Emory University doctor of nurse practice (DNP) student John Stanton has been invited by the Georgia Department of Public Health to educate clinicians about monkeypox in a Health Alert webinar July 21. Georgia, along with most other states, has experienced a rising number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in recent weeks. Stanton has diagnosed nine confirmed monkeypox cases as a clinician at Positive Impact Health Centers, a community-based nonprofit organization focused on HIV care. Presently, there are 69 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Georgia.
“Monkeypox is a viral disease first detected in Africa and began appearing in Europe and the US in June. This virus has been around since the 70s. And we’ve seen small outbreaks. But this is the most significant outbreak outside of Africa,” said Stanton. He adds, “Most people who get monkeypox experience symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, and a rash and lesions can also appear. There is a vaccine for monkeypox, and the government is trying to make it more widely available. But clinicians in Georgia and beyond must know what to look for in making a diagnosis.”
The Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County health departments (GNR Public Health) partnered with Positive Health Impact Centers to hold a monkeypox vaccine event for high-risk groups Saturday, July 16. Stanton said, “This event helped those at high risk to get protected.”
Stanton is leading to help stop the spread of monkeypox by educating Georgia clinicians on the signs and who it is primarily affecting. “Monkeypox is disproportionately and almost exclusively affecting gay and bisexual men,” Stanton said. He continued, “We have a responsibility to look at sexual health for any patient we treat. Part of what we are seeing right now is the explosion of monkeypox and clinicians need to be aware of it — not afraid of it. That is what I hope will be the outcome of next week’s webinar.”
To learn more about the current state of monkeypox, go to cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.
About the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing produces nurse leaders who are transforming healthcare through science, education, practice, and policy. Graduates go on to become national and international leaders in patient care, public health, government, research, and education. Others become qualified to seek certification as nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. The doctor of nurse practice (DNP) program trains nurse anesthetists and/or advanced leaders in healthcare administration. The school also maintains a PhD program in partnership with Emory's Laney Graduate School. For more information, visit https://www.nursing.emory.edu/.
About John Stanton
John Stanton MPH, MSN is a Nurse Practitioner in Infectious Disease with Positive Impact Health Centers, a community-based, nonprofit organization specializing in caring for those at risk and living with HIV. He is currently completing a doctor of nurse practice (DNP) through Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. His work has focused on addressing disparities for the LGBTQ+ communities by providing clinical education. Mr. Stanton earned a master of public health degree in 1998 from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. In 2018, Mr. Stanton graduated from the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program with an MSN from Emory University’s Nell Hodgson School of Nursing.