Wellness and Health Promotion Position Statement-Wellness and Health Promotion Position Statement

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The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as not just the absence of disease, but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. To improve health, the focus should be on population-based health interventions targeting health promotion and disease prevention. Emergency departments (EDs) in the US provide a significant portion of healthcare, especially for vulnerable populations. Emergency nurses, who are often the primary healthcare providers in the ED, are in a unique position to promote health and prevent disease. <br /><br />The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) recognizes the important role of emergency nurses in wellness and health promotion and has outlined several key positions. These include offering wellness and health promotion education to patients, employing strategies to promote health in their own lives, advocating for healthcare legislation, placing an emphasis on training and skills in health promotion, and actively participating in research activities. <br /><br />Emergency nurses have a history of providing health-related education to patients, including evaluations of immunization status and screening for alcohol or drug misuse. They also assess environmental determinants of health, such as intimate partner violence and safe housing. Health promotion for emergency nurses includes being good role models by practicing self-care strategies, such as a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management. <br /><br />Emergency nurses can have a significant impact on the health of the population by promoting health and disease prevention during ED visits. They are encouraged to advocate for health policies that decrease health disparities and to consider social determinants of health, such as homelessness, income, and health literacy, when providing care. Resources such as the WHO and Healthy People initiatives provide evidence-based recommendations for health promotion strategies. <br /><br />In conclusion, emergency nurses play a vital role in promoting health and preventing disease in the ED setting. By providing education, advocating for health policies, and addressing social determinants of health, they can make a positive impact on individual and community health outcomes.

Meta Tag

wellness and health education

wellness and health disease prevention

wellness and health injury prevention

wellness and health social determinants

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Keywords

World Health Organization

health definition

population-based health interventions

emergency nurses

health promotion

disease prevention

advocacy for healthcare legislation

environmental determinants of health

self-care strategies

social determinants of health