title: A nursing conceptual model for contamination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To propose a nursing model of contamination that describes the key features of contamination at a level of abstraction needed for clinical decision making.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant literature on contamination, biopreparedness, and classic epidemiologic literature were reviewed and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A model of contamination was created along with a description of benefits of use in practice, education, and research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nursing profession is called to respond to contamination incidents on a local, national, and global level. Achieving optimum health outcomes while managing contamination incidents is enhanced by nurses' use of a model that incorporates six elements to identify and name instances of contamination and select suitable outcomes and interventions.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Allied Health, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Pauline M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Laura V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Polk
mesh_terms: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D016294:Models, Nursing
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants