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Careers in Biomedical

Technology

Objective 3

Environmental careers, resources,

and hazards

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Objective Content

A. Nutritional Services

B. Environmental

Control

C. Other Support

Service Personnel

D. Environmental

Resources and

Hazards

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A. Nutrition Services

Career Ladder

Dietician

Nutritionist

Dietary Technician

Dietetic Assistant

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Dietician

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree

Job Tasks:

• Plan nutrition programs for

both sick and healthy people

• Provide counseling and

education for their clients or

patients with a goal of improving

both their nutritional and overall health status

• Works as a member of the health care team in many different types

of settings

For more information go to: http://gahec.org/nchc/default-old.htm

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Nutritionist Also known as ―Public Health Nutritionist‖

Job Tasks:

• Counseling and making recommendations to individuals and whole

communities

• Typically work on education programs for adults and children to

teach practical ways to prevent disease and improve health

• May also specialize in clinical settings and focus on areas such as

pediatrics, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.

Educational Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree

For more information go to:

http://gahec.org/nchc/default-old.htm

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Dietary Technician

Educational Requirements:

• Associates Degree

Job Tasks:

• Extends and supports the

work of the dietician’s role

• Works under the supervision of a

dietician

• Plans menus and supervises

preparation of meals

For more information go to: http://gahec.org/nchc/default-old.htm

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Dietetic Assistant

Educational Requirements:

• No formal education required

• On-the-job training

Job Tasks:

• Works under the supervision of a

dietician

and/or dietary technician

• Prepares food, assists in

distributing food trays

to patient areas

• Maintains safe, clean food

preparation areas

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Weight Reduction Specialist

Is one of the specialty area

that a nutritionist could

choose to specialize in.

Their job is to counsel

obese patients using dietary

and activity guidelines.

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B. Environmental Control

Environmental

Engineer

Health and Regulatory

Inspectors

Sanitarian

Career Ladder

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Video: Environmental Protection Careers

http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com

Environmental Engineer

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Environmental Engineer

Educational Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree

Salary Range:

$43,180.00 - $106,230.00

Job Tasks:

• Design, plan, or perform engineering

duties in the prevention, control, and

remediation of environmental health hazards

• Work may include waste treatment, site

remediation, or pollution control technology

• Usually works within industry as a consultant to industry

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Health and Regulatory Inspectors

and Sanitarians Educational Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree

Job Duties:

• Collect, synthesize, study, report, and take action based on data

derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water,

and other sources

• Manage environmental health problems and promote public

awareness of the need to prevent and eliminate environmental

health hazards

• Conduct inspections and take enforcement actions for

environmental health laws and regulations

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Health and Regulatory Inspectors

and Sanitarians Areas of Specialization:

- Air and Industrial Hygiene - Child-Care Centers - Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention - Environmental Management - Food, Lodging and Institutions - Food Protection - Migrant Housing - On-Site Wastewater - Private Wells - Public Swimming Pools - Tattoos - Water Resource

- Others

For more information go to: http://gahec.org/nchc/default-old.htm

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Health and Regulatory Inspectors

and Sanitarians set and enforce

standards concerning their area of

specialization.

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Video: Food Safety

http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com

Great Books: The Jungle

Skills for Healthy Living: Playing It Safe

Food Safety

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C. Other Support Service

Personnel

Career Ladder

For more information go to:

http://gahec.org/nchc/default-old.htm

Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical Equipment

Technician

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Biomedical Engineer

Educational Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree

Areas of Specialization:

1. Clinical Engineering - the biomedical engineer designs and maintains diagnostic and health care delivery systems

2. Medical Engineering - the biomedical engineer develops artificial organs and limbs, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, pacemakers, and imaging equipment

3. Research and Design

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Video: Biomedical Engineers

http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com

Emerging Careers: Biotechnology

Occupations

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Biomedical Equipment Technician

Educational Requirements:

Associates Degree

Job Tasks:

• Install, operate, repair, and maintain equipment such as

X-ray machines, incubators, electronic thermometers,

dental equipment, cardiac pressure monitors, and

sterilizers

• Instructs other health care personnel in the correct use

of the equipment and assists in the evaluation of new

devices

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Central Service Technician

Educational Requirements:

No formal education required

On-the-job training

Job Tasks:

• Include sterilizing, assembling and cleaning

diagnostic and surgical equipment

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D. Environmental Resources and

Hazards – Related Terminology

1. Biosphere

2. Ecosystems (ecology)

3. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

4. Diseases and health conditions linked to

environment:

a. Emphysema

b. Lead Poisoning

c. Carbon monoxide poisoning

d. Lung Cancer

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• Biosphere -The biosphere is simply "life on Earth"—the sum total, that is, of all living things on Earth.

• Ecosystems (ecology)-

An ecosystem is a complete

community of living organisms

and the nonliving materials

of their surroundings.

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A young tapir searching for food. This

species is threatened by loss of habitat

and over-hunting for food.

The balancing of development

with conservation is the most

important challenge in

developing countries.

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•Environmental Protection Agency\

The federal agency responsible for setting

and regulating the standards for the

environment.

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Diseases and health conditions linked

to environment:

Emphysema – a chronic lung disorder characterized

by the inability to exhale normally due to collapsed

and stiffened alveoli. Symptoms include shortness of

breath, fatigue, barrel chest and clubbed fingers. It can be

caused or worsened by air pollution as well as smoking.

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Lead Poisoning

caused by increased

levels of the lead in the

blood. Lead may cause

irreversible neurological

damage as well as renal

disease, cardiovascular

effects, and

reproductive toxicity.

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Some of the places lead is found in are paint,

leaded gasoline, old brass water pipes and lead

mines.

Government

programs have

helped reduce lead

poisoning in the

population by

regulating the

amount of lead in

paints and gasoline

additives.

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• Carbon monoxide poisoning- Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect.

Symptoms of mild poisoning include

headaches,vertigo, and flu-like

effects; larger exposures can

lead to significant toxicity of the

central nervous system,and heart,

even death.

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Sources of carbon monoxide exposure:

House fires, faulty furnaces, heaters, or

wood-burning stoves, motor vehicle exhaust,

propane-fueled equipment such as kitchen

and portable camping stoves, and gasoline

powered tools such as leaf blowers, lawn

mowers, high-pressure washers, concrete

cutting saws, power trowels, and welders.

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck can

expose the riders to carbon monoxide from the

truck exhaust pipe.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Boys' deaths determined to be from carbon monoxide

The Medial

Examiner's Office has

determined that

carbon monoxide

poisoning was the

cause of the deaths of

two brothers on

Monday.

Twelve-year-old Parker

and 14-year-old Jules

Baudin were found dead

in their home in Florida.

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• Lung Cancer – is the

mutation of lung cell

cycles that can be

caused by initiated by

environmental

exposures.

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Environmental Exposures

Linked to Lung Cancer

• Radon – an naturally occurring gas that is emitted as uranium decays in the soil.

• Asbestos – used to insulate homes built prior to 1970, if left alone is considered safe. Certified contractors should supervise removal if remodeling or destruction of building containing asbestos is considered.

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Environmental Exposures

Linked to Lung Cancer

• Air pollution – it is uncertain exactly what the

correlation is but there is a 10% higher incidence

rate of lung cancer in urban areas compared to

rural areas.

• Industrial chemicals – always read warning

labels and use personal protective equipment as

indicated if working with known carcinogens.

Employers are required to notify employees of

all known hazards in the workplace.

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Environmental Exposures

Linked to Lung Cancer Radiation exposure - Exposure to medical radiation to the

chest for other cancers, for example Hodgkin’s lymphoma

or breast cancer, can increase the risk of lung cancer,

although the benefits of treatment usually far outweigh this

risk.

•Second hand smoke - Secondhand smoke increases the

risk of lung cancer in an exposed nonsmoker two- to-

three-fold times. It is currently felt to be responsible for

1.6% of lung cancers in the United States.

http://lungcancer.about.com/od/causesoflungcance1/a/envirocause.htm

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End of Objective 3

Describe environmental careers, resources

and hazards.