Proactive and Ongoing Monitoring: The Role of Active Surveillance in Healthcare

In which of the following situations would the nurse most likely use active surveillance?A. A newspaper wants to know the incidence of asthma in the community.B. A real-time ongoing communication channel is established to monitor a particular symptom.C. Several children become ill with GI upset at one local school.D. The nurse is asked to report the incidence of a specific nonreportable common problem in the community.

Active surveillance refers to the proactive and ongoing monitoring of a specific condition or symptom in a population

Active surveillance refers to the proactive and ongoing monitoring of a specific condition or symptom in a population. It involves actively seeking out information and data to track and identify cases. Based on this definition, the situation in which a nurse would most likely use active surveillance is option B: “A real-time ongoing communication channel is established to monitor a particular symptom.”

In this scenario, the nurse would establish a communication channel, such as a hotline or an online platform, to collect real-time data and information about a specific symptom. This approach allows for the ongoing monitoring of the symptom and enables the nurse to identify and track cases as they occur.

Options A, C, and D would not necessarily require active surveillance. Option A, where a newspaper wants to know the incidence of asthma in the community, could be addressed through passive surveillance methods, such as collecting data from existing sources like hospitals and healthcare providers.

Option C, where several children become ill with GI upset at one local school, would more likely require outbreak investigation and management, rather than active surveillance. The nurse would focus on identifying the cause of the illness and implementing appropriate measures to prevent further spread.

Option D, where the nurse is asked to report the incidence of a specific nonreportable common problem in the community, could be addressed through routine reporting or data collection methods, rather than active surveillance. The nurse could use existing data sources, surveys, or other methods to gather information on the problem.

In summary, active surveillance is most applicable when a nurse needs to establish a real-time communication channel to monitor a specific symptom or condition continuously.

More Answers: