Review: Influenza Symptoms and Risk Factors (Nursing)

00:01 So what symptoms do you expect with influenza? Well, they just are all over not feeling good.

00:06 Like I said, I've only had it one time.

00:08 I don't ever want to have it again.

00:10 You have a fever, you see it there in Fahrenheit and Celsius, your muscles are aching you go between chills and sweats, you're freezing cold and then you're just burning up hot so blankets get stacked up to here and then they all come off and then they get stacked up to here they all come off.

00:29 You can have a really bad headache this dry persistent cough, it's just irritating and to anyone else who lives in your house in the night, incredibly tired, your nose is stuffed up, so you're not breathing well, you don't feel like eating anything and your throat can be very very sore.

00:47 Now we talked about the flu, but also the complications of the flu can be just as bad.

00:52 Now we have vulnerable populations who are most at risk, but this is a list of the complications so influenza can turn into pneumonia or can turn into bronchitis or you can have an asthma flare up.

01:04 So a patient with a complication from influenza if they have influenza, this can exacerbate it and really thrown to them into some respiratory distress.

01:14 Also for patient has heart problems this can complicate that after the flu so patients can develop issues with their heart after having a case of the flu.

01:24 And finally it's not the biggest swim but it's really difficult for an ear infection particularly with younger populations.

01:31 Okay so this slide talks about some specific examples of the complications that one can have from the flu.

01:40 All right, so risk factors, whose at an increased risk to contract influenza or to develop complications.

01:47 So these are the type of patients that we think should really receive the flu vaccine.

01:52 Now, we've got the baby on one side and an adult on other just to remind you.

01:57 We addressed influenza from baby too late late adulthood.

02:03 So age plays a factor.

02:05 So the babies, the younger kids and the babies and older adults are of very vulnerable population just like with most things, right? We're talking about medications or disease risks for different reasons.

02:17 Our little guys are babies their systems are immature our elderly, their systems are kind of wearing out also the older the patient the more likely they are to have other chronic illnesses.

02:29 That's another reason that makes them vulnerable.

02:32 Now chronic illnesses.

02:34 We just talked about the older adults are more likely to have them but chronic illnesses like diabetes, Asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, cardiovascular disease or stroke.

02:46 These are populations that really need to receive the vaccine because their highest risk to contract it in the first place and to develop complications after having it.

02:57 Now patients who live in long-term care facilities think of nursing homes or medical rehabs.

03:03 That's a lot of people living in close contact with each other.

03:07 That's why they're at risk.

03:09 Also, don't forget health care providers who care for people and long-term care facilities or in hospitals where exposed to a lot of potential flu cases.

03:18 Now patients who are pregnant, especially pregnant women and two weeks postpartum.

03:23 There are also at increased risk.

03:25 Immunocompromised patients for whatever reason are at an increased risk to catch it and to develop complications from it.

03:32 And lastly category is obesity.

03:35 So people with a BMI of 40 or higher are also at increased risk.

03:40 Okay, so here's another slide with six categories on it.

03:44 Pause it take a minute review it right now and you'll get the biggest bang for your buck.