Interview with Marina Drean, trainer at the Pontivy Health Professionals Training Institute (IFPS)
Health-environment is a new subject, how do you appropriate it?
At first it was a complicated subject to integrate: new notions and parallelisms to create with other courses. It takes time, but, little by little, the appropriation is made. No training as such was foreseen trainers.
I am the relay between the regional health agency (ARS) Brittany and the IFPS and participate in a working group on health and the environment. This activity allows me to familiarize myself with this topic and facilitates the transmission, both for the creation of educational content and for informing and supporting my colleagues on this topic.
How does health-environment integrate into IFPS Pontivy lessons?
Depending on the level, this teaching takes different forms. For example, health-environment is part of a training activity in the nursing and risk management unit. for 1st year nursing students. An introductory module on ‘what environmental health is’ is planned using the videos and educational tools available on the Brittany Regional Environmental Health Plan website1.
This teaching is part of a health promotion approach while remaining connected to the management of risks related to the nursing profession. It is a balance to be found to allow students to then be able to accompany the people they will work with.
Are there opportunities for specialization in the field?
It’s still too early to tell. Some nursing students will be able to explore this topic further if they pursue a master’s degree in public health.
However, we observe that this theme arouses interest and debate when it is introduced in the classroom, especially with tools such as video or serious game.
It’s an interesting topic because what we learn about it affects us professionally, but also personally, like the chemicals we use or the quality of our indoor air.
