Incorporating environmental health into nursing education through creation of faith-based clinical initiative

According to the Institute of Medicine report, Nursing, Health, and the Environment (1995), environmental health knowledge and skills should be integrated into all levels of nursing education, practice, policy, and research. The Environmental Health Principles for Public Health Nurses (2005) developed by the Environment and Public Health Nursing Taskforce of APHA and the American Nurses Association's newly revised Scope and Standards of Public Health Nursing Practice (2005) both dictate inclusion of environmental health content in all levels of nursing education as well. Also acknowledged is the power and presence of faith-based organizations to impact community and environmental health. This presentation describes a case study from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and will demonstrate how building such a partnership for a community health undergraduate nursing clinical, following the Public Health Nursing Practice Model (Los Angeles County DHS, 2002), fulfills the mandates of the above guidance documents, meets community needs, and provides an ongoing service learning opportunity for nursing students.