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Jackie Cason, RNC, MSN, Georgia Southwestern State University, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, 800 Wheatley St., Americus, GA 31709, 229-931-2278, jbc@canes.gsw.edu and Kitty Bishop, RN, MSN, Southwest Health District, Assistant Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, 1109 N. Jackson St., Albany, GA 31701-2022.
Through the collaboration of public health leaders and an academic partner, a 33-hour continuing education program was developed. This session will describe the development and implementation of an environmental/occupational health continuing education program for public health practitioners in southwest Georgia. The purposes of the sessions were to prepare health practitioners to recognize environmental health threats and to promote interdisciplinary preventive strategies to avoid these threats. The course was designed to provide a basis for general environmental/occupational health competencies for public health practitioners. Health risk assessment, management, communication, and epidemiology were emphasized.
Nineteen speakers participated in the workshop. All of the speakers had experience and expertise in environmental and/or occupational health. In addition to presenters from public health, other agencies whose services have an environmental focus presented. Some of these agencies included the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Division, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
This training was especially important to nurses because nursing curricula often fail to adequately address environmental issues in undergraduate education. The interdisciplinary approaches used in the program facilitated joint interaction, sharing of experiences, and role development among the health professionals. The sessions also strengthened collaboration between agencies and the academic partner.
The evaluation process of this program is currently being completed. A potential outcome of this training is for the curriculum plan to serve as a model for the development of environmental/occupational health training in other public health districts.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the participant will be able to
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.