With Janet Brown's permission, this may be shared far and wide . . .
Best wishes,
barb wilkie
EHN president emerita
www.ehnca.org
============
NEWS FOR NURSES
(And Other Health Professionals)
NEW ONLINE COURSE FOR CE CREDIT FROM MNA:
"Fragrance Free! Creating a Safe Health Care Environment"
Course Description: Chemical fragrances may seem like a natural part
of modern American life, but in fact, they are anything but natural.
These petroleum-based products, many of which contain known
carcinogens, are produced with virtually no regulation by the FDA,
and their widespread use is turning the modern health care
environment-and the rest of the world-into Chemical Soup. Fragrance
Free! looks at the hidden costs of chemical fragrance use in the
health care industry, including the growth of allergies
and potentially debilitating conditions such as chemical sensitivity.
The course discusses how to recognize the beginnings of chemical
sensitivity, while offering alternatives to fragranced produces and common
sense steps to reduce chemical fragrances in the health care environment.
Introduction: Though we seldom give them much thought, fragrances pervade
our lives. We wear perfumes and colognes to make ourselves more appealing.
We wash our clothes in scented detergents and household cleaning products
are full of smell-pine and lemon, just to name two. But what goes into
them? It turns out that most of these fragrances are synthetic chemicals,
introduced into our environment with only minimal safety testing. Many of
the ingredients of these chemical fragrances are known to have negative
health effects. Respiratory and nervous system illnesses rise right along
with the use of chemical fragrances.
Learning Objectives: The goal of this program is to ensure a safe and
therapeutic environment for both patient and nurse to interact in. The
elimination of fragrance is a choice the nurse can make to help ensure a
healthier environment for both patients and workers. On completion of this
program, you should be able to:
1. Identify the most common chemicals used in fragrance products
2. Identify adverse reactions to scented and fragrance products
3. Define the concept of the "Chemical Soup" in the air we breathe
at
work and at home
4. Describe steps that can be taken to reduce reactions in
chemically
sensitive people
Accreditation: This online continuing nursing education activity is
provided by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which is accredited as a
provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses
Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Program Requirements: To successfully complete this program and receive
contact hours, you must read the entire program, take and pass the
Post-Test, and complete the Program Evaluation. To pass the Post-Test, you
must achieve a score of 80% or above.
Eligibility: Anyone can take the credit and convert to their disciplined
area of study. (For example, LPNs are using it). The credits are good
throughout the nation.
NOTE: Congratulations to our own TIP Board member, Chris Pontus, M.S.,
COHN-S, CCM, Health Educator with the Massachusetts Nurses Association, for
her hard work on preparing this course!
TO ACCESS THE COURSE: To register go to www.courseserver.com/mna/
and click on "REGISTER". The subscription code for members is mna001,
non-Members is mna002, and students is mna003. Fill out all of the fields
in the form and press submit. This information is also listed on the
Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) website at
www.massnurses.org/ce/onlineCE.htm For more information, contact the
Division of Health and Safety at 781-830-5723.
UPDATE: INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY -
ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES
In cooperation with the RI Commission on Disabilities, TIP introduced
legislation in 2006 to require the RI Dept. of Health to establish minimum
accessibility standards for indoor environmental quality in public buildings
and necessary services. It would include fragrance-free policies, cleaning
products, pest control, low VOC materials, in hospitals, nursing homes,
schools, day care, etc. Although the bill did not pass last year, we were
able to obtain support for a Resolution addressing some of our concerns.
Also, the RI Dept. of Health representative at the hearings mentioned an
educational campaign as an option. We intend to follow up on that - if we
can cooperate with DOH and others to inform health care professionals and
the public about household chemicals and indoor air concerns, it would be a
great blessing! Our Hispanic Health Education initiative, below, has been
the first step in a broader campaign for that purpose.
HISPANIC/LATINO HEALTH EDUCATION INITIATIVE
A Collaborative Effort to Provide Information to Spanish Speakers on Toxics
in Everyday Life & Healthier Alternatives
Background: There is a lack of information and materials being provided in
Spanish to Rhode Islanders about the many toxic chemicals in everyday life
and products and on healthier alternatives. Those who are not fluent in
English are thus unaware of many factors that can affect their health and
that of their families - and how to protect themselves.
Strategy: At this time, we do not have available bilingual resource people
familiar with the concerns and information needed to carry out health
education on this topic. Also, we believe that those already working in the
Hispanic community, especially those providing health-related services, are
the best persons to carry out this additional outreach. Therefore, it
is
our aim to provide to these workers the information and training they need
to add toxics education to their programs. For this purpose we will:
1.Translate into Spanish or find through our research informational
materials in Spanish about toxic chemicals in everyday life and products and
healthier alternatives - including cosmetics, cleaners and pesticides.
Health problems connected with these substances, such as asthma, learning
disabilities, allergies and cancer will be covered by the articles chosen.
2.Establish a relationship with several organizations providing health
education and other services to Hispanics in RI and arrange to offer
training for individuals working with them to offer toxics information as
part of their programs. 3. Bring resource people from Massachusetts to
assist with the training, and provide the RI organizations with the
materials to use in their follow-up with their constituencies.
Partners: We have called the RI DOH Office of Minority Health about this
project, and they sent us a list of Minority Health Promotion Centers,
highlighting those that serve significant numbers of Hispanics. We
contacted the latter. Interest in receiving and offering this environmental
health information was expressed at Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy
(CHISPA), Progreso Latino, Genesis Center and Women's & Infants Hospital
(which does extensive training of various health professionals as well as
educating Spanish-speaking clients). We are gratified by the response so
far, and believe that several more organizations will become involved. We
have already distributed some materials through these partners. We
have
spoken with people in several Massachusetts organizations that give
presentations (some to Hispanics) on such topics as green cleaning, the
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and pesticide concerns - including MA Clean
Water Action, MA Breast Cancer Coalition & the Regional Environmental
Council in Worcester. Indications are that they are willing to help us with
the proposed training in RI, subject to scheduling convenience and personnel
availability.
Resources & Training: Interested health professionals, especially health
educators and nurses, are invited to keep informed on the progress of this
project and to receive resource materials when available. We expect to form
an ad hoc advisory group to help us determine details such as which articles
to translate, and the time, place and program for the training event.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THESE PROJECTS, CONTACT LIBERTY GOODWIN, TIP
DIRECTOR, AT: TEL. 401-351-9193, OR E-MAIL: liberty@toxicsinfo.org
Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org
www.h2e-online.org
Janet Brown is a member of the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) Steering
Committee. For more information, visit www.gghc.org.
--
Best wishes,
barb wilkie
EHN president emerita
www.ehnca.org
============
NEWS FOR NURSES
(And Other Health Professionals)
NEW ONLINE COURSE FOR CE CREDIT FROM MNA:
"Fragrance Free! Creating a Safe Health Care Environment"
Course Description: Chemical fragrances may seem like a natural part
of modern American life, but in fact, they are anything but natural.
These petroleum-based products, many of which contain known
carcinogens, are produced with virtually no regulation by the FDA,
and their widespread use is turning the modern health care
environment-and the rest of the world-into Chemical Soup. Fragrance
Free! looks at the hidden costs of chemical fragrance use in the
health care industry, including the growth of allergies
and potentially debilitating conditions such as chemical sensitivity.
The course discusses how to recognize the beginnings of chemical
sensitivity, while offering alternatives to fragranced produces and common
sense steps to reduce chemical fragrances in the health care environment.
Introduction: Though we seldom give them much thought, fragrances pervade
our lives. We wear perfumes and colognes to make ourselves more appealing.
We wash our clothes in scented detergents and household cleaning products
are full of smell-pine and lemon, just to name two. But what goes into
them? It turns out that most of these fragrances are synthetic chemicals,
introduced into our environment with only minimal safety testing. Many of
the ingredients of these chemical fragrances are known to have negative
health effects. Respiratory and nervous system illnesses rise right along
with the use of chemical fragrances.
Learning Objectives: The goal of this program is to ensure a safe and
therapeutic environment for both patient and nurse to interact in. The
elimination of fragrance is a choice the nurse can make to help ensure a
healthier environment for both patients and workers. On completion of this
program, you should be able to:
1. Identify the most common chemicals used in fragrance products
2. Identify adverse reactions to scented and fragrance products
3. Define the concept of the "Chemical Soup" in the air we breathe
at
work and at home
4. Describe steps that can be taken to reduce reactions in
chemically
sensitive people
Accreditation: This online continuing nursing education activity is
provided by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which is accredited as a
provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses
Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Program Requirements: To successfully complete this program and receive
contact hours, you must read the entire program, take and pass the
Post-Test, and complete the Program Evaluation. To pass the Post-Test, you
must achieve a score of 80% or above.
Eligibility: Anyone can take the credit and convert to their disciplined
area of study. (For example, LPNs are using it). The credits are good
throughout the nation.
NOTE: Congratulations to our own TIP Board member, Chris Pontus, M.S.,
COHN-S, CCM, Health Educator with the Massachusetts Nurses Association, for
her hard work on preparing this course!
TO ACCESS THE COURSE: To register go to www.courseserver.com/mna/
and click on "REGISTER". The subscription code for members is mna001,
non-Members is mna002, and students is mna003. Fill out all of the fields
in the form and press submit. This information is also listed on the
Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) website at
www.massnurses.org/ce/onlineCE.htm For more information, contact the
Division of Health and Safety at 781-830-5723.
UPDATE: INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY -
ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES
In cooperation with the RI Commission on Disabilities, TIP introduced
legislation in 2006 to require the RI Dept. of Health to establish minimum
accessibility standards for indoor environmental quality in public buildings
and necessary services. It would include fragrance-free policies, cleaning
products, pest control, low VOC materials, in hospitals, nursing homes,
schools, day care, etc. Although the bill did not pass last year, we were
able to obtain support for a Resolution addressing some of our concerns.
Also, the RI Dept. of Health representative at the hearings mentioned an
educational campaign as an option. We intend to follow up on that - if we
can cooperate with DOH and others to inform health care professionals and
the public about household chemicals and indoor air concerns, it would be a
great blessing! Our Hispanic Health Education initiative, below, has been
the first step in a broader campaign for that purpose.
HISPANIC/LATINO HEALTH EDUCATION INITIATIVE
A Collaborative Effort to Provide Information to Spanish Speakers on Toxics
in Everyday Life & Healthier Alternatives
Background: There is a lack of information and materials being provided in
Spanish to Rhode Islanders about the many toxic chemicals in everyday life
and products and on healthier alternatives. Those who are not fluent in
English are thus unaware of many factors that can affect their health and
that of their families - and how to protect themselves.
Strategy: At this time, we do not have available bilingual resource people
familiar with the concerns and information needed to carry out health
education on this topic. Also, we believe that those already working in the
Hispanic community, especially those providing health-related services, are
the best persons to carry out this additional outreach. Therefore, it
is
our aim to provide to these workers the information and training they need
to add toxics education to their programs. For this purpose we will:
1.Translate into Spanish or find through our research informational
materials in Spanish about toxic chemicals in everyday life and products and
healthier alternatives - including cosmetics, cleaners and pesticides.
Health problems connected with these substances, such as asthma, learning
disabilities, allergies and cancer will be covered by the articles chosen.
2.Establish a relationship with several organizations providing health
education and other services to Hispanics in RI and arrange to offer
training for individuals working with them to offer toxics information as
part of their programs. 3. Bring resource people from Massachusetts to
assist with the training, and provide the RI organizations with the
materials to use in their follow-up with their constituencies.
Partners: We have called the RI DOH Office of Minority Health about this
project, and they sent us a list of Minority Health Promotion Centers,
highlighting those that serve significant numbers of Hispanics. We
contacted the latter. Interest in receiving and offering this environmental
health information was expressed at Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy
(CHISPA), Progreso Latino, Genesis Center and Women's & Infants Hospital
(which does extensive training of various health professionals as well as
educating Spanish-speaking clients). We are gratified by the response so
far, and believe that several more organizations will become involved. We
have already distributed some materials through these partners. We
have
spoken with people in several Massachusetts organizations that give
presentations (some to Hispanics) on such topics as green cleaning, the
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and pesticide concerns - including MA Clean
Water Action, MA Breast Cancer Coalition & the Regional Environmental
Council in Worcester. Indications are that they are willing to help us with
the proposed training in RI, subject to scheduling convenience and personnel
availability.
Resources & Training: Interested health professionals, especially health
educators and nurses, are invited to keep informed on the progress of this
project and to receive resource materials when available. We expect to form
an ad hoc advisory group to help us determine details such as which articles
to translate, and the time, place and program for the training event.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THESE PROJECTS, CONTACT LIBERTY GOODWIN, TIP
DIRECTOR, AT: TEL. 401-351-9193, OR E-MAIL: liberty@toxicsinfo.org
Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org
www.h2e-online.org
Janet Brown is a member of the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) Steering
Committee. For more information, visit www.gghc.org.
--
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