Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108569

Stella M. Fogleman, RN, BSN, Cyrus Rangan, MD, FAAP, ACMT, Janet Scully, MPH, Sylvia Tan, MS, Tamara Nichols, MPH, CHES, Carrie Nagy, MPH, and Noël Bazini-Barakat, RN, MSN, MPH. Toxics Epidemiology Program, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Public Health, 695 S. Vermont Ave., South Tower--14th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90005, (213)738-3220, sfogleman@ladhs.org

Attention surrounding the impact of the environment on health outcomes has increased in recent years. This has initiated a need for public health nurses (PHNs) nationwide to become more involved in responding to environmental health concerns within the communities they serve. Most PHNs, however, have not received the appropriate level of training needed to address the environmental health issues that individuals and communities raise. In Los Angeles County, over 400 PHNs collaborate with communities and populations of interest to improve the overall health of the County's 10 million residents. Ultimately, the aim of PHNs is to promote the health of these residents and to prevent injury or illness from occurring in the first place. In order to do this effectively, Los Angeles County PHNs need to obtain improved knowledge and increased competencies related to environmental health promotion. As such, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Public Health carried out an important educational effort to increase the knowledge base of PHNs in the county. A four-hour-long training was developed targeting over 200 PHNs whose efforts focus on specific communities throughout the County. Two sessions were offered, centering on evidenced-based approaches to environmental health issues that the PHNs themselves identified as topics of interest and need: cancer and disease clusters, mold, and prevention of poisonings from household toxins. Data related to knowledge gained during the training will be shared, as well as recommendations for future educational efforts.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the session, the participant will be able to perform the following

• Identify the importance of improving public health nursing competence in environmental health.
• Verbalize the educational process used to increase public health nursing competence related to environmental health issues.
• State 3 methods to increase public health nursing environmental health competence recommended in the session.

Keywords: Environment, Public Health Nursing

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF Place of employment.