Environmental Health (12 Questions) Flashcards
Apply knowledge of risk assessment and factors to consider in teaching reduction and understanding of risk to clients and families.
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Risk Assessment =
= likelihood or probability that adverse effects such as illness or disease will occur in a group of people because of exposure to an environmental contaminant
-people want to know how likely they would get sick from being exposed to the contaminant
Environmental contaminant =
= factors that can potentially cause harm (chemicals, pollution)
Factors to consider (3) of the contaminant
1) Strength of contaminant
2) Duration of exposure
3) Frequency of exposure
Systemic signs and symptoms is limited to ____ to measure
technology
Bioavailability =
= amount of contaminant that ends up in the systemic circulation
For meds, too little bioavailability =
= won’t have an effect
Are there tests for bioavailability with contaminants?
NO
- there are blood tests to see check amount we’re exposed to but not for every single chemical exposure
Airborne pollutants can travel ____ distances and therefore remain _____ -> ______ risk for illness
- long, undetected, increasing
Be able to apply the exposure pathway method/process. Analyze the elements of a completed exposure pathway to identify ways to interrupt this pathway.
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Exposure Pathway Method =
- may be difficult to ____ dots to find the specific source
- Knowledge of an exposure pathway supports the ____ process in the care of (4)
= a process by which someone is exposed to a contaminant from a specific source
- connect
- nursing, individuals, families, communities, populations
If the pathway is not complete or disrupted ->
-> the contaminant of concern should not effect human health
Exposure Pathway Method 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
1) Source of contamination
2) Environmental media and transport mechanisms
3) Point of exposure
4) Route of exposure
5) Receptor Population
Source of Contamination =
= what are the contaminants and where do they originate
ex) chemical leak that gets into fish and people eat the fish
Source = ingestion of affected fish
Environmental media and transport mechanisms =
= How the contaminant moves from the source to the point of exposure to people, helps determine who is exposed and how they are exposed and transported
ex) rain water and soil into lake is the environmental media
Point of exposure =
= place where people come in contact with the contaminated medium
ex) Those who came in contact with/ate the contaminated fish
Route of exposure =
= how the contaminant enters the body
ex) ingesting the fish from the lake
Receptor Population =
= population of people likely to be exposed -> risk assessment can be done
Be able to distinguish between primary, secondary & tertiary prevention related to environmental hazard exposure
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Primary Prevention =
= Become involved with the political actions to develop strategies to minimize population exposure to potential and known environmental hazards
Primary Prevention
- _____ community stakeholders on how to avoid environmental hazards
- Examples
- Educate
- sunscreen, earplugs, safety glasses, air quality awareness, wearing gloves when caring for patients, covering non-peeling lead paint
Precautionary Principle =
= if something has the potential to cause harm to humans or the environment, then “precautionary” measures should be taken even if there is a lack of scientific evidence for cause and effect “let’s just be careful”
ex) Don’t heat up plastic in the microwave and you should stand away from the microwave in use
Secondary Prevention
= examples: lead screenings in children, screening for environmental conditions that trigger asthma in school environment
Environmental Assessment
- To assess ____ in the environment
1) _________
2) ________ - An environmental exposure history and assessment is a critical component in evaluating exposure ______
- Contaminants
1) Exposure pathway
2) Risk Assessment - impact
Environmental History and Actions I-PREPARE 1) First step = investigate \_\_\_\_ and potential \_\_\_\_\_ 2) P\_\_\_\_ work 3) R\_\_\_\_\_ 4) E\_\_\_\_\_ concerns 5) P\_\_\_\_ work 6) A\_\_\_\_\_ Actions 7) R\_\_\_\_ and r\_\_\_\_\_ 8) E\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
1) Investigate current and potential exposures
2) Present
3) Residence
4) Environmental
5) Past
6) Activities
7) Referrals and resources
7) Educate
Taking an Exposure History Can Help nurses identify - \_\_\_\_ or \_\_\_\_ exposures - e\_\_\_\_ exposures - try to mitigate or \_\_\_ a client's \_\_\_\_\_ health effects from exposure
- current, past
- eliminate
- reduce, adverse
Tertiary Prevention =
= Help communities manage the long-term effects of conditions that are caused by environmental hazards
Tertiary Prevention
- Advocate for ->
- Work with interprofessional teams and community by participating in ->
- elimination of hazards (mold, hazardous waste)
- political activity to change conditions/influence lawmakers when health hazards are present and endanger a community
Examine the influence of environmental hazards on the development of health policy, influence on environmental injustice and development of the Healthy People 2020 environmental themes
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Environmental health is important to maintain a healthy environment for an increased _____ and healthy years of a healthy life
QOL
Environmental injustice =
= A group of people experience more adverse events from being exposed to environmental hazards
Environmental health policy drives ____ that is needed to address environmental _____
change, injustice
Environmental health policy =
= governmental laws, rules, and regulations to prevent and reduce risks to the public and environmental influences
Environmental health objective focuses on 6 themes (6)
1) Outdoor Air quality
2) Surface and groundwater quality
3) Toxic substances and hazardous wastes
4) Homes and communities
5) Infrastructure and surveillance
6) Global environmental health
1) Outdoor Air Quality
- poor air quality ->
- Goals on HP 2020 =
- premature death, cancer, long-term damage to respiratory and cardiovascular
- increase walking, mass transit, bicycling to reduce pollution from automobiles
