Need topic for teaching project :)

StudentNurseAbby · Aug 29, 2007

Couldn't you teach safe sex to people who are 40+ or would that be sort of condescending? lol

Hmm...to be honest I'm in the same boat. We have to do the same and I need a topic by Friday.

nurz2be · Aug 29, 2007

Hi, we have a clinical RN student group of 3 members and have to present a community based teaching plan on something..............
the teaching plan needs to be specific and direct to the 40+ age group and be specific to a single disease process...
We originally thought maybe we would teach to high school students the safe sex, abstinence or something like that and out instructor said it needed to relate to an adult process and 40+
We want to do something fabulous.............and live in a primary season geri community.
Anyone with any ideas we would love to hear them, please.....we are coming up blank
Aron

I live in FL, home to millions of Geri aged patients as well as what most like to call "Active retirement communities"

I think something that could be presented is the benefits of "Active" living as opposed to docile living. You can touch on so many things from

Active brain stimulation (Classes, games) ---fending off Alzheimers,

Active physical stimulation (Golf, seniors workouts)-- fending off cardiac issues,

Active Social stimulation (Being involved in anything from weekly Bingo groups to art classes at local arts n craft stores) -- fending off depression --which is a serious issue among seniors

You can provide them with information of groups that meet to do each of these---- Show them getting older can be just as enjoyable and LIVELY as being a young person.

Kiringat · Aug 29, 2007

We had to do a project like this... One of the groups did "Spicing Things up: Sex for the 40+ Years Young Crowd." They had books, props, etc. It was very unique (they went over safety to!), and hysterical.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2007

I've lived in a number of places where there were a large community of retired people. One subject I can think of that gets some notice on the local news is the number of car accidents caused by older folks whose driving skills are getting bad because of problems with their vision, slowed reaction time and their ability to make decisions. In some places the AARP has special driving course to help older drivers become aware of these things and learn to compensate for them. The AARP (American Association of Retired People) is a staunch advocate of the rights for their members who are 50+. You can search their site for information. You will be astounded at the different "pies" they have their fingers into. One of my HIM (health information management) instructors posted an expose article that was released by AARP this spring on a study they did (and it was reported on the national news services as well) on a number of drug companies that boosted the price on their top selling drugs way, way above all the other drugs that were being sold. It really made the drug companies look bad. However, older people are the biggest consumers of prescription drugs and the cost is an issue for them.

Maybe when we are young we don't think about what happens when we age. When you start working in the acute hospital you are going to find that almost all of your patients are going to be in their 50s, 60s and up. It is almost rare to see patients younger than that. Chronic diseases are often the cause. But, you can look at statistics as well to see what is killing off people. I've given you a link to see what those are.

I did a search for health concerns and came up with a few interesting articles. As I was reading each I knew they were correct in what they were addressing. They will give you some ideas of subjects to focus on. People need to be taught the signs and symptoms of the onset of these conditions and the importance of regular medical check ups. Something I learned over the years as a nurse is that you only see a small percentage of people with acute problems in the hospitals. A greater majority live in the general public and cope with their health problems through utilization of outpatient services.

Something that has come up in my life very recently is that I was found to have a colon cancer with routine hemoccult blood testing. Colon cancer is the 3rd most prevalent cancer killer in the U.S. of middle aged Americans. Lung is first (smokers are especially susceptible) and breast is second. Mammograms are supposed to be done regularly every year after the age of 40. Skin cancer only surfaces in the aging person, not the young. Cancer is curable if found early through some of the simple screenings and this is something that would make a wonderful subject to teach to a group of 40+ people.

http://www.apa.org/ppo/issues/growing.html - depression, suicide, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, misuse or abuse of alcohol, and chronic illnesses (which can be delayed in progression with good medical care) such as hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hearing loss, cataracts
http://women.webmd.com/guide/5-top-female-health-concern - Women's Top 5 Health Concerns (there are multiple pages to scroll through). Since this is on the WebMD site you might also want to explore the other links within WebMD which is a website specifically aimed at the consumer of healthcare.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46826 - Men's Top 5 Health Concerns from MedicineNet. This website is similar in purpose to MebMD.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/default.htm - National Center for Health Statistics. Scroll through the various links to explore and see if something interests you. These statistics are compiled from information that is sent to the U.S. government by way of the DRGs (acute hospital), MDS (nursing homes), OASIS (home health care) and other statistical reporting tools that are required to be reported by numerous healthcare providers throughout the country that receive any kind of Medicare or Medicaid funding. Additionally, all facilities are required by law to report birth and death statistics to the federal government.
- http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm - Leading causes of death.

Crimsonking · Aug 30, 2007

How about Community Aquired MRSA? As nearly 80% of all skin infections presented in the ER are MRSA, I think this is one of the least known inflictions to the general public. Good luck on your presentation!

Finallyat40 · Aug 30, 2007

Okay, your community is primarily over 40...how about some of the following:

Prostate Cancer Screening cover the importance, how often, what age, incidence of death based on age/culture, etc.

Mammography guidelines - how many, when to start, accredited clinics in your area (you could even call around and see who will be offering discounts in October for screenings)

Hypertension signs and symptoms, screening devices, when to see a doctor, ways to prevent, etc.

Type II Diabetes - Incidence, frequency, lifestyle changes, etc.

you've gotten some great ideas from the other posters....the key here is to pick a topic you can be passionate about and get moving with it.

Jamie

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 30, 2007

If you want to really impress your instructor and get a good grade, approach this assignment as a professional nurse educator would approach it. Use the nursing process.

Assess the target audience. What are the health concerns of that community and age group? Then plan your intervention based on your knowledge of the target audience. don't just "pick a topic that sounds good to you," you should be "picking a topic (and an educatinal strategy) that meets their needs." Don't forget to plan how you will evaluate the effectiveness of your intervention.

What are the main health concerns of your target population: heart disease? metabolic syndrome? cancer? etc. Do a little research and find out. Then pick one of the top problems and design your class to help the audience to prevent the problem, detect it early, manage it, etc.

aronld1 · Aug 30, 2007

OMgoodness, we type again. Again thank you so much. You must have been in the RN field for a long time. You are awesome.

again, let God and your own personal knowledge that he has blessed you with the ability to grasp and handle so well, keep you in your care. Man you are awesome.