Environmental Health Nursing: Exposure History, Home Hazards and Prevention

Course Purpose

A nursing continuing-education course on environmental health practice: why exposures are missed in ordinary assessment, how to take a structured exposure history, indoor air and household hazards, carbon monoxide, radon, childhood lead, outdoor air quality, occupational heat stress and private drinking water.

Continuing Education Credit Designation

This educational activity is credited for 3 contact hours at completion of the activity.

Overview

A nursing continuing-education course on environmental health practice: why exposures are missed in ordinary assessment, how to take a structured exposure history, indoor air and household hazards, carbon monoxide, radon, childhood lead, outdoor air quality, occupational heat stress and private drinking water.

Objectives

Upon completion of this independent study, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain why environmental and occupational exposures are easily missed in ordinary clinical assessment and what that omission costs the patient.
2. Take a structured exposure history using its three components and follow a positive answer with appropriate detail about route, dose, duration and frequency.
3. Identify common indoor sources of hazardous exposure in the home, including combustion products, building materials, biologic pollutants and household chemicals.
4. Recognise carbon monoxide poisoning, including its nonspecific presentation, and explain the testing and prevention advice that applies.
5. Explain the lung cancer risk associated with indoor radon and give patients accurate testing advice.
6. Apply current guidance on childhood blood lead testing, follow-up, education and referral, including sources of lead exposure in the home.
7. Use the Air Quality Index to advise patients with asthma, heart disease and other sensitivities about outdoor activity.
8. Advise private well owners and workers exposed to heat about testing, maintenance and prevention, including after flooding or a power outage.

Who this course is for:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and other healthcare providers in any setting who want continuing education on Environmental Health Nursing: Exposure History, Home Hazards and Prevention.

Course outline

12 sections · finish in any order across devices

1. 1

   Course overview and learning objectives

2. 2

   Introduction

3. 3

   Why environmental illness is missed in ordinary assessment

4. 4

   Taking an exposure history: the three components

5. 5

   Indoor air and household hazards

6. 6

   Carbon monoxide: the poisoning that looks like winter

7. 7

   Radon: the ordinary house that causes lung cancer

8. 8

   Childhood lead exposure: testing, follow-up and the home

9. 9

   Outdoor air quality and heat: advising people who must go outside

10. 10

    Water, disasters and putting environmental practice into routine care

11. 11

    Nursing Considerations

12. 12

    Conclusion

This Course Satisfies

Requirement summaries come from our state requirement records. All Users of Fast CE For Less’s website and content are responsible for knowing their state’s license and renewal requirements.

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