A school nurse works in a rural agricultural community. The main crop is rice. Every year after harvesting the rice, the local farmers burn their rice fields. The school nurse notes a significant...

A school nurse works in a rural agricultural community. The main crop is rice. Every year after harvesting the rice, the local farmers burn their rice fields. The school nurse notes a significant increase in absences during this period for respiratory problems, especially asthma. She notes that even the teachers have increasing respiratory problems. She believes that the respiratory problems are aggravated by the burning rice fields. She mentions her concerns about the relationship between the fields burning and increased respiratoryrelated illnesses to the school principal. He responds that while it may be true, the local farmers control the local community—without them, the community would collapse. He states that kids and adults will just have to adjust.

a. What can the nurse do to find out if the burning rice fields are a threat to the health of children and adults in the local area? (What data should be gathered, what literature should be reviewed, to whom should she talk?)

b. What steps should she take to increase interest in addressing this problem?

c. What agencies, organizations, and groups should she contact?