A Position Statement from the International Council of Nurses: The Nurse's Role in Safeguarding the Human Environment

America's nurses, an estimated 2 million strong, are often at the frontlines in confronting environmental health hazards. Yet most nurses have not received adequate training to manage these hazards. Nursing, Health, and the Environment explores the effects that environmental hazards (including those in the workplace) have on the health of patients and communities and proposes specific strategies for preparing nurses to address them. The committee documents the magnitude of environmental hazards and discusses the importance of the relationship between nursing, health, and the environment from three broad perspectives: Practice-The authors address environmental health issues in the nursing process, potential controversies over nurses taking a more activist stance on environmental health issues, and more. Education-The volume presents the status of environmental health content in nursing curricula and credentialing, and specific strategies for incorporating more environmental health into nursing preparation. Research-The book includes a survey of the available knowledge base and options for expanding nursing research as it relates to environmental health hazards.