Abstract
This issue of Workplace Health & Safety contains a Continuing Nursing Education Module for 1.0 contact hour of continuing nursing education credit will be awarded by AAOHN upon successful completion of the posttest and evaluation.
A certificate will be awarded when the following requirements are met by the participant: (1) Participant logs on to the AAOHN LMS website at www.aaohn.org/education/online-learning-center and enrolls in the course ($10 members; $15 non-members); (2) The completed posttest and course evaluation are entered online at http://www.aaohn.org by December 2023; (3) A score of 75% (6 correct answers) is achieved by the participant.
Upon completion of this lesson, the occupational health nurse will be able to:
● List factors that lead to heat-related illness (HRI) in North Carolina farmworkers.
● Understand why chronic dehydration among farmworkers increases the risk of chronic kidney disease.
● Delineate the social, environmental, and physical barriers to adequate hydration during and after the workday among farmworkers in North Carolina.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is an Approved Provider of continuing nursing education by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is additionally approved as a CNE provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (#CEP9283).
Contact hours received for successful completion of the posttest and evaluation may be used for relicensure, certification, and re-certification.
From 2000 to 2010 in the United States, agricultural workers were ______ times likely to die from HRI than all workers in other industries. (Fill in the blank) 25 50 35 90
According to Lambar & Thomas (2019), North Carolina has a disproportionately higher: Death rate from heat related illness among farmworkers Number of female farmworkers Number of farmworkers who come from Central America Number of days of low humidity and temperatures below 70 degrees F.
This study revealed many farmworkers reached the recommended Heat Threshold Limit Values (or TLVs) by 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. in the morning and continue to work. On the federal level, there are occupational safety and health standards that address heat-related illness based on these TLVs. True or False
Factors that increase the risk of heat related illness in North Carolina farmworkers include: A warm and humid environment Performing exertional labor Working 62–75 hours per day Working under direct sunlight a, b, and d only All the above
The purpose of this study was to: Examine whether exposure to nicotine and tobacco increased the risk of HRI in Latino farmworkers in North Carolina Explore how sociocultural and occupational factors and environmental heat stress influence fluid intake and hydration status among Latino farmworkers in North Carolina Describe the physiological mechanisms of chronic kidney disease among Latino farmworkers in North Carolina Develop a comprehensive protocol for legislation designed to prevent heat related illness (HRI) in farmworkers across the United States.
Wet Blub Globe Temperature measurements were performed to assess the farmworker’s microclimate. The Wet Blub Globe Temperature was used because it: Accounted for the relative wetness of the ground after rainfalls Accounted for the metabolic increase in sweating related to humidity Accounted for the environmental impacts of locally grown tobacco and pesticides Accounted for temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover
In addition to “clean catch” first morning void urine samples and urine specimen collection at the end of their shifts, participants in this study: Reported fluid intake, quantity, type, frequency, and timing via a valid and reliable questionnaire called the Beverage Intake Assessment Questionnaire Completed a demographic survey offered in Spanish Estimated their own urine specific gravity and reported it to the researchers All the above a & b only
Preshift, no farmworkers were considered significantly dehydrated. Postshift, Specific gravity of the urine collected was not significantly different from the pre-shift result 100% of the participants showed an increase in specific gravity at the end of the shift in comparison to the pre-shift level Farmworkers increased their water intake significantly, somewhat blunting the effect of high temperatures and exertional effort during the shift There was a strong negative correlation between the average number of hours worked per day and the post shift urine specific gravity
Using content analysis, two main themes emerged: Absence of protection, further defined by two subthemes: Intense climate considerations and workplace exploitation and Freedom to drink, further defined by two subthemes: Distance and distaste of water and the culture of farm work. Farmworkers reported: Extreme outdoor temperatures were a barrier to fluid intake while working Poor compliance with occupational health and safety policies Water was stored too far away and tasted bad Substandard housing conditions which did not contribute to rehydration post shift All the above
According to Polo et al. (2020), recurrent dehydration may cause irreversible kidney damage. The hypothesized physiological mechanism is: Dehydration causes inflammation triggering vasopressin and aldose reductace-fructokinase pathways resulting in tubular injury Frequent intake of sugary beverages causes Type 2 Diabetes and kidney and heart disease High temperatures cause the release of glucose from the cells and lead to massive atherosclerosis None of the above