Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community, 10th Edition

Why is it important for nurses to understand the premises of environmental health? a. Nurses should be able to assess risks and advocate for policies that support healthy environments. b. Toxicologists often consult nurses about environmental pollutants. c. Pollutant exposures such as lead are reported by nurses to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). d. Many Americans live in areas that do not meet current national air quality standards. ANS: A Potential risks to health are concerns for professional nurses. It is the responsibility of the nurse to understand as much as possible about these risks: how to assess them, how to eliminate/reduce them, how to communicate and educate about them, and how to advocate for policies that support healthy environments. Toxicologists do not often consult nurses about environmental pollutants. Pollutant exposures are not routinely reported by nurses. Although there may be problems with air quality standards in the United States, this would not be the primary reason why nurses should understand environmental health. DIF: Cognitive level: Understanding TOP: Nursing process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection ControlNURSINGTB.COM 2. Why is it important for a nurse to have knowledge of environmental health and the effects of chemical, biological, and radiological materials? a. They are a major cause of global warming. b. They are often found in the air, water, and products we use. c. They are frequently linked to the development of chronic illnesses. d. They are products that nurses work with daily. ANS: B Chemical, biological, and radiological pollutants are often found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the products we use. These are not a major cause of global warming. They are not frequently linked to the development of chronic illnesses. These are not products that nurses work with daily. NURSINGTB.COM Public Health Nursing 10th Edition Stanhope Test Bank DIF: Cognitive level: Understanding TOP: Nursing process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance 3. A nurse fulfills the environmental health competency of “assessment and referral.” Which of the following actions has the nurse most likely completed? a. Advocating for public policy changes b. Understanding policy framework and major pieces of legislation c. Completing an environmental health history d. Describing the scientific principles about environmental health ANS: C Assessment and referral states that all nurses should be able to successfully complete an environmental health history, recognize the potential environmental hazards and sentinel illnesses, and make appropriate referrals for conditions with probable environmental causes. Advocating for public policy changes is part of advocacy. Understanding policy framework and legislation is part of legislation and regulation. Describing the scientific principles of environmental health is part of basic knowledge and concepts. DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control 4. How have nurses historically learned to identify a possible relationship between environmental chemical exposures and their potential harm? a. Extrapolation by toxicologists b. Biomonitoring c. Completing chemistry courses d. Observing signs and symptoms in clients ANS: D Nurses have historically made discoveries related to chemical exposure when people presented with signs and symptoms related to known chemical toxicity. Extrapolation by toxicologists and biomonitoring are modern methods. Completing a chemistry course does not show how to identify these possible relationships. DIF: Cognitive level: Understanding TOP: Nursing process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control NURSINGTB.COM 5. What term is used to refer to the basic science applied to understanding the health effects associated with chemical exposures? a. Toxicology b. Pharmacology c. Chemistry d. Environmental epidemiology NURSINGTB.COM Public Health Nursing 10th Edition Stanhope Test Bank ANS: A Toxicology is the study of the health effects associated with chemical exposures. Pharmacology is the branch of medicine concerned with the multiple aspects of drugs. Chemistry is the branch of science with deals with the way that matter is composed. Environmental epidemiology is concerned with the discovery of environmental exposures that cause or protect against illness or disease. DIF: Cognitive level: Remembering TOP: Nursing process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control 6. What statement accurately describes the characteristics of epidemiology? a. It is a science that studies the poisonous effects of chemicals. b. It explains the association between learning disabilities and exposure to lead-based paint at the cellular level. c. It helps nurses understand the strength of the association between exposure and health effects. d. It is a method for tracking the prevalence of health outcomes. ANS: C Epidemiology studies the incidence and prevalence of disease, helping nurses understand the strength of the association between exposure and health effects. Toxicology is the science that studies the poisonous effects of chemicals. Environmental surveillance provides data with which to track and analyze the incidence and prevalence of health outcomes. Epidemiology does not examine causes at the cellular level. DIF: Cognitive level: Remembering TOP: Nursing process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 7. When researching pesticides, the nurse looks at the “family” of the chemical. What similarities are found among chemicals that have been placed in the same family? a. Route of entry into the body b. Actions and associated risks c. Effects that they have on the body d. Potency and toxicity ANS: B Chemicals are grouped so it’s possible to understand the actions and risks associated with each group. Although some common health risks exist within these families of chemicals, the possible health risks for each chemical should be evaluated individually when a potential human exposure exists. NURSINGTB.COM Public Health Nursing 10th Edition Stanhope Test Bank DIF:MSC: Cognitive level: ApplyingNCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection ControlNURS INGTB.TOP:COM Nursing process: Assessment 8. Which example contains the components necessary to form an epidemiologic triangle? a. Pesticides, water, food b. Lead, mercury, soil c. Trichloroethylene, water, infants d. Children under 12, elderly, temperature ANS: C The epidemiologic triangle consists of an agent (chemical), host (community consisting of several variants), and environment (air, water, soil, etc.). The other examples do not contain an agent, host, and environment. DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control 9. When would it be appropriate for a nurse to use a Geographic Information System (GIS)? a. Recording client data collected at a foot clinic b. Identifying areas with an increased incidence of lead poisoning c. Evaluating effectiveness of a farm safety program d. Scheduling health promotion programs in the community ANS: B The use of a GIS allows the PHN to apply the principles of epidemiology into practice. GIS allows nurses to code data so that it is related spatially to a place on earth and is helpful in determining concentrated areas for incidence of disease and illness. An electronic health record (EHR) would be the most appropriate place to record client data from a foot clinic. Evaluation of effectiveness of a farm safety program would need to be done through some type of assessment or evaluation method—GIS would not be useful to collect this data. GIS is not a scheduling system and would not be helpful when scheduling health promotion programs in the community. DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control NURSINGTB.COM Public Health Nursing 10th Edition Stanhope Test Bank 10. A public health nurse (PHN) is organizing a multidisciplinary team to address the issue of water pollution in the community. Which group of professionals would be invited to address this issue? a. Physicians, water sanitation workers, and occupational therapists b. Pharmacologists, radiologists, and epidemiologists c. Nurse practitioners, pharmacologists, and environmentalists d. Geologists, meteorologists, and chemists ANS: D Scientists who study how pollutants travel in air, water, and soil are geologists, meteorologists, and chemists. The other professionals are not experts in the area of water pollution in the community. DIF: Cognitive level: Analyzing TOP: Nursing process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of CareNURSINGTB.COM