% in 2016 demonstrates the significant benefits of the ACA (Rector & Stanley, 2022, p. 123).
According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Virginia is currently experiencing a bacterial meningitis outbreak (vdh.virginia.gov, 2024). Unfortunately, bacterial meningitis is a condition that I have the opportunity to help treat. Primary prevention of bacterial meningitis includes vaccination and education on meningitis. PubMed reveals that receiving both meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations as primary prevention measures can mitigate the acquisition and spread of bacterial meningitis in all age groups, including mother-to-baby transmissions (Wall et al., 2021). Secondary prevention involves screening and diagnosing bacterial meningitis. In my experience, assessing for a positive Brudzinski or Kernig’s Sign and performing lumbar punctures for cerebrospinal fluid sampling are secondary prevention measures for anyone with suspected meningitis. Tertiary prevention focuses on early detection, proper antibiotic administration, and the use of infection control standards, such as droplet precautions, to prevent disease transmission.
The epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in Virginia is still under investigation. However, since June 2022, the VDH has confirmed 32 diagnoses of bacterial meningitis, with five cases reported in Southwestern Virginia. The VDH indicates that meningitis transmission occurs through salivary or respiratory secretions and recommends obtaining a meningococcal vaccination, practicing frequent hand washing, wearing masks, and using protective eyewear when near someone with flu-like symptoms. Meningitis symptoms closely resemble those of the common flu, including neck stiffness, body aches, sudden headaches/migraines with light sensitivity, confusion, fever, chills, cough, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (vdh.virginia.gov, 2024). Those at risk of meningitis include college-aged young adults, individuals with weak immune systems or immunosuppression, individuals who have undergone neurosurgical interventions or had a splenectomy, and individuals who have traveled outside the United States to areas like Africa or Asia (Wall et al., 2021).
In the state of Virginia, bacterial meningitis is a reportable disease. A confirmed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis must be reported immediately to the VDH or local health department in accordance with state law (Sections 32.1-36 and 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia and 12 VAC 5-90-80 of the Board of Health Regulations for Disease Reporting and Control) (vdh.virginia.gov, 2018). I can foresee an ethical or moral dilemma arising secondary to a person diagnosed with meningitis. The dilemma may involve an unwillingness to care for or be around someone with such a contagious disease, leading to a lack of support for the individual with meningitis. Additionally, since PubMed identified areas of Africa and Asia as “Hotspots” for meningitis, a public inference may associate individuals from those areas with healthcare and public inequalities.
