Course Title: Pediatric Environmental Health
Campus Course Code: NURS 4336
Campus: UT Tyler
Program: Non-Program
Course Description
The course introduces the student to potential health effects in children from exposures to chemical and physical agents from indoor and outdoor environments. The course covers specific agents such as lead and mercury, a wide variety of organic chemicals such as solvents, pesticides and air pollutants, and molds. Content also includes potential health hazards from many of the “environments” that a child experiences, including home, day-care centers, pre-schools, playgrounds and parks, and elementary and secondary schools. Emphasis is placed on the special susceptibility of children at various ages. The format is reading assignments, summaries of significant points, discussion boards, group projects, and student problem-solving exercises or case scenarios. Undergraduates are to serve as peer reviewers of graduate student term papers in a term paper discussion board. Lead instructor: Larry K. Lowry, PhD, UTHCT with physician guest instructors.
Goals
The goals of the course are:
- To raise the level of nursing student's knowledge of the potential impact of the child’s environment on their health
- To meet the needs for environmental health education for pediatric healthcare providers as outlined in the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) report available at ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/7166/7166.pdf
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify the special susceptibilities of children to environmental exposures
- Understand issues in the indoor environment that impact children’s health
- Understand issues in the outdoor environment that impact children’s health
- Understand the special role the school environment plays in children’s health
- Explain issues of lead and mercury exposures in children and their impact on health
- Understand how physical agents in the environment can impact children’s health
- Explain how molds and other triggers impact respiratory health in an asthmatic child
- Understand the special role that a school nurse plays in children’s health
Course Competencies
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Computer-Based Skills: Participants will use a variety of skills in the online environment.
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Communication skills: Participants will use a variety of communication skills in communicating their opinions, findings, expertise, and knowledge about various course topics to other participants and the instructor.
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Interpersonal skills: Participants will work as a group to research and address objectives in at least three modules.
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Problem Solving (Critical Thinking): Participants will use conceptual thinking, creativity, and innovation in developing and presenting their responses to each Module’s assignments.
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Ethical Issues in Decision Making and Behavior: Participants will demonstrate ethical behavior in obtaining information and in documenting referenced material used in assignments.
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Personal Accountability for Achievement: Participants will complete assignments according to the designated schedule and will participate in discussions in a timely manner.
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Competence in Technology Principles: Participants will apply course concepts to their own area(s) of technology expertise and will incorporate as well their understanding of course concepts as they affect work force education in general.
Materials
Visit the Bookstores page for links to campus bookstores that provide information on course materials.
Prerequisites: The course is open to students who have completed at least two years of study in the allied health professions, as well as graduates from two-year undergraduate programs including school nurses and practicing allied health professionals.
Credits:3
Level:Undergraduate
Faculty
Larry Lowry
larry.lowry@uthct.edu
903-877-5717