Environmental Risk Factors: The role of oncology nurses in assessing and reducing the risk for exposure

Response to the Supplement to the October 2020 Issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing

The Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing has always been and continues to be my textbook-even as a retired oncology nurse. It has always fed my passion. So, after reading the supplement to the October 2020 issue on prevention, I asked myself what could I do with this information? Having worked at the bedside for many years, how would I use this information? How could I incorporate prevention information in my daily interactions with patients and families?

The Nightingale Legacy

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife to mark the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. This celebration honors her work and impact on the nursing profession-one of engagement and advocacy for public health. Nightingale's Notes on Nursing (1860) illustrated her observations of social determinants for health wellness and illness. She championed efforts for community access to clean water and public sanitization and emphasized the importance of nutrition and hygiene on healing and wellness. Her calls for action still resonate with enduring worldwide healthcare shortcomings, which contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality.