| Course | NUR 603 Epidemiology |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | Discussion post on case definitions and surveillance counts |
| Length | About 420 words, 3 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Program | MSN |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for NUR 603 Module 1
Module One Discussion
A Jump in Cases That Was Mostly a Change in Counting
A patient at my clinic brought in a news story last spring saying that Lyme disease cases had jumped by 70% in one year. She wanted to know whether she should stop hiking. Before this course I would have taken the number at face value. Now my first question is what counted as a case, and in this example the answer changes the story.
In 2022, the national surveillance case definition for Lyme disease changed. In the 15 or so high-incidence states, which report about 90% of cases, health departments now count a case on laboratory evidence alone, without the clinical information that used to be required. That year, 62,551 cases were reported to the CDC, 1.7 times the annual average of 37,118 cases for 2017 through 2019. The CDC concluded that the sharp increase most likely reflects the change in surveillance methods rather than a change in disease risk, and it warned that the new numbers cannot be compared in detail with earlier years (Kugeler et al., 2024). Much of the rise was among adults aged 65 and older, a group that is tested often.
The count was never a measure of all Lyme disease anyway. Using commercial insurance claims, CDC researchers estimated that about 476,000 people a year were diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease in 2010 through 2018 (Kugeler et al., 2021), more than ten times what surveillance was recording in those years. Surveillance data are built to track trends within a consistent system, and earlier summaries were explicit that reported cases undercount the true burden (Schwartz et al., 2017). When the system itself changes, even the trend is broken. A fair comparison now needs years counted under the same rules, which means 2022 becomes a new baseline rather than a spike. For clinicians, the practical point is that a reported number describes the reporting system first and the disease second.
So what did I tell my patient? That the headline measured a change in counting more than a change in ticks; that Lyme disease is common where she hikes whatever the number says; and that tick checks, repellent and prompt removal of attached ticks are the steps that actually lower her risk. I also told her to call if she develops a spreading rash or fever after a bite.
Question for classmates: have you seen a change in testing or reporting in your own setting, such as a new screening protocol, create what looked like an outbreak?
References
Kugeler, K. J., Earley, A., Mead, P. S., & Hinckley, A. F. (2024). Surveillance for Lyme disease after implementation of a revised case definition: United States, 2022. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(6), 118-123. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7306a1
Kugeler, K. J., Schwartz, A. M., Delorey, M. J., Mead, P. S., & Hinckley, A. F. (2021). Estimating the frequency of Lyme disease diagnoses, United States, 2010-2018. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(2), 616-619. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2702.202731
Schwartz, A. M., Hinckley, A. F., Mead, P. S., Hook, S. A., & Kugeler, K. J. (2017). Surveillance for Lyme disease: United States, 2008-2015. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(22), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6622a1
What the NUR 603 Module 1 instructions ask for
The first NUR 603 discussion usually asks you to introduce a basic epidemiologic concept, such as case definitions, surveillance, disease frequency or the difference between counts and rates, and to apply it to a real example from practice or the news. Some versions ask you to introduce yourself and a population health problem you care about. First posts typically run 300 to 500 words with two or more scholarly sources in APA 7, followed by replies to classmates. Choose an example where the numbers can be traced to a primary source, such as an MMWR report, because the course rewards checking where a figure came from and what it measured over quoting a headline.
How this NUR 603 Module 1 discussion example is built
The sample begins with a patient who saw a headline claiming a 70% jump in Lyme disease. It explains the 2022 change in the national surveillance case definition, which let high-incidence states count cases on laboratory evidence alone, and reports the result: 62,551 cases, 1.7 times the 2017 to 2019 average. It quotes the CDC's conclusion that most of the rise reflects the new method. A claims-based estimate of about 476,000 diagnoses a year shows that surveillance never captured the full burden. The post ends with the advice the nurse gave, focused on tick prevention and warning signs, and a question inviting classmates to share similar reporting artifacts.
Where the NUR 603 Module 1 rubric puts the points
Discussion rubrics in NUR 603 commonly score accurate use of epidemiologic concepts, application to a population or practice example, use of credible sources, APA 7 citations and substantive peer replies. Posts earn more when they identify what a number measures, including its case definition, source and period, rather than repeating it. Distinguishing a real change in disease from a change in testing, reporting or definition is one of the core skills of the course, so demonstrating it early signals mastery. Replies score well when they offer a second example, a data source or a different explanation, and timely participation across the posting days is usually part of the grade.
NUR 603 Module 1 help: the mistakes that cost points
Early epidemiology posts often lose points by reporting a count as if it were a rate, by treating any rise in reported cases as a real increase in disease or by citing a news story instead of the surveillance report behind it. State what counted as a case, name the source and its years, give the denominator if you use a rate and consider whether testing or definitions changed. End by inviting classmates to test the idea against their own units or clinics. If your prompt asks about a different disease or a different measure, share it with the rubric, and a first post can be written around a primary source for your topic.
Get NUR 603 Module 1 written to your instructions
Send the discussion prompt and the disease or population you want to use. A first post that traces the number to its primary source, states the case definition and explains what the count does and does not measure will be ready in 24 to 48 hours, and the first is free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.
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NUR 603 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NUR 603 Module 1 Discussion sample?
This page shows a complete first post: the 2022 Lyme disease case definition change, the 1.7-fold rise in reported cases and what surveillance counts measure, with three APA 7 sources.
What is a surveillance case definition?
It is a standard set of criteria, such as clinical and laboratory findings, used to decide which reports count as cases. It keeps counts consistent over time and places but is not meant for clinical diagnosis.
Why did reported Lyme disease cases rise in 2022?
High-incidence states began counting cases on laboratory evidence alone. Cases rose to 62,551, and the CDC concluded the increase mostly reflected the new surveillance method rather than more disease.
Do reported cases show the true number of Lyme disease infections?
No. An insurance claims analysis estimated about 476,000 diagnoses a year during 2010 to 2018, far more than the cases reported through surveillance.
How can a change in testing look like an outbreak?
More testing, a new test or a broader case definition finds cases that were always there. Checking for such changes is the first step before concluding that disease has increased.