Question 1

A nurse wants to find information about environmental threats that are present in the community. Which of the following would be the best source of data for the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Technology helps us understand environmental threats. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases are user-friendly and accessible on the Internet. The NLM website provides access to medical databases such as PubMed and GratefulMed, which can be searched for possible environmental linkages to illnesses using key terms.

Question 2

A community citizen reports to the public health nurse that the city water in one neighborhood has had an unusual taste for the past few months. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Accepted Answer

The consumer confidence report (also known as the right-to-know report) reports the condition of drinking water. Because this is only one citizen, whose sense of taste may be affected by many conditions, it would not be appropriate to overreact by calling in governmental agencies first. Even so, in case one needed to contact an authority, it would be appropriate to start with local governmental agencies such as the city water department rather than federal agencies.

Question 3

Which of the following are the major sources of air pollution in the United States? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Motor vehicles are the greatest single source of air pollution in the United States. The burning of fossil fuels (diesel, industrial boilers, and power plants) and waste incineration are two other major contributors.

Question 4

A nurse is assessing potential environmental health risks in the community. Which of the following would be the first step that the nurse should take?

Accepted Answer

Conducting a windshield survey is a useful first step to understanding potential environmental health risks. This provides first-hand information about the community and areas of concern that must be investigated.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about children and environmental hazards is correct?

Accepted Answer

Because of the smaller size of children, they are exposed to higher doses of pesticide residues in the foods they eat and drink. Autism has increased 1000% since the mid-1980s. However, there is not a direct link to environmental toxins discussed in the text. The prevalence of asthma is at an all time high. Only about 5% of all cancers are strongly associated with heredity.

Question 6

A nurse who works at the local hospital asks a public health nurse what might be causing her hands to become very sore and sensitive. Which of the following statements would be the most appropriate response by the public health nurse?

Accepted Answer

Employees have the right to know about hazardous chemicals with which they work. Employers must maintain a list of all hazardous chemicals used on the premises, along with a material safety data sheet that addresses health risks related to these chemicals, as well as information about safe use and handling.

Question 7

Which of the following actions would a nurse take when serving as an advocate for the community? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Advocacy roles of the community-oriented nurse include attending policy meetings to obtain health-related information, holding public meetings (or serving on panels at meetings) to provide health-related information, serving on health-related committees, and informing local media about environmental hazards in the community.

Question 8

A nurse wants to have a better understanding of the physiological effects of selected chemicals. Which of the following individuals would provide the most useful information to the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Toxicology is the basic science that studies the health effects associated with chemical exposures. The other specialists would probably be able to provide some information, but the toxicologist would most likely provide information related to physiological processes.

Question 9

A public health nurse is assisting the community in dealing with the effects of lead paint poisoning. Which of the following activities would the nurse most likely complete? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The nurse's role is to understand the roles of each respective agency and organization, know the public health laws, and work with the community to coordinate services to address the community's needs. Other needed interventions include organizing a blood-lead screening program through the local health department, educating local health providers to encourage them to systematically test children for lead poisoning, and working with local landlords to improve the condition of their housing stock.

Question 10

A nurse is completing a basic health assessment. Which of the following questions should be asked by an environmentally aware nurse?

Accepted Answer

An exposure history should identify current and past exposures, have a preliminary goal of reducing or eliminating current exposures, and have a long-term goal of reducing adverse health effects. The "I PREPARE" mnemonic consigns the important questions to categories that can be easily remembered. Asking about previous employment helps to answer the "P" of past work.

Question 11

A city has announced its plans to build a city dump near a community of poor and predominantly African-American citizens. Which of the following principles would the nurse be using when vocalizing opposition for this plan?

Accepted Answer

Environmental justice is the goal of campaigns seeking to improve the unequal burden of environmental risks borne by impoverished and minority communities. The Environmental Justice Act would be used in support of the nurse's position.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the purpose of local health departments making unannounced inspections of local restaurants?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring compliance refers to the process of making certain that permitting requirements are met. Although this activity may be seen as a type of monitoring, the question asks for the purpose, which is to ensure compliance. Enforcement involves penalties such as fines or facility closure.

Question 13

A high school student considering a job in the restaurant industry after graduation asks a nurse about workplace safety issues. Which of the following acts would the nurse most likely discuss with the student?

Accepted Answer

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was passed to ensure worker and workplace safety in all employment settings, including restaurants. Others may contribute to safety but do not have the full oversight of OSHA.

Question 14

Which of the following strategies would a nurse expect to be implemented by a typical state environmental agency? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The organization and approach to environmental protection vary somewhat among states, but the common essential strategies of prevention and control via the permitting process, establishment of environmental standards, and monitoring, as well as compliance and enforcement, are found in every state.

Question 15

An occupational health nurse at a local factory is using primary prevention strategies to reduce the environmental health risks among the employees. Which of the following activities would the nurse most likely implement?

Accepted Answer

Education is a primary preventive strategy. When examining the sources of environmental health risks in communities and planning intervention strategies, it is important to apply the basic principles of disease prevention.

Question 16

The nurse is examining blood lead levels in school-age children 1 year after a community-wide education intervention. Which of the following phases of the nursing process is being implemented?

Accepted Answer

In this instance, the nurse is evaluating the results of the intervention to determine whether goals were reached. If you chose assessment, understand that this would have been done earlier in the process because assessment was needed to determine that a problem existed and that interventions were needed.

Question 17

A nurse practitioner has established a mobile clinic to vaccinate noninstitutionalized adults against influenza. Which of the following phases of the nursing process is being implemented?

Accepted Answer

Giving immunizations is an intervention that will increase the number of people who will be vaccinated. Intervention includes coordinating medical, nursing, and public health actions to meet the client's needs.

Question 18

A nurse wants to use the principles of risk and outrage to improve an environmental hazard in the community. To accomplish this, which of the following actions would be taken by the nurse? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Sharing all the data would be overwhelming, and much of the data might not be relevant. Using epidemiological statistics would not be meaningful to those without the education or experience to be able to draw an appropriate conclusion. Instead, the correct information must be given in a language the audience-namely, those at risk or worried about the risk-can understand. Use the communication channels the neighborhood residents use and meet at a common meeting place for the community. It is wasteful of resources to advertise in media throughout a wider region or to meet at a central regional facility when only community residents will be interested or involved.

Question 19

Which of the following actions represents the use of secondary prevention to reduce environmental health risks?

Accepted Answer

Secondary prevention refers to actions such as surveillance and screening, which are undertaken so that problems may be detected at early stages.

Question 20

A nurse wants to help keep the community environment safe. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

Accepted Answer

All citizens can engage in minimizing their impact on the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Although it would be nice to replace all appliances for energy-efficient newer models, most people can't afford that-furthermore, it is an environmental issue to discard the used models. Similarly, downsizing to a smaller living space could help the environment, because the nurse would use less energy, but again, not everyone can afford all the expenses involved in moving. On the other hand, all persons can reduce, reuse, and recycle the individual products they currently consume.

Quiz 6: Environmental Health