INTRODUCTION

Definition of Environment

The term 'environment' can be defined as an aggregate of all the external conditions

influencing and affecting the life and development of an organism. Human environment

means everything that is experienced by man and it is the total nature of experiences that

determine the qualities of life.

The term 'environment' is defined to include all that is external to the human body. Here,

the environment refers to the internal and external factors that affect the health of the

people. A clean, beautiful and hazard-free environment is a great asset to health. The health

status of an individual, a community or a nation is determined by the interactions of the

internal environment of the man himself and the external environment which surrounds

him. So, an environment is one of the major determinants of health status of the human

beings.

THE ENVIRONMENT

The environment includes both the physical world that surrounds us and the people who

inhabit that world. Man, has learned to control many aspects of his physical environment to

make it more conducive to healthy living.

In brief, it refers to the surrounding in which an individual lives. The environment is

classified as internal and external. The internal environment pertains to each and every

component part, every tissue, organ and their harmonious functioning within the body

system.
The external environment (macro-environment) consists of those things to which an

individual is exposed after conception birth such as physical, biological and psychosocial.

1. Physical environment includes housing, water, air, light, noise, excreta disposal, etc. with

which man is in constant interaction.

2. Biological environment includes all livings things which surround man including man

himself. For example, animals, rodents, micro-organisms and plants. Some of them are

useful to human life and others are harmful to the human health i.e., viruses, bacteria, etc.

3. Psychosocial environment refers to macro-environment or personal environment which

includes the individual ways of living and lifestyle, at home, at school, at workplace, at

neighbourhood, etc.

Any defect in the environment leads to health problems.

In many of the developing countries, the lack of pure water supply, of defective sanitation

and of lack of effective measures to control communicable diseases is held responsible for

the continuing prevalence of many health problems. As for example, the water-borne

diseases such as cholera, typhoid, fever, hepatitis, the freely transmitted diarrhoeal

diseases, and the airborne communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria,

whooping cough, and the like.

Environmental Health

The term "environmental health" previously familiarised an "environmental sanitation."

The word 'sanitation' means "the science of safeguarding health." Sanitation is defined as "a

way of life." It is the quality of the living that is expressed in the clean home, the clean form,

the clean business, the clean neighbourhood, and the clean community. Being a way of life,

it must come from within the people; it is nourished by knowledge and grows as an ideal in

human relations.

The WHO defines environmental sanitation as "the control of all those factors in man's

physical environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical

development, health and survival." The factors that influence the health of the people will

include

 food,

 water,

 housing,

 clothing and

 sanitation.

Environmental sanitation, now being replaced by environmental health, has been defined

as "the aspect of public health concerned with all the factors, circumstances and conditions

in the environment or surroundings of humans that can exert an influence on human health

and well-being." The health of the environment is, a long-standing public health problem

for which every gain seems to be met with new problems.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND NURSING PRACTICE

The environment can be considered as anything outside of ourselves whether human-made

or natural.

Environmental health is the branch of public health science that focuses on how the

environment influences human health. Nursing and Environmental Health is a Scientific

understanding of how the environment affects human health which evolved since the days

of Florence Nightingale, but nurses have long recognized that people’s surroundings can

influence their health. Even in the 19th century, nurses realized that clients who had clean

food and water and fresh air had better outcomes than did those who were left in squalid

conditions. Nurses can help lead the way in healthcare by understanding that clients are

part of the environment and that the health of the environment has a direct impact on their

health. Nurses are in a strong position to advocate for healthier environments in both the

workplace and community.

Across the country, there are great examples of nurses working with communities,

conducting research, and leading programs to help promote healthy people in healthy

environments. Nurses are also involved in helping to ensure that the environmental impact

of healthcare practices in the clinical setting and community setting are considered.
PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOR NURSING PRACTICE

1. Knowledge of environmental health concepts is essential for nursing practice.

2. The Precautionary Principles guides nurses in their practice to use products and

practices that do not harm human health or the environment and to take preventive action

in the face of uncertainty.

3. Nurses have a right to work in an environment that is safe and healthy.

4. Healthy environments are sustained through multidisciplinary collaboration.

5. Choices of materials, products, technology, and practices in the environment that affect

nursing practices are based on the best evidence available.

6. Approaches to promoting a healthy environment respect the diverse values, beliefs,

cultures, and circumstances of clients and their families.

7. Nurses participate in assessing the quality of the environment in which they practice and

live.

8. Nurses, other healthcare workers, clients, and communities have the right to know

relevant and timely information about the potentially harmful products, chemicals,

pollutants, and hazards to which they are exposed.

9. Nurses participate in research of best practices that promote a safe and healthy

environment.

10. Nurses must be supported in advocating for and implementing environmental health

principles in

nursing practice.
ENVIRONMENTALHEALTH

Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to

a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It, encompasses the assessment

and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted

towards preventing disease and 'creating health supportive environments.

This definition excludes behaviour not related to environment, as well as behaviour related

to the social and cultural environment and genetics. World Health Organization

Environmental health and protection refers to protection against environmental factors

‘that may adversely impact human health or the ecological balances essential to long-term

human health and environmental quality, whether in the natural or man-made

environment. Environmental Health is the field of science that studies how the

environment influences human health and disease. Environmental health comprises.

Aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical,

chemical, biological social and psychosocial factors in the environmental so refers to the

theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing those factors in the

environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of the present and future

generations. Natural and built environment that may affect human health Environmental

health is that branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the
COMPONENITS 0F ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The components of environmental health describe the areas of environmental health and

hygiene that will be of importance to you as a health worker and that of your community.

Description Concerns

1. Personal hygiene: Hygiene of body and clothing

2. Water supply: Adequacy safety (chemical bacteriological physical) of water for

domestic, drinking and recreational use

3. Human waste disposal: Proper excreta disposal and liquid waste management

4. Solid waste management: Proper application if storage, collection, disposal of waste.

Waste production and recycling

5. Vector control: Control of mammals (such as rats) and arthropods (insects such as

flies and other creatures such as mites) that transmit disease.

6. Food hygiene: Food safety and Wholesomeness in its production storage,

preparation, distribution and sale, until consumption.

7. Healthful housing: Physiological needs, protection against disease and accidents,

psychological and social comforts in residential and recreational areas.

8. Institutional hygiene: Communal hygiene in school’s prisons, health facilities,

refugee camps, detention homes and settlement areas.

9. Water pollution: sources, characteristics, impact and mitigation

10. Occupational hygiene: Hygiene and safety in the workplace

THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSES IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Environmental health is a part of public health where the primary goal is preventing

disease and promoting people’s health. Environmental health is associated with

recognizing, assessing, understanding and controlling the impacts of people on their

environment and the impacts of the environment on the public.

The role of the environmental health worker in collaboration with other health workers

and relevant agencies, therefore, includes the following functions of public health:

1. Improving human health and protecting, it from environmental hazards.

2. Developing liaison between the community and the local authority, and between the

local and higher levels of administration.

3. Acting independently to provide advice on environmental health matters: designing and

Developing plans of action for environmental health.

4. Initiating and implementing health / hygiene, sanitation and environmental programs to

promote understanding of environmental health principles.

5. Enforcing environmental legislation.

6. Monitoring and evaluating environmental health activities, programs and projects.

THE FOUR BASIC ENVIRONMENT ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR A HEALTHY SURVIVAL

Air Clean air

Water Safe and sufficient water

Food Safe and adequate food

Shelter Safe and peaceful settlements / Stable global environment.