Chaudry Rosemary Valedes
The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Public Health Nurs. 2008 May-Jun;25(3):261-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2008.00703.x.
The Precautionary Principle posits that, in the absence of certainty, the appropriate course of action is to err on the side of caution. The Principle has been applied to decision making and policy development related to environmental health issues both internationally and in the United States. The American Public Health Association and the American Nurses Association (ANA) have issued policy statements that invoke the Precautionary Principle, and the Principle has been incorporated into statements that describe the practice of public health nursing. Nursing has always recognized the relationship of the environment with the health of humans--individuals, families, populations, and communities (ANA). The increasing attention to the Precautionary Principle comes at a time of redefinition of the field of public health, environmental public health, and the practice of public health nursing. Thus, it is crucial that practicing public health nurses understand the Precautionary Principle and its relevance to the practice of public health, public health nursing, and the current and future health individuals, families, populations, and communities.
预防原则假定，在存在不确定性的情况下，适当的行动方针是宁可过于谨慎。该原则已在国际上和美国应用于与环境卫生问题相关的决策制定和政策制定。美国公共卫生协会和美国护士协会（ANA）已发布援引预防原则的政策声明，并且该原则已被纳入描述公共卫生护理实践的声明中。护理行业一直认识到环境与人类健康——个人、家庭、人群和社区（美国护士协会）之间的关系。在公共卫生、环境公共卫生以及公共卫生护理领域重新定义之际，对预防原则的关注度日益提高。因此，至关重要的是，从事公共卫生护理工作的护士要理解预防原则及其与公共卫生实践、公共卫生护理以及当前和未来个人、家庭、人群和社区健康的相关性。
