Question 1

The nursing instructor has completed a session exploring the various factors which can contribute to environmental health. Which is the most accurate definition of an exposure pathway for the students to provide at the completion of this session?

Accepted Answer

An exposure pathway is the method by which people come into contact with an environmental contaminant, detailing how the contaminant moves from its source to affect individuals.

Question 2

The nurse travels to Nigeria with a humanitarian aid organization to assess and treat members of a remote community. The children all have high levels of lead in their blood, as a result of exposure to lead dust created by gold mining. Many children are dying. The nurse has never witnessed such a phenomenon in the United States. Which are the most likely reasons for this discrepancy? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The discrepancy is likely due to a lack of environmental regulations or their enforcement (B), a lack of knowledge concerning environmental dangers (C), and the economic necessity driving miners to work in dangerous conditions due to fewer work options (E). These factors contribute to the high levels of lead exposure and the resulting health crisis among children in the community.

Question 3

The nurse visits the home of client in a low-income community and notices that paint is flaking off the walls and forming a dust in the corners of some rooms. The nurse asks the client when the house was built, and she responds that it was built in 1959. Which contaminant should the nurse expect to find in this home?

Accepted Answer

Homes built before 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint, which can flake off and create dust that is harmful if ingested or inhaled, especially in homes built as far back as 1959.

Question 4

The nurse has witnessed the passage of several important pieces of legislation which have helped highlight the importance of environmental health and environmental protection. Which is the best response from the nurse if explaining the Superfund?

Accepted Answer

The Superfund, officially known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), was established to address the problem of abandoned hazardous waste sites. Its goal is to clean up these sites and to respond to emergency situations involving hazardous substances.

Question 5

A team of nursing students are preparing a report that will evaluate a local health concern in the rural farming community. Which explanation best describes the risk assessment the students should perform?

Accepted Answer

Risk assessment involves determining the likelihood of adverse effects in a group exposed to an environmental contaminant, which is crucial for evaluating health concerns in a community.

Question 6

There are different methods for conducting risk assessment for environmental contaminants. Which formula should the nurse prioritize to determine the amount of risk?

Accepted Answer

Risk is calculated by multiplying the hazard (the potential for harm) by the exposure (the extent to which an individual comes into contact with the hazard). This formula helps in understanding how significant a risk is, based on both the nature of the hazard and the level of exposure.

Question 7

The public health nurse has been alerted to a possible health concern involving an environmental exposure. Which should the nurse exemplify as environmental media and transport mechanisms within the exposure pathway? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Groundwater, ponds, air, and subsurface soil are examples of environmental media and transport mechanisms that can carry contaminants from a source to humans, potentially causing health concerns. Mercury is a type of contaminant, not a medium or transport mechanism.

Question 8

The public health nurse is visiting a new client who is being evaluated for a possible radiologic contamination. Which contaminant would the nurse expect to find is most likely responsible?

Accepted Answer

Radon is a radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and buildings, making it a likely source of radiologic contamination.

Question 9

The nurse visits a community along a creek where residents have begun to report upper respiratory illnesses and asthma. After investigating, the nurse learns that several miles upstream is a hazardous material disposal site. In addition, chemicals have leached through the soil into the creek water and have been carried downstream to this community. Although children are not allowed into the creek, they do often play along the bank. Which represents the route of exposure in this situation?

Accepted Answer

The route of exposure in this situation is inhalation, as the residents are experiencing upper respiratory illnesses and asthma, which are typically caused by inhaling airborne contaminants.

Question 10

The nurse notes an increasing number of individuals coming to the clinic reporting respiratory difficulties. The nurse notes that the families involved depend on wood-burning stoves for heat. The nurse determines that bioavailability of the contaminant is most likely resulting in which situation?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse notes an increasing number of...

Question 11

The nurse conducts biomonitoring of residents of a community exposed to mercury vapor from a manufacturing facility nearby. Which form of biomonitoring should the nurse prioritize to determine the exposure to this contaminant?

Accepted Answer

Mercury exposure is best monitored through biological samples such as blood or urine, as these fluids can directly reflect the levels of mercury present in the body.

Question 12

The nurse asks a client, "Do you wear the clothes you wear at work at home?" Which subject on the exposure history is the nurse prioritizing with this questioning?

Accepted Answer

The nurse is prioritizing the subject of "Present work" by asking if the client wears their work clothes at home, aiming to assess potential exposure to contaminants from the workplace that could be brought into the home environment.

Question 13

The nurse is assessing a client who has been exposed to an environmental contaminant. The nurse considers the question, "Has the exposure pathway been interrupted?" In which phase of the nursing process should the nurse prioritize this question?

Accepted Answer

This question is prioritized in the Evaluation phase of the nursing process. During this phase, the nurse assesses the effectiveness of interventions, including whether the exposure pathway to the environmental contaminant has been successfully interrupted, indicating the need for further action or adjustment of the care plan.

Question 14

A nursing student is fascinated by environmental epidemiology and is considering advanced training in this field. Which response would be most accurate for the student to provide when explaining what this field involves?

Accepted Answer

Environmental epidemiology focuses on the incidence and prevalence of disease or illness in a population from exposures in their environments.

Question 15

The information gained from environmental epidemiologic studies can be very helpful in trying to identify whether an exposure or what particular exposures have made people ill. Which are major challenges to most environmental epidemiology studies which the team should be prepared to encounter? (Select all that apply).

Accepted Answer

Environmental epidemiology studies are resource-intensive, often have limited data on contaminants and health effects, and are time-consuming to perform.

Question 16

Children may be more vulnerable to environmental exposures than adults. There are several factors that increase children's vulnerability. Which factors should the healthcare provider prioritize when children are involved? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Children's body systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to harm. Their bodies may not efficiently metabolize and excrete toxins. Additionally, their behaviors, such as playing on the ground, can increase exposure to contaminants.

Question 17

The public health nurse has determined that no one in the community receives adequate healthcare. Which belief is the nurse prioritizing to ensure environmental justice for everyone in the community?

Accepted Answer

The nurse is prioritizing the belief that no group should disproportionately suffer from environmental health consequences, which aligns with the principle of environmental justice ensuring equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.

Question 18

Environmental justice is an important consideration when working with tribal communities. In which way is traditional tribal practices most often directly affected by contaminated land and water?

Accepted Answer

Traditional tribal practices often involve the use of local natural resources for food, so contaminated land and water can directly impact dietary practices.

Question 19

In the United States, most citizens have access to clean water and sanitation services and often take these services for granted. Worldwide, however, clean water and sanitation are not standard. How many people worldwide in 2015 lacked access to improved water sources?

Accepted Answer

In 2015, approximately 884 million people worldwide lacked access to improved water sources, highlighting a significant global challenge in ensuring access to clean water for all.

Question 20

Changes to water supplies and increased flooding, which are believed to result from climate change, may make some areas more vulnerable to diseases. Which diseases are expected to become more prevalent as a result of climate change? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The answer of Changes to water supplies and increased flooding,...

Quiz 19: Environmental Health