Deck 10: Environmental Health

Question 1

If a nurse wanted more information on indoor air quality,which website would be most helpful?

A) The National Institutes of Health ( NIH )
B) The American Lung Association
C) "Right to Know"
D) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA )

Answer 1

The American Lung Association

Question 2

Epidemiology:

A) Is a science that studies the poisonous effects of chemicals
B) Explains the association between learning disabilities and exposure to lead-based paint at the cellular level
C) Helps nurses understand the strength of the association between exposure and health effects
D) Is a method for tracking the prevalence of a disease

Answer 2

Helps nurses understand the strength of the association between exposure and health effects

Question 3

The greatest single source of air pollution in the United States is from:

A) Waste incineration
B) Power plants
C) Motor vehicles
D) Molds

Answer 3

Motor vehicles

Question 4

Employees working with hazardous chemicals have the "right to know" about the chemicals they are working with through the creation of the:

A) Material Safety Data Sheet
B) Consumer Confidence Report
C) Hazard Communication Standard
D) Environmental Protection Agency

Question 5

Which is considered a non-point source of pollution?

A) Hazardous waste site
B) Animal waste from wildlife
C) Chlorine poured down a well
D) Stagnant water

Question 6

A public health nurse is working with a migrant farm worker who has experienced an exposure to a pesticide.When researching pesticides,the nurse looks at the "family" of the chemical.What similarities are found among chemicals that have been placed in the same family?

A) Route of entry into the body
B) Actions and associated risks
C) Effects that they have on the body
D) Potency and toxicity

Question 7

A nurse fulfills the environmental health competency of "assessment and referral" when:

A) Advocating for public policy changes
B) Understanding policy framework and major pieces of legislation
C) Completing an environmental health history
D) Describing the scientific principles about environmental health

Question 8

Which environmental law sets basic structure for regulating pollutants to United States waters?

A) Safe Drinking Water Act
B) Toxic Substance Control Act
C) Clean Water Act
D) Pollution Prevention Act

Question 9

A public health nurse is organizing a multidisciplinary team to address the issue of water pollution in the community.The most likely members that would be invited to address this issue would be:

A) Physicians, water sanitation workers, and occupational therapists
B) Pharmacologists, radiologists, and epidemiologists
C) Nurse practitioners, pharmacologists, and environmentalists
D) Geologists, meteorologists, and chemists

Question 10

An example of a point source of air pollution is:

A) A smoke stack
B) The number of cars and trucks
C) How much fossil fuel is consumed in a community
D) Ground ozone levels

Question 11

Which example contains the components necessary to form an epidemiologic triangle?

A) Pesticides, water, food
B) Lead, mercury, soil
C) Trichloroethylene, water, infants
D) Children under 12, elderly, temperature

Question 12

An inspection of a facility after a permit is obtained for the purpose of observing whether the plans submitted in the permit application are being implemented as approved is an example of which environmental protection strategy?

A) Controlling pollution
B) Waste minimization
C) Land use planning
D) Environmental monitoring

Question 13

The basic science applied to understanding the health effects associated with chemical exposures is:

A) Toxicology
B) Pharmacology
C) Chemistry
D) Environmental epidemiology

Question 14

Environmental health is important to nurses because chemical,biological,and radiological materials are:

A) A major cause of global warming
B) Often found in the air, water, and products we use
C) Frequently linked to the development of chronic illnesses
D) Products that nurses work with on a daily basis

Question 15

Why is it important for nurses to understand the premises of environmental health?

A) Nurses should be able to assess risks and advocate for policies that support healthy environments.
B) Toxicologists often consult nurses about environmental pollutants.
C) Pollutant exposures such as lead are reported by nurses to the Environmental Protection Agency.
D) Many Americans live in areas that do not meet current national air quality standards.

Question 16

How have nurses historically learned to identify a possible relationship between environmental chemical exposures and their potential harm?

A) Extrapolation by toxicologists
B) Biomonitoring
C) Completing chemistry courses
D) Observing signs and symptoms in clients

Question 17

An acceptable level of emissions or a maximum contaminant level allowed is an example of which environmental protection strategy?

A) Controlling pollution
B) Waste minimization
C) Land use planning
D) Environmental standard

Question 18

Which question would a nurse ask during the first phase of a risk assessment?

A) Has the chemical been released into the environment?
B) How much and by which route of entry can the chemical enter the body?
C) Is the chemical known to be associated with a negative health effect?
D) What is the prediction for potential harm?

Question 19

A nurse is completing an exposure history using the mnemonic I PREPARE.What data would a nurse collect when asking questions about the first "P"?

A) Present work
B) Potential exposures
C) Personal protective equipment use
D) Problems with health

Question 20

A nurse is addressing the problem of air pollution in the community.The first step in the process of controlling the pollution would be:

A) Setting standards
B) Monitoring
C) Permitting
D) Compliance

Question 21

When would it be appropriate for a nurse to use a Geographic Information System (GIS)?

A) Recording client data collected at a foot clinic
B) Determining neighborhoods that have an increased incidence of lead poisoning
C) Evaluating effectiveness of a farm safety program
D) Scheduling health promotion programs in the community

Question 22

A public health nurse working with a family living in poverty recognizes that they are more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards because they have (select all that apply):

A) Limited funds to pay for health care
B) Poor nutrition
C) Homes located closer to hazardous waste sites
D) Less education

Question 23

What action can a nurse take on an individual level to reduce pollution in the environment?

A) Provide a tax incentive to factories that do not pollute.
B) Make laws related to allowed levels of pollution in the area.
C) Choose a less-polluting car.
D) Move to an area with less pollution.

Question 24

Which approach(s)can a nurse use when assessing environmental health risks? Select all that apply.

A) Ask legislators to provide a list of environmental pollutants in the area.
B) Develop a list of exposures associated with urban, rural, or suburban settings.
C) Assess the risk by medium such as air, water, soil, or food.
D) Divide the environment into functional locations: home, school, workplace, and community.