Blog 23

1. Climate Change and its effect on the health of communities appears to be an insurmountable problem given the currents status of emissions and lack of sufficient effort by government to curb them. Given that unchecked climate change will lead to massive food shortages, increased air pollution, increased wildfires, temperature fluctuation, and increased vector disease, it's something that I certainly don't feel prepared for as a nurse. While these realities may slowly happen, it's important to keep in mind that many of these problems have already started. For example, mosquitoes are able to travel further north in the United States due to warming temperatures, meaning that vector borne disease can become a bigger problem, and that we may start to be exposed to diseases we were not previously exposed to. In this sense, it's important to educate patients on the importance of eliminating standing water around their homes, making sure that they have proper waste disposal, and that they potentially get mosquito nets, protective clothing, or citronella candles/spray.

2. When I was growing up and learning about climate change, I thought of it as something that would mostly affect animals and national parks and the north and south poles. As an avid animal and nature lover, I was devastated by that. As I've gotten older and learned more about climate change, I've learned so much more about the health effects of climate change. I wonder if a lot of the nation has the same impression that I had as a kid - that climate change will affect animals and National Parks more than anything. Therefore, it's vitally important that nurses speak out about the dangers of climate change and make sure that the public is aware of the health effects.

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