Nursing and Environmental Health
The environment has an impact on health. As nurses we have a role in preventing exposures to and reducing risks from environmental hazards. CNA has developed tools that support nurses in addressing environmental health issues effectively, no matter what setting they work in, be it clinical practice, administration, research, education or policy.
The work of this initiative was first guided by the Environmental Health Reference Group, a group of nurses from across Canada that first met in June 2007. With help from CNA, the group has expanded to include other interested nurses and has become a CNA emerging group – the Canadian Nursing Environmental Health Group. To learn more or to become more active on environmental issues, contact nurse consultant Della Faulkner.
Project components
The Nursing and Environmental Health project has three main components. For each component, a background paper, a video and an educational module (for use in a classroom setting) are available.
Presentation Toolkit
Increase your colleagues’ awareness of environmental health issues by making a presentation using CNA’s Presentation Toolkit. Download and use free tools such as abstracts and a poster template.
Environmental health websites
Nurses need access to accurate information about reducing the health risks associated with environmental hazards. The websites at Environmental health websites offer information pertinent to many aspects of environmental health. Links to both Canadian and international sites are provided.
Nurses in action on environmental health
Check out what nurses throughout Canada are doing to engage their patients, their colleagues and Canadians on environmental health issues. Get inspired by nurses in action!
Nurses and environmental health: Survey results
In December 2007, with funding from the federal government, CNA surveyed nurses on their experiences related to environmental health. The findings from this survey were used to guide this initiative and are available in Nurses and environmental health: Survey results.
Environmental health and climate change workshops
Funding from the federal government supported a two one-day workshops in mid-February 2008. The first workshop focused on environmental health, the second on climate change. The Environmental Health and Climate Change Workshops Report presents an overview of the themes discussed at the workshops and the key recommendations developed by participants.
Nurses from across Canada at the environmental health and climate change workshops
Nursing Now
Nursing Now is the title of a series of short papers exploring issues and trends in Canadian nursing. One of these papers, Nursing and Environmental Health (Coming Soon), examines the impact of the physical environment on health.
Greening CNA House
Over the past several years, staff at CNA House have implemented environmentally friendly purchasing and operating decisions. As part of CNA’s centennial activities, these policies and practices were reviewed to highlight what is already being done and to identify other potential strategies for reducing the association’s environmental footprint. To find ideas for your own organization or simply to find out what CNA is doing, please see Greening the Canadian Nurses Association.
