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

Abstract #116027

Mallery Downs, RN, Community Environmental Health Program/COEP, University of New Mexico/NMCEHS, MSC09 5360, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, 505-272-1374, mdowns@salud.unm.edu and Gene Gallegos, MA, Community Outreach & Education Program, University of New Mexico, MSC10 5550, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131.

The COEP at the New Mexico Center for Environmental Health Sciences (NMCEHS COEP) through an NIEHS environmental justice grant had the opportunity to identify how community environmental health concerns may be incorporated into the current nursing undergraduate experience. This opportunity was provided during community organizing activities. Through the NIEHS COEP environmental health nursing network it was possible to connect nationally recognized nursing curricula to the new priorities at the UNM College of Nursing, undergraduate program. Currently the NMCEHS COEP has developed a strategy to increase environmental health literacy for nursing students by translating the nursing process using current and local environmental health issues. This process will use environmental health focused community-based cases to complement nursing practice education. One of the cases will cover current research being conducted by NMCEHS scientists regarding arsenic in local water supplies. This process is still in its initial phases. At the proposed presentation lessons learned will be provided and discussed with session participants. Participants will be provided with resource and contact information for the NMCEHS COEP and environmental health nursing.

Learning Objectives:

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• Participants will learn how working through community collaborators may lead to change in institutional relationships focusing on environmental health. (
• Participants will have an understanding of how the NMCEHS COEP has developed a strategy to increase environmental health literacy for nursing students by translating nursing process into environmental health arena. (
• Participants will be provided 2 environmental health community-based cases to complement nursing practice education developed by the NMCEHS COEP.

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 commercial supporters.