Representing Iowa at national clean air advocacy.

Thirteen Registered Nurses from thirteen states were sponsored by American Nurses Association and several other organizations along with many concerned citizens from all 50 states to go to Washington DC from May 2-4th to speak on clean healthy air and health problems related to polluted air.

Betty Lord Dinan represented the Iowa Nurses Association (there are over 45,000 nurses in Iowa) and American Nurses Association (there are over 3.1 million nurses in this country).

In total, there were around 150 committed people who gathered together to share their stories on healthy air and what inspired them to take time to go to speak to their legislators. It is now known that asthma and other lung diseases are on the increase; and that the quality of air is being affected by pollutants being injected into the air from a variety of industrial and other related situations.

Nurses from all types of work settings have cared for patients with asthmatic and chronic lung diseases; it can happen in a pediatric setting, emergency room, a clinic, at the local hospital, at home with the Public Health nurse, in school with the School Nurse assisting, in a long term care facility as the nurse cares for the elderly; in almost any setting, any specialty. To be there to assist someone when they are gasping for air; to be able to assess and then help them breathe more easily is always a nursing challenge and a good feeling when the patient is pass the respiratory crisis.

There are many families who have had a relative or friend who has experienced some type of asthmatic or breathing problem. But as citizens, do we know what a safe air quality level is? Where we can find this information? What can we each do to keep our air safe and clean and healthy? Did you know each county and each state has information on these levels as well as safe water levels? Can we do something to encourage our legislators to make sure we have safe air and safe water for our children and our citizens now and in the future?

For more information about the activities of the visit, please go to http://earthjustice.org/50states/betty-lord-dinan

Betty Lord-Dinan RN

704 N. Main Street

Elkader, Iowa 52043