Forensic Nursing Chronicles

I agree strongly with the author of this article that pesticides are poison. After all, pesticides are used to kill bugs on crops, bugs around the home, business, school, etc. It seems to me that despite the fact that these bugs and insects are much smaller than the average human, we should still proceed with caution when it comes to exposing ourselves and our pets or wildlife to the chemicals. Educating the general public on topics such as this seems to be the first step in getting the word out about possible health risks and side-effects.
I believe a key population effected by exposure to pesticides is pregnant mothers and their unborn babies. This should be an area of concern for nurses because educating patients on the risks of exposure is key in preventing possible birth defects. Patients need reliable information regarding pesticides so that they can make an educated decision regarding the health and wellness of their family. For example, many states in the United States have either the Black Widow Spider or the Brown Recluse Spider. Both of these spiders have a bite that can cause serious side-effects and even death in small children or the immunocompromised. Many families with small children may wish to exterminate the insects around their homes to keep their families from being bitten. However, many people do not understand the potential hazards in using pesticides in and around the home. Proper patient education from nurses or health care providers could help families to make educated decisions regarding the health and well-being of their families.

This entry was posted on August 16, 2006 at 1:12 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.