Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. The illness can range from mild to severe, and can infect people of all ages, races, genders, and sizes. Generally, the illness is not life threatening in most people, but certain groups are at higher risk of requiring hospitalization or even dying from influenza. These at-risk groups of people include young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. The CDC estimated that there were “25 million influenza illnesses, 11 million influenza-associated medical visits, and 310,000 influenza-related hospitalizations” during the 2015-2016 flu season (cite cdc).
Influenza is a major public health concern, and nurses play a direct role in the …show more content…
In general, rapid diagnostic testing for influenza should be carried out when the results will influence a clinical decision and are needed in a timely manner. There are several commercially available rapid diagnostic tests for influenza A and B virus, that can be used as point-of-care screening tools. These rapid testing methods produce quick results in approximately 15-30 minutes, are simple to perform, and some RIDTs are cleared for doctor’s office or hospital bedside use. They require minimal skills and are relatively cost …show more content…
The data examined came from insurance claims made for influenza patients enrolled in managed health care plans. Using the data collected, they estimated that 79% of the prescribed antibiotics were inappropriate. They then figured based on the population size, antibiotic prescription rate, and current influenza rate, that 6.6 million people a year would receive antibiotics for influenza. The average medication cost was calculated to be around $40. Therefore, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was estimated to cost $211 million
Influenza is a major public health concern, and nurses play a direct role in the …show more content…
In general, rapid diagnostic testing for influenza should be carried out when the results will influence a clinical decision and are needed in a timely manner. There are several commercially available rapid diagnostic tests for influenza A and B virus, that can be used as point-of-care screening tools. These rapid testing methods produce quick results in approximately 15-30 minutes, are simple to perform, and some RIDTs are cleared for doctor’s office or hospital bedside use. They require minimal skills and are relatively cost …show more content…
The data examined came from insurance claims made for influenza patients enrolled in managed health care plans. Using the data collected, they estimated that 79% of the prescribed antibiotics were inappropriate. They then figured based on the population size, antibiotic prescription rate, and current influenza rate, that 6.6 million people a year would receive antibiotics for influenza. The average medication cost was calculated to be around $40. Therefore, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was estimated to cost $211 million