Environmental Health
Case study
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Biomonitoring Program notes both individual and community assessment as necessary to determine the presence and extent of environmental health exposure. Nurses who work in the community can gather essential information to address concerns that threaten health.
As a nurse practicing within a family practice, you are interviewing a 55-year-old woman who is an executive assistant at a local law firm where she has worked for 9 years. She has a 7-year history of respiratory illness, which occurs several times throughout the year and is not seemingly connected to the changes in season. She does not use tobacco products in any form. During your questions regarding her home and work environments, she reports that she enjoys working adjacent to the courthouse in a building that is over 100 years old as it is such a contrast to her brand-new home on a local golf course. When describing the health of her coworkers, she indicates, “We all share illnesses which seem to affect everyone during the year. We just seem to be sicker more often!”
Consider the facts reported in this case and address the points listed below.
Discuss the information that is pertinent to your client’s case.
Discuss environmental risks that may affect the health of members of your community.
Discuss strategies you would use to address identified environmental risks in your community.
