Running head: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN HEALTHCARE 1

Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare

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 EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN HEALTHCARE 2

Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare

Evidence-based practices have been associated with improved patient outcomes in the

clinical setting. In most cases, such clinical interventions usually reduce the rate of medication

errors and provide long-term solutions. This essay evaluates how the consistent use of condoms

can be a proper way of overcoming the cases of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted

pregnancy among students due to unprotected sex.

Clinical Issue

The higher cases of unprotected sex among teenagers and young adults have been on a

rise in high schools and colleges where they have got the freedom that they were seeking.

Furthermore, “Health Promotion and Maintenance” is one of the NCLEX category, which has a

subsection known as the “High-Risk Behavior” (NCSBN, 2017). Hence, the clinical issue

highlighted is classified as one of the high-risk tendencies that are associated with younger

people. The subcategory that the medical providers should identify the inappropriate activities

that the patients are undertaking and raise awareness about the concerns associated with such

issues. From that point, they can have programs that can transform the behaviors of the

population and help them in avoiding such elements to overcome their infections.

Importance

A discussion of the high-risk behaviors can help the nurses in identifying how certain

infections are caused. As a result, they can suggest the evidence-based practices that can address

the problem and provide long-term solutions. In the process, the patients will remain healthy and

avoid the risk factors that can increase their chances of contracting some serious infections. The

high school and college students will also understand the danger associated with having multiple
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sexual partners. The knowledge can enhance their awareness of such situations and how they

should avoid the issues that might undermine their health.

On the other hand, the failure to comply with such requirements can place the well-being

of the patient population at risk. For instance, unprotected sex will result in higher cases of

sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy among young adults (Ashenhurst, Wilhite,

Harden, & Fromme, 2017). As a result, such negative effects can interfere with their education

because the ladies might be forced to abandon school so that they can take care of their new-born

babies. They can also spend more time in the medical institutions and funds as they are seeking

treatment for the STIs that they have acquired.

The healthcare system will keep getting more cases of infections and ladies with

unwanted pregnancy seeking ways of terminating their conditions. The nurses tend to receive a

higher population of students from high school and college because they do not understand the

adverse consequences of unprotected sex. Furthermore, the number of people with HIV/AIDS

can increase thereby causing emotional trauma. As a result, the counseling department of the

hospitals will also be forced to help more patients in dealing with such circumstances and

empowering them on how to deal with the disease, which does not have a cure yet.

Patient Population

The younger people that contract STIs and get pregnant usually engage in unprotected

sex thereby placing their lives at risk. For instance, the problem can occur due to substance abuse

and their inability to make rational choices while they are interacting with their sexual partners.

Even Dir et al. (2018) agree that alcohol use among younger people tends to result in higher

cases of unprotected sex. These individuals usually place their lives at risk of contracting

infections. Some of the young people are fond of engaging in sex with multiple partners thereby
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increasing their likelihood of experiencing the adverse health consequences (Brady, Gruber &

Wolfson, 2016). Based on such factors, it is evident that this particular patient population has

ignored some crucial insights that they possess in order to promote their well-being. The

diversity also portrays how the minority are the most affected group due to numerous elements

that influence them. For instance, poverty is one of the factors because the younger people are

isolated and they do not have information about the prevention of STIs and the danger of such

infections. Insufficient access to healthcare also means that they cannot learn about such issues

and how to reduce the different high-risk behaviors. Cultural beliefs such as the stigma

associated with sexuality can result in younger people being more secretive rather than revealing

how they are dealing with their romantic relationships.

Proposed Solution

A school-based intervention that raises awareness about the consistent use of condom,

abstinence and maintaining one sexual partner will be the proposed solution to address the

problem. Implementing the solution can have a positive impact on the patients and give them an

opportunity to keep themselves safe. For instance, Nesoff, Dunkle, and Lang (2016) portray how

consistent condom use in relationships can reduce sexually transmitted infections. Apart from

that, Ashenhurst et al. (2017) agree that maintaining one sexual partner and the consistent use of

condoms can lower the probability of getting pregnant and get STIs. Furthermore, Twenge,

Sherman, and Wells (2017) insist that abstinence can help young adults avoid adverse health

complications. The scholarly evidence proves that the solution will be convenient in reducing the

health condition and empowering the younger people to control their lives through informed

choices.
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However, implementing the plan might face certain ethical issues and there is a need to

prioritize particular considerations. For instance, a significant part of the population will consist

of teenagers, and the parents should provide informed consents. In some families, parents tend to

associate stigma with sexual behaviors. Hence, some parents might misinterpret the program as a

platform that encourages children to engage in sex. Educating such parents can also be a proper

ethical approach to undertake.

Goals

The goal will focus on eliminating the rate of STIs among the younger people that are

still in school. The medical center had received higher cases of infections among teenagers and

young adults. As a health institution, the nurses will focus on educating students in multiple high

schools and colleges within the locality. From that point, they will implement their goals while

emphasizing the measures of reducing the rate of infections.

The short-term goal will aim at encouraging consistent condom use among students aged

14-24 to lower the rate of sexual infections and unwanted pregnancy by 20% during a period of

one year. The goal will be measured by assessing the number of sexually transmitted infections

and unwanted pregnancy that will be reported in the hospital. From the medical documentation,

they can assess whether they have reduced the adverse consequences within that age group.

The long-term will focus on ensuring that the teenagers abstain from sexual activities

while the younger adults maintain one partner rather than the high-risk behaviors that they were

undertaking previously. Interviews will provide a chance to measure the goals and the

participants will reveal whether they have rejected the idea of multiple sexual partners.

Furthermore, the medical reports will also depict a lower rate of STIs and pregnancies among the

population to prove the consistent use of condoms is the right initiative.

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Barriers

The process of implementing the goals might have some serious consequences, which

will undermine its credibility. For instance, some students might complain about being shy to

approach the shop or chemist attendants to purchase condoms. As a result, some of them might

lack sufficient confidence to deal with such concerns. In response to the barrier, the hospital will

donate multiple vending machines for condoms that can provide the products quite easily.

Hence, the students will no longer need to purchase condoms because they will be freely

available at their educational institutions.

Furthermore, another barrier can reveal how it is a common belief that men are the ones

that should carry condoms. At times, a couple might have unprotected sex when the male partner

did not have one. In response, the nurses will educate the female students on how to carry

condoms in their purses and learn how to persuade their partners. The fact that they can get

pregnant will push the female students to embrace the initiative thereby overcoming such a

barrier and encouraging the use of condoms.

Benefits

The evidence-based practice will lower the rate STIs and unwanted pregnancies that were

common among the population. Brady et al. (2016) also agree that maintaining one sexual

partner and consistent condom use can have more positive consequences on a couple. As a result,

female teenagers will not have to seek abortion as a way of dealing with their pregnancy.

On the other hand, the same initiative will help the nurses achieve patient outcomes by

implementing appropriate preventive measures. Hence, they will reduce more medical reports

that involve the high-risk behaviors that increase the chances of contracting STIs. A reduction of
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such cases can also give the nurses an opportunity to address other serious conditions and reduce

their burden.

Participants and Interdisciplinary Approach

The team will consist of the nurses, patients, parents, and religious leaders as the

participants. Nurses have the competence to deal with the patients, and the parents can empower

their kids more effectively while the religious leaders have the role of helping the students

embrace the right social values. Furthermore, the social workers and therapeutic counselors are

the professionals from other disciplines that will be involved in the process of implementing the

plan. Thompson et al. (2017) reveal that counselors can approach individuals, identify the risk

factors and guide them on the right initiative to undertake. Hence, they can be helpful in

empowering the students on how to use condoms effectively and the dangers that they might face

by ignoring such measures. Social work can also play an instrumental role in showing the

significant impact of condom use in the prevention of HIV/AIDS (Sharma, Small, Mengo, &

Ude, 2017). Social workers are always expected to prioritize public health and raising awareness

about such concerns can be quite critical in the long-term.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the analysis has shown that teenagers and young adults should avoid

unprotected sex due to the adverse health complications that they might face. Hence, there was a

need for the nurses to engage in health promotion to assist the students to overcome their

circumstances. Addressing such a clinical problem will provide preventive measures that

younger people can use to avoid STIs and unwanted pregnancy. Some of them do not understand

such issues and the lessons can be influential.

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References

Ashenhurst, J. R., Wilhite, E. R., Harden, K. P., & Fromme, K. (2017). Number of sexual

partners and relationship status are associated with unprotected sex across emerging

adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(2), 419-432.

Brady, S. S., Gruber, S. K., & Wolfson, J. A. (2016). Positive and negative aspects of

relationship quality and unprotected sex among young women. Sex Education, 16(6),

586-601.

Dir, A. L., Gilmore, A. K., Moreland, A. D., Davidson, T. M., Borkman, A. L., Rheingold, A.

A., & Danielson, C. K. (2018). What's the harm? Alcohol and marijuana use and

perceived risks of unprotected sex among adolescents and young adults. Addictive

Behaviors, 76, 281-284.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). (2017). Detailed test plan for the

national council licensure examination for registered nurses. Retrieved from

https://www.ncsbn.org/2016_RN_Test_Plan_Candidate.pdf

Nesoff, E. D., Dunkle, K., & Lang, D. (2016). The impact of condom use negotiation self-

efficacy and partnership patterns on consistent condom use among college-educated

women. Health Education & Behavior, 43(1), 61-67.

Sharma, B. B., Small, E., Mengo, C., & Ude, P. (2017). Women’s autonomy and attitudes toward

condom use: A Multi-country analysis. Social Work in Public Health, 32(4), 238-253.

Thompson Jr, R. G., Elliott, J. C., Hu, M. C., Aivadyan, C., Aharonovich, E., & Hasin, D. S.

(2017). Short-term effects of a brief intervention to reduce alcohol use and sexual risk
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among homeless young adults: results from a randomized controlled trial. Addiction

Research & Theory, 25(1), 24-31.

Twenge, J. M., Sherman, R. A., & Wells, B. E. (2017). Sexual inactivity during young adulthood

is more common among US Millennials and iGen: Age, period, and cohort effects on

having no sexual partners after age 18. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(2), 433-440.