5288.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - 5:30 PM

Abstract #16359

Integrating Environmental Health Into Basic Nursing Education

Barbara Sattler, RN, DrPH1, Barbara Sattler, RN, DrPH1, and Jane Lipscomb, RN, PhD2. (1) Environmental Health Education Center, University of Maryland, School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Rm. 665, Baltimore, MD 21201, (2) Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Rm 665, Baltimore, MD 21201

Increasingly the public is making the association between health effects and our environment. Nurses have been poorly prepared to address environmental health issues from their basic education. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has identified a clear need for the integration of environmental health into nursing education, practice, research, and advocacy. This session will describe a model program for the integration of environmental health into nursing education through a combination of faculty development workshops; mentoring; electronic communication (listserve); a virtual resource center for both information and curriculum, entitled "enviRN"; and the availability of environmental health experts. Nursing faculty from the 16 member states of the Southern Regional Educational Board are participating in this effort. Associate degree, bachelors, master's and other advanced practice programs are represented in the project. All faculty have been provided with an educational program that teaches to the four competency areas identified by the IOM recommendations. Each faculty is then asked to integrate environmental health competencies at a level and in a manner appropriate for their educational program. Examples of resulting integration will also be described.

Learning Objectives: Participants will identify 3 ways in which environmental health can be integrated into basic nursing education

Keywords: Environmental Health, Public Health Curriculum

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA