Role of Public Health Nurses
The county’s secret weapon against communicable disease was left out of the interview with Shirley Fannin (Opinion, Feb. 9). Do you really want to know how our county manages to keep epidemics in check? Do you really want to know who is the first line of defense out there among the 60 bugs you talked about? Who is it that investigates the illnesses and educates the public on the prevention of disease? Who is it that takes infected food handlers off the job to prevent the spread of enteric diseases in this county? Who is it that brings the TB patients in for treatment? Who is it that handles outbreaks in schools and health care facilities?
This front-line fighter works in the worst of conditions and produces the best of results! The person I’m describing is the district public health nurse. Contagious disease control is only one part of the public health nurse’s difficult job. Disease prevention, health education and wellness promotion are the main reasons why public health nurses have made a significant difference in the well-being of Los Angeles!
MARLENE NAUMANN
Woodland Hills
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