Center To Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice

• Which event did you select to attend? Why?
• How did this event build on your knowledge from prior courses and experiences? 
• What most surprised or impressed you about the event? Why?
• How will you incorporate this new knowledge into your care of patients?

I have chosen to attend the interprofessional Knowledge Exchange event presented by UNE’s Planetary Health Council (PHC) team. This presentation called, Exposing Forever Chemicals: PFAS Contamination in Maine, seemed interesting to me because I am from Falmouth, Maine and I always love to learn new ways to help improve our lovely state. I chose this event because the environment is always changing and plays a role in our overall well-being, so knowing how to help the earth will ultimately benefit our health. I have always been aware of the many different crops that are grown in Aroostic Country because that is where my parents are from. My grandfather grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Frenchville, Maine. I also know some of the dangers of pollution and its risks to human health. 

After watching this event I have learned so much about Maine’s environmental health. A few things that surprised me the most are that PFAS, a harmful chemical within the farms, was mostly from farmers in the 1980s and 90s. This chemical can contaminate water, soil, livestock, and crops therefore affecting food safety and work environments for the farmers. This was surprising to me because things we are doing now within the environment can have detrimental effects 40+ years down the line. Maine is the first state that is providing testing, emergency relief, and risk reduction for PFAS. I hope to use this knowledge when caring for patients from the county or Maine in general. Occupation can affect a person’s health and knowing about this harmful chemical can alter our plan of care. I will keep nutrition and diet in mind along with where they get their food when obtaining a health history of my patient.