Environmental health and nursing: An interdisciplinary experience in education, research and practice

Current society is experiencing a change of paradigms, while it seeks to overcome a crisis of multiple causes. It is generated by increasing problems, mainly related to environmental pollution, degradation of natural resources, poverty, misery, hunger, criminality, violence and unemployment, among other problems. In this perspective, the importance of protecting the existing natural resources in the World is highlighted, preserving the terrestrial biota and offering better life and health conditions. The importance of environmental factors in human health, although already highlighted by Hippocrates in 400 years b.C., gained importance in the last century.  Due to the valorization of the adverse health effects caused by the presence of toxic pollutants in air, soil, water and aliments, leading to risks of exposure to biological, chemical/toxic and physical agents, present in many situations of contemporary life, concern has increased. Due to this new development pattern and more and more complex health risks, nurses need to be familiar with the environmental issues that affect human health, searching for new approaches, starting from the education process, as well as in researches and community services. This paper reports an experience in nursing education, research and practice in Brazil, at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, from the start, in 1995, with the creation of the Environmental Health Laboratory and Research Line. Its staff researches different aspects of environmental health, such as: Health Care Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste Management, Water and Soil Quality, Wastewater, Chemical and Microbiological Pollutants and their relation to public health. The activities developed are based in interdisciplinary practices, searching for partnerships with several professionals, public health and environmental sectors. The work is guided at building practices in teaching, research and community services, with different environmental health concerns.
Keywords: Environmental health nursing; interdisciplinary research and education experience.