Education of Nursing Students on Heat-Related Illness First Aid

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Jessica Brady (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Agricultural workers have disproportionately greater risk of death from heat-related illnesses (HRIs). Due to climate change, extreme temperature events around the globe are increasing in frequency, duration, and magnitude. Farmworkers in the US lack knowledge on HRI first aid, yet most work in rural areas with increased emergency service response times. Nurses are trusted and make up most of the health workforce\; therefore, could have a pivotal role in climate action, including HRI first aid education. \n\n To reduce HRI morbidity and mortality among farmworkers, we aim to increase registered nurse (RN) students’ and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) students’ knowledge about HRI in a Georgia farmworker population. \n\nA cross-sectional, educational train-the-trainer intervention study will be conducted in the summer of 2022. We will invite 30 RN and 25 APRN students who attend a farmworker family health program to participate. The intervention includes a 1-hr HRI presentation and provision of a tool kit, containing educational handouts. After the training, each student can share the information and handouts with up to 300 migrant farmworkers during the two-week program. Student HRI knowledge will be measured using a pre-/post-test and analyzed using paired t-tests. \n\nThrough tailored education, nurses can help prevent farmworker HRI. This project will strengthen a subset of the nursing workforce to respond to public health emergencies from climate change, aligning with one of the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

Heat-related illness, Nursing students, Train-the-trainer

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