A public health nurse is educating a newly licensed nurse about sensitivity and specificity using a two-by-two table. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates an understanding of the table related to true positives?

Choice A Reason:
Evaluation is a core function of epidemiology that involves assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of health programs and interventions. While attending conferences can provide valuable insights and knowledge that contribute to evaluation efforts, the primary activity described in the scenario is networking and staying current, which aligns more closely with the concept of linkages.

Choice B Reason:
Policy development is another critical function of epidemiology, focusing on creating and advocating for policies that promote public health. Although attending conferences can inform policy development by providing the latest research and best practices, the main activity in the scenario is interacting with colleagues and staying updated, which is more about building connections and collaborations.

Choice C Reason:
Surveillance involves the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data to monitor and prevent disease outbreaks. While conferences can offer updates on surveillance methods and findings, the nurse's primary engagement in the scenario is networking and professional development, which does not directly involve surveillance activities.

Choice D Reason:
Linkages refer to the connections and collaborations between public health professionals, organizations, and communities. Attending the APHA meeting annually allows the nurse to build and maintain these linkages by interacting with colleagues and staying current in the field. These connections are essential for sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices, ultimately enhancing public health efforts.

Choice A Reason:
This statement is incorrect because it describes a true negative, not a false negative. A true negative occurs when the test correctly identifies that a person does not have the disease. In a two-by-two table, this is represented in the cell where both the actual status and the test result indicate no disease.

Choice B Reason:
This statement is incorrect because it describes a true positive, not a false negative. A true positive occurs when the test correctly identifies that a person has the disease. In a two-by-two table, this is represented in the cell where both the actual status and the test result indicate the presence of the disease.

Choice C Reason:
This statement is correct because it accurately describes a false negative. A false negative occurs when the test incorrectly indicates that a person does not have the disease when, in fact, they do. In a two-by-two table, this is represented in the cell where the actual status indicates the presence of the disease, but the test result indicates no disease.

Choice D Reason:
This statement is incorrect because it describes a false positive, not a false negative. A false positive occurs when the test incorrectly indicates that a person has the disease when, in fact, they do not. In a two-by-two table, this is represented in the cell where the actual status indicates no disease, but the test result indicates the presence of the disease.