Sensitizing nurses for a changing environmental health role

Area of Science:

• Environmental health nursing
• Public health
• Nursing education

Background:

• Nursing's role in environmental health has evolved.
• Growing awareness of environmental pollutants and climate change impacts health.
• Community health nursing texts reflect this changing landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To trace the evolution of environmental health in nursing.
• To identify key strategies for nurses in environmental health.
• To assess attitudes and behaviors related to environmental health.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of community health nursing texts over several decades.
• Review of health effects from environmental pollutants and global change.
• Description of a survey to gauge environmental awareness.

Main Results:

• Nursing's environmental health role has broadened significantly.
• Specific strategies for integrating environmental health into practice are identified.
• A survey tool was developed to assess environmental attitudes.

Conclusions:

• Nurses play a critical role in addressing environmental health issues.
• Education and practice must adapt to include environmental health.
• Increased awareness is crucial for effective environmental health nursing.