Med-Surg · chapter 34 · Disaster and Recovery
Epidemics and Pandemics
The 14 things this section of the textbook says that you are most likely to be asked about — quoted word for word, not retold. Then 3 practice questions with the reasoning.
Key points
Epidemic response planning
Understanding the different types of epidemics is critical for health-care professionals, as it informs strategies for disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and control measures to mitigate the spread of illness and protect public health.
Ebola origin and naming
Originally transmitted from wild animals to people, Ebola spreads through human-to-human transmission, and first appeared in two simultaneous outbreaks in 1976 in Nzara, Sudan, and Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ebola clinical manifestations
Ebola virus disease is characterized by symptoms such as fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising.
Ebola mortality and risk
The disease has a high mortality rate, with up to 90 percent of infected individuals dying from the illness (Whitmer et al., 2018).
Ebola high-risk groups
Health-care workers, family members caring for sick individuals, and people who have direct contact with the bodies of people who have died from Ebola are at the highest risk of infection.
Ebola protective equipment
Infection control techniques such as using gloves, gowns, N95 respirators, and face shields are critical to stopping the spread of the virus.
Ebola nursing prevention role
Nurses provide care to infected patients while implementing strict infection control measures, such as avid handwashing and isolation of suspected patients to prevent further transmission.
Epidemic preparedness role
In the preparatory phase, nurses contribute to the development and implementation of epidemic preparedness plans, ensuring health-care facilities are equipped with necessary supplies, protocols, and training to effectively respond to outbreaks.
Epidemic bedside response
During an epidemic, nurses are often among the first health-care providers to assess and treat affected individuals, implementing infection control measures to prevent further transmission.
Epidemic community education
Additionally, nurses play critical roles in community outreach and education efforts, disseminating accurate information about the disease, promoting preventive measures such as vaccination and hygiene practices, and addressing misconceptions and fears.
Pandemic global spread
Unlike epidemics, which are localized outbreaks, pandemics spread across international borders, affecting populations worldwide.
COVID-19 clinical spectrum
COVID-19 presents with a wide range of symptoms, from mild respiratory illness to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multi-organ failure, particularly affecting older adults and those with underlying health conditions.
COVID-19 infection control
Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through both airborne droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces, nurses must be vigilant in infection control management, such as handwashing and isolation precautions.
COVID-19 testing role
Nurses have played crucial roles in COVID-19 testing, conducting screenings, collecting samples, and providing education on quarantine and isolation protocols.
Terms to know
- epidemic
- An epidemic is the occurrence of a disease in a population or geographical area at a higher frequency than expected.
- point source epidemic
- Common types include a point source epidemic, where a large number of individuals are exposed to the infectious agent at the same time and develop symptoms within a relatively short period.
- propagated epidemic
- A propagated epidemic occurs when the disease is transmitted from person to person over an extended period, leading to sustained transmission within the population.
- mixed epidemic
- A mixed epidemic involves a combination of both point source and propagated transmission patterns.
- Ebola virus disease (EVD)
- Ebola virus disease (EVD), commonly known as Ebola, is a severe and often deadly illness caused by infection with the Ebola virus.
- pandemic
- A pandemic, a global outbreak of infectious disease, represents some of the most challenging public health crises.
Practice questions
Stuck on select-all-that-apply? How to take them one option at a time.
The graded version needs JavaScript. Every question is below anyway, with the answer and why.
Every question here, with the answer
At 0900, a nurse reviews the facility's preparedness plan before an anticipated epidemic. Necessary supplies are listed, but outbreak-response protocols and staff training are not addressed. Which entry best addresses these preparation gaps?
- Add patient screening and triage activities to be performed when affected individuals arrive.
- Arrange interdisciplinary monitoring of disease transmission and identification of emerging hotspots.
- Develop outbreak-response protocols and arrange staff training alongside the existing supply preparations.
- Add community education about vaccination and hygiene practices to the existing supply preparations.
Answer: Develop outbreak-response protocols and arrange staff training alongside the existing supply preparations.
The section identifies supplies, protocols, and training as components of epidemic preparedness, so the entry should address the two missing components. The other activities are legitimate nursing responsibilities but do not resolve the identified protocol and training gaps.
At 1500, a nurse is documenting an infection-control plan for a patient suspected of having Ebola. The plan already includes gloves, a gown, an N95 respirator, and a face shield. Which addition best addresses prevention of transmission during this patient's care?
- Perform handwashing and add isolation after Ebola is confirmed.
- Arrange community health fairs and educational workshops about Ebola prevention.
- Perform handwashing and isolate the patient while Ebola is suspected.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to monitor transmission and identify emerging hotspots.
Answer: Perform handwashing and isolate the patient while Ebola is suspected.
The section specifically includes handwashing and isolation of suspected patients, making the third entry appropriate before confirmation. Waiting for confirmation does not follow that guidance, while community education and transmission monitoring do not replace the stated patient-level precautions.
At 0800, a nurse is assigned to a COVID-19 testing station rather than vaccination or direct treatment duties. Which tasks should the nurse include in the documented assignment plan based on the section's description of testing responsibilities? Select all that apply.
- Conduct COVID-19 screenings.
- Provide education on quarantine and isolation protocols.
- Collect samples for COVID-19 testing.
- Administer COVID-19 vaccines.
- Manage symptoms and administer treatments to COVID-19 patients.
Answer: Conduct COVID-19 screenings., Provide education on quarantine and isolation protocols., Collect samples for COVID-19 testing.
The section groups screening, sample collection, and quarantine and isolation education within nurses' COVID-19 testing responsibilities. Vaccination and symptom management with treatment are also nursing roles, but they belong to duties excluded from this assignment.
Where every quote comes from
Section 34.3 Epidemics and Pandemics of Medical-Surgical Nursing by Christy Bowen, Bridget Carey, Jessica Palozie, Maren Reinholdt, OpenStax, 2024. Read the whole section free at openstax.org.
The textbook is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. This page quotes it word for word and adds the headings, the order and the practice questions; references to the book's figures and stray spaces left by its formatting are removed. The page is shared under the same licence. Nothing here is sold.