Down on the farm : rural children's health and injury prevention : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 100 accidental deaths involving children or adolescents occur annually on farms in the United States (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001, p. 1). Dangers that the agricultural environment poses to children are recognized; however, current efforts to reduce risk are insufficient. Children are injured and killed through falls, drownings, and most commonly, incidents involving tractors and other farm machinery. The purposes of this project were to 1) review pertinent literature, 2) identify deficits in knowledge 3) identify barriers to taking risk reducing actions, 4) identify available resources, and 5) share information through a poster presentation tailored to those at risk. An additional purpose was to identify roles and responsibilities of the nurse.The data revealed that government regulations are not sufficient in coverage or inadequately enforced, and educational efforts, though successful in helping the target populations acquire knowledge, are not evaluated in regard to implementation of knowledge and decreased incident of injury. Nurses, as trusted health care providers, are in an excellent position to educate and advocate on behalf of their rural clientele and must become more active in the future to raise awareness about this issue. In conclusion, nurses and those in the rural community need to promote farm safety through enhanced education, evaluation, and legislative advocacy.