The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #74689

Jerome A. Paulson, MD, Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health & Environment, George Washington University, 2141 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202-833-4687, jpaulson@cnmc.org, Nsedu Obot, MPH, Children's Environmental Health Network, 110 Maryland Ave., NE, Suite 511, Washington, DC 20002, and Leyla Erk McCurdy, M Phil, Health & Environment Programs, National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, 1701 H Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006.

It is recognized that the current education of physicians and nurses in environmental health is inadequate. The Institute of Medicine has recommended that, “…as a minimum, all primary care physicians should be able to identify possible occupationally or environmentally induced conditions and make the appropriate referrals for followup;” and that environmental education should be a part of all aspects of nursing education – from undergraduate through continuing education. The Children’s Environmental Health Network in conjunction with the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation convened panels of experts in nursing education and medical education. These groups reviewed and described the progression of education of nurses and physicians from undergraduate and professional school through advanced nursing education, graduate medical education and into continuing education of professionals. The groups studied where there might be points along the way where children’s environmental health content could possibly be inserted into curricular material and what leverage points, such as certification examinations, certifying bodies and other organizations which develop standards, could be used to increase the likelihood of having such material placed in undergraduate, professions, advanced, graduate and/or continuing education systems. A plan for the dissemination of these recommendations has been developed. The next steps in the process will include the creation of tools for the education of pediatric health care providers. In particular, a description of educational competencies for environmental triggers of asthma will be developed as will environmental history forms. These documents will be tested and validated in medical and nursing school settings.

Learning Objectives:

• the learner will
• 1. have an understanding of the cycle of medical and nursing education
• 2. have an understanding of where curricular components regarding children’s environmental health might be added to the educational cycles
• 3. have an understanding of leverage points that might exist to facilitate the insertion of these curricular components into the educational cycle.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Handout (.ppt format, 194.0 kb)