News from Groups

During the spring of 2019, the New Brunswick Environmental Network Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative Team Nurses, invited registered nurses (RNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) to respond to a brief survey on nursing and environmental health. The survey was disseminated through the Nurses Association of New Brunswick’s electronic bulletin. Members who received the bulletin were able to click on a link that took them directly to the survey found on the Children’s Environmental Health webpage.

The survey results were as follows:

Nineteen nurses responded (18 English and 1 French).

17 respondents shared that they were not prepared to address environmental health concerns as a RN or that they had ‘limited knowledge’ in environmental health. 2 respondents stated that they knew of good resources to refer to patients, including the New Brunswick Lung Association, federal government websites and resources from the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing (Fredericton campus).

All 19 respondents shared that they were given little or no time to even consider environmental health concerns in their clinical practice; that there was a lack or readily available resources related to environmental health in their work place; and /or that they perceived the employer did not have environmental health as a priority for them as a RN employee.

Additionally, all 19 respondents stated that they’d like short educational webinars and tools to learn about the environment as it relates to health, including electronic links to print off or share
with patients and/or colleagues.

For further information and to learn more about Team Nurses or the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative please contact nben@nben.ca or visit the Collaborative's home page.