week 5
2
Topic you chose from Google forms
Would Approach Wildfires as a Public Health Issue Decrease Rates of cardiopulmonary diseases for Americans?
From a Future Nurse's Prospective
September 20, 2022
Kaytlin De Los Santos
West Coast University
FEEDBACK:
Bold the entire title of origin of injustice and it's just wildfires. You need to have a history of wildfires so I need to see some dates in here. When did they start to become more of a problem period when did we start fighting them? Good transition into your causes. OK so you need causes of wildfire. So you're gonna have to rewrite your cause is. So you say climate change is one of the causes so you need to talk about how climate changes causes wildfires. Also you have talked about natural causes as well. Need transition into your money parent control period make sure all of your titles are in bold (not the subtopics though). so you kind of missed the mark on your money power and control because you're supposed to be talking about an industry that doesn't help or makes it worse. You can use this concept of for profit firefighters because they are profiteering off of people that need firefighting services. Typically the service is paid for by tax dollars and you have underserved communities that are not being provided with these services so this needs to be reworked. You need to transition into your legislation. Your introductory sentence needs work period too vague. You need to subdivide your cultural norms into two topics. First you're gonna talk about campfires and then you're gonna talk about how that spreads fire and makes wildfires worse. You shouldn't be talking about cardiovascular disease here. This needs to be written you need a transition into your ethical obligation. And you need two other nursing organizations that either address climate change or wildfires.
Origin of Injustice: Wildfires as a Public Health Issue
Wildfires are fires that break out in woods and other vegetation regions without human intervention and can spread rapidly and be difficult to contain. Wildfires are becoming more common and destructive due to global warming, particularly in the Western United States and Alaska. Communities thousands of kilometers away from places prone to wildfires may be affected by smoke inhalation due to the increase in wildfires. Smoke from wildfires is predominantly composed of water vapor, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, other organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and several trace elements (Vigil, 2020). However, the smoke composition can change based on the kind of fuel burned, the fire's intensity, and the wind's direction and strength. Particulate matter (PM) is the most worrisome of these pollutants because of its microscopic size and potential to penetrate deeply into the lungs (Barria, M. 2019). This problem may be driven by climate change and policies put in place and protections within such populations.
Particulate Matter
Wildfire particulate matter (PM) exposure has been linked to various adverse health outcomes, including but not limited to: elevations in respiratory problems, hospitalizations; acute and chronic cardiovascular and respiratory clinical outcomes; or early mortality. Young children, people with preexisting heart or lung conditions, and the elderly are particularly at risk from wildfire smoke. Smoke inhalation is hazardous for kids because their airways are still maturing, and they spend more time outside. Fine and ultrafine particles present in smoke have been linked to early death, especially in populations with preexisting cardiac or pulmonary issues, such as the elderly (U.S. climate and Health alliance, nd).
Occupation Hazard
Firefighters confront numerous risks on the job, and not just from caring for vulnerable people. Health concerns for firefighters include reduced lung function, congestion, respiratory disorders, and burns, and accidents from falling objects due to increased exposure to air pollutants from fires. Workers on the fire line also risk being trapped by flames, getting sick from the heat, getting run by a vehicle (even an airplane), suffering a bodily injury, and being exposed to dangerous levels of particulate matter as well as other air pollutants from the smoke from wildfires (Rural/Metro Corporation, 2015).
Money Power and Control: Rural Metro's (RURL) fire operations
The business of combating fires is a costly one, and increasingly, it is being outsourced to private corporations. These days, private companies provide everything from fire trucks to firefighters to government organizations on a local and national scale. The US Forest Service has been the primary employer in this billion-dollar sector. The green Forest Services trucks have been joined on fire lines across the country by fire engines bearing the emblems of private firefighting organizations over the last three decades (Tao, D. 2011).
Quality of service
When it comes to private fire protection, including private ambulance services, Rural/Metro is widely regarded as a U.S. market leader from coast to coast. The company's overall business strategy is oriented around providing superior service to its rivals by using an efficient model and standardized essential systems to facilitate its operations. The firm is devoted to using cutting-edge technology in all aspects of its operations; while doing so, it seeks to fulfill its commitment to making technology a pillar of the company's commitment to excellence (Rural/Metro Corporation, 2015).
Labor Force
In addition, the firm has a staff of experts in fire safety and emergency medical care to deliver its promised services to customers. The organization is clearly dedicated to providing excellent service by implementing essential techniques that provide excellent value to its customers. The Scottsdale Fire Department has flourished under Rural/Metro Corporation's business plan, with much of the department's success attributable to the progressive nature of the ambulance services, fleet management, as well as other services it now offers in addition to its traditional fire protection operations (Kizer, 2020).
Legislation: Federal Land Policy and Administration Act of 1976 (FLPMA)
Several federal and state statutes in the United States address wildfires in some way. The Federal Land Policy and Administration Act of 1976 (FLPMA) is the fundamental federal statute that authorizes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to administer public lands for a wide range of purposes, including fire management. Plans for the administration of each national forest, developed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) following the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), must contain measures for wildfire management. Even though state laws differ, most of them grant the state forestry agency some jurisdiction to do things like put out fires and prevent them from starting. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) has broad powers under the state's Emergency Services Act to avoid and put out fires (Barria, M. 2019).
Cultural Norms: leaving campfires overnight
Cultural norms for dealing with wildfires have been passed down through the ages in an effort to keep them under control. Campfires should never be left unattended; smoking should never be done near dry plants, and campfires should never be built in places with a history of wildfires. Never leave a campfire unattended, totally extinguish campfires before leaving the area, avoid building campfires in high-risk regions for wildfires, and refrain from smoking in places with dry vegetation are all examples of wildfire cultural norms. There is mounting evidence that breathing in smoke from wildfires can be harmful to people's health. Smoke from wildfires has been linked to an increased risk of developing or exacerbating various respiratory illnesses, including asthma and bronchitis. Smoke from wildfires has also been related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. In light of the fact that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of wildfires, people must be made aware of the risks they may face if exposed to smoke from these flames. This is of utmost significance in areas prone to wildfires where people live (Haar et al., 2021). Instructions on how to avoid inhaling wildfire smoke, such as remaining indoors and using air filters, should be widely disseminated.
Ethical Obligation of the Health Care Professional: Future Nurse
In all situations, including wildfires, healthcare providers have an ethical duty to deliver the highest standard of care possible for their patients. The healthcare provider's responsibility here is to give the patient the attention and treatment they need while reducing any potential dangers to their health. The doctor also needs to consider the patient's long-term health and ensure they know about the risks associated with breathing in smoke from wildfires. The doctor or nurse should also advise on how to avoid getting sick from breathing smoke from wildfires. It is also the responsibility of the healthcare provider to safeguard the privacy of their patient's medical records. This implies the doctor or other medical staff member should not tell anyone about the patient who doesn't need to know and should also take precautions to prevent their records from falling into the wrong hands (Barria, M. 2019).
RURL and Nursing
The nurse care and support services that are offered to patients at home as part of Rural Metro's (RURL) firefighting nursing care for home are included. This may involve assisting patients with daily living activities, assisting patients with medicine, offering information and assistance to patients and families, and providing aid with everyday living activities (Haar et al., 2021).
The evidence presented here lends credence to the assertion that the nursing profession's scope of responsibility included advocating on behalf of people whose lives were disrupted by wildfires and that nurses are obligated to take an active role in addressing public health concerns such as the effect of wildfires on public health. Nurses, who are members of the most respected profession, are in a privileged position to advocate for people whose lives have been upended by wildfires and to take an active role in addressing public health concerns relating to the effect of wildfires on the general population. The practice of nurses advocating for the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and populations dates back a significant amount of time. In recent years, nurses have been increasingly acknowledged as vital members of the general public health care workforce and also have taken on new responsibilities in disaster response and response. This recognition has led to the creation of new job opportunities for nurses. Nurses comprise the largest group of professionals working in the healthcare industry and are absolutely necessary for delivering healthcare services and developing safety and health. In the aftermath of a catastrophe like a wildfire, nurses play an essential part in not only giving care to people who have been impacted but also in advocating for the requirements of their residents and the communities in which they work.
References
Barría P, R. M. (2019). Wildfires as a public health problem: a setting for nursing in disasters. Investigación y Educación en Enfermería, 37(3).
U.S. climate and Health alliance, (nd) Wildfires and Public Health: A View from the Front Lines. Retrieved from https://usclimateandhealthalliance.org/wildfires-public-health-view-front-lines/
Peizhong, Y., Xin, W., & Tao, L. (2011). RETRACTED: agent-based simulation of fire emergency evacuation with fire and human interaction model.
Kizer, K. W. (2020). Extreme wildfires—growing population health and planetary problem. Jama, 324(16), 1605-1606.
Rosenthal, A., Stover, E., & Haar, R. J. (2021). Health and social impacts of California wildfires and the deficiencies in current recovery resources: An exploratory qualitative study of systems-level issues. PloS one, 16(3), e0248617.
Vigil, M. F. (2020). Climate Change: Increased Potential for Fire Disaster in Taos, New Mexico.