Blog 13
I found an interesting article regarding Colorado's governor who signed an executive order to improve air quality, yet also is pro drilling for oil in Colorado - which negatively impacts the air there. I thought that this article was interesting in that it speaks to the fact that we can talk about climate change and how much we care about it as much as we want, but it takes concrete and real change to make a difference.
1. In order to create a national campaign on Radon, I would rally healthcare providers like NPs, RNs, and MDs to speak out on harmful effects of radon. I would work with public health departments across the United States to get promotional materials out to hospitals, clinics, and in populated areas. I'd also invest in making radon testing kits accessible for people to be able to test at home and provide information on steps to take if their home did have radon. I'd also get testimonies form people who got lung cancer due to radon exposure to use as promotional materials to get the word out about the harmful effects of radon.
2. Assessing patients for shortness of breath, headache, nausea and dizziness are all common symptoms to look for in assessment. While these are common symptoms that patients present with, carbon monoxide poisoning might not be a provider's first thought or even make it to their differential list. I'd assess the patient further by discussing if they use gas appliances, space heaters, if they're exposed to car exhaust, etc. I'd also ask if they have a CO detector at home.
3. I have art supplies, cleaning wipes, and paint in my home. At work, I have cleaning supplies, pesticides, as well as paint. My home usually has windows open and is well ventilated. My work is not, and there are no windows in the majority of the rooms and hallways. One measure to reduce exposure is to be conscious of using these materials in a well ventilated space, and only buying small amounts of the product that you will use so that the remaining product isn't sitting out for months at a time.
4. I had no idea that formaldehyde is used in hair treatments. I would dissuade pregnant patients (and women in general) from using this, and come from a harm reduction perspective of it. I'd talk to the patient about why they felt the need to straighten their hair, and I'd try to boost them up in other ways, especially with their natural hair, so that they didn't feel like they needed straight hair to be beautiful.
1. In order to create a national campaign on Radon, I would rally healthcare providers like NPs, RNs, and MDs to speak out on harmful effects of radon. I would work with public health departments across the United States to get promotional materials out to hospitals, clinics, and in populated areas. I'd also invest in making radon testing kits accessible for people to be able to test at home and provide information on steps to take if their home did have radon. I'd also get testimonies form people who got lung cancer due to radon exposure to use as promotional materials to get the word out about the harmful effects of radon.
2. Assessing patients for shortness of breath, headache, nausea and dizziness are all common symptoms to look for in assessment. While these are common symptoms that patients present with, carbon monoxide poisoning might not be a provider's first thought or even make it to their differential list. I'd assess the patient further by discussing if they use gas appliances, space heaters, if they're exposed to car exhaust, etc. I'd also ask if they have a CO detector at home.
3. I have art supplies, cleaning wipes, and paint in my home. At work, I have cleaning supplies, pesticides, as well as paint. My home usually has windows open and is well ventilated. My work is not, and there are no windows in the majority of the rooms and hallways. One measure to reduce exposure is to be conscious of using these materials in a well ventilated space, and only buying small amounts of the product that you will use so that the remaining product isn't sitting out for months at a time.
4. I had no idea that formaldehyde is used in hair treatments. I would dissuade pregnant patients (and women in general) from using this, and come from a harm reduction perspective of it. I'd talk to the patient about why they felt the need to straighten their hair, and I'd try to boost them up in other ways, especially with their natural hair, so that they didn't feel like they needed straight hair to be beautiful.
I never knew Radon gas was the second leading cause of lung cancer. It explains the widespread of lung cancer among non-smokers. I see patients with lung cancer who have never smoked or experienced second-hand smoking. Older patients who were probably working in buildings with Radon gas. When buying hair products, I avoid products that have Sulfate and Paraben, never thought of Formaldehyde. My scalp got sensitive, I stopped using relaxers and getting Brazilian blowouts.
ReplyDeletePart of my clinical hours are spent at an elementary school in Hayward. My preceptor's "office" is a classroom inside a school that was seemingly built in the 1960s, because there are popcorn ceilings and the room in general has a musty/ moldy smell. It is concerning because even though the doors to the classroom/ office is always open, you can still smell the moldiness. If we can smell the mold then we are definitely breathing it in. I was told that the school district is in the process of constructing new replacement schools, I've seen what the new schools look like, and it's like night and day with regards to ventilation.
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