Panel Discussion

There is no shortage of numerous disparate approaches to addressing environmental public health concerns. What is sorely lacking is communication or constructive overlap between disciplines necessary to leverage each area of specialized knowledge, in order to create an environment in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In 2008, national environmental health nursing leaders met to address these concerns. From this meeting a coalition was formed, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE). Rather than implement each of those strategies in separate silos, ANHE treats environmental concerns holistically and comprehensively through their Research, Education, Practice and Policy & Advocacy workgroups (which are based on the seminal Institute of Medicine report Nursing, Health, and the Environment). Over the past five years, these work groups have made great strides in supporting the inclusion of environmental health into nursing practice through activities such as developing an environmental health nursing eTextbook, engaging practicing bedside nurses in advocacy in their work place, providing mentorship to environmental health nursing researchers, and training nurses to become advocates on a variety of environmental health issues. This session will outline the successes of each of the work groups, lessons learned, and describe how these innovative initiatives are helping to propel the nursing community more rapidly toward achievement of improved disease-prevention.

Session Objectives: Describe how to incorporate environmental health into nursing curriculum Discover how to assimilate healthier products and practices into nursing practice Discuss cutting-edge research topics that will build credible evidence nurses can use to advocate for protective chemicals policy Explore how nurses can become skilled and empowered to act on their concerns in the community, marketplace, and halls of power.