Abstract
This issue of Workplace Health & Safety contains a Continuing Nursing Education Module on “Methylmercury Exposure in Women of Childbearing Age and Children” 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 at http://www.aaohn.org by November 2018;(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:
Describe causes and consequences of methylmercury exposure in women of childbearing age and children.
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.
Hearing and sight impairments and numbness in the extremities Decreased IQ Weight loss and diminished appetite Elevated blood pressure
Atmospheric mercury accumulates in the sediment of aquatic systems after it falls to earth in rain or snow. Bacteria in sediment convert mercury to MeHg. Burning fossil fuel creates atmospheric mercury. All of the above
It is essential to wash/clean fish thoroughly to remove the mercury It must be cooked completely, preferably by grilling or frying, to remove the mercury It is not removed by cleaning or cooking None of the above; mercury accumulates in fat
After several people in a Japanese fishing village died from mercury exposure Based on studies of thousands of people surveyed in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003-2006 When they discovered people ate fish that had died from mercury poisoning After a few babies, whose mothers ate tainted fish, were born with low birth weight
Through skin absorption Through vapor inhalation Through ingestion None of the above
An adult’s brain is more susceptible to MeHg than a fetal brain. Levels of MeHg in fetal blood have been found to be higher than in mother’s blood. MeHg crosses the placenta and enters the fetal blood. Mercury can cause developmental disruptions resulting in teratogenic effects and premature death.
Daily exposure limits that are unlikely to cause harmful effects throughout a lifetime Lifetime exposure limits of harmful substances Also known as consumption advisories Based on exact science
The nutritional benefits of fish far exceed the risk of mercury exposure. The risk of mercury exposure means that no pregnant women should eat any fish. Benefits of eating fish exceed risk in some fish such as trout, herring, and Atlantic salmon. Only fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (shark, swordfish) are contaminated with mercury, so there is no risk eating other species.