Final answer:
The priority activity for a community health nurse leading an environmental task force is to conduct a community needs assessment. It's crucial in identifying local health problems and informing subsequent actions such as education campaigns, waste disposal policies, and business partnerships.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first activity a community health nurse should direct an environmental task force to complete is to conduct a community needs assessment. This is because understanding the specific needs and challenges of the community is essential before developing targeted interventions. Environmental health is about preventing diseases by reducing exposure to harmful conditions and promoting behavioral change, which requires a thorough understanding of the local context. A needs assessment will identify and define the critical problems, barriers of health, and determine the appropriate strategies for sustainable health education and disease prevention interventions leading to better outcomes.
Environmental health risks can be grouped into traditional and modern hazards, and each community may face a unique set of these. By conducting a robust assessment, the task force can categorize these risks and prioritize which issues need urgent attention. Moreover, the assessment will inform the development of an effective environmental health education campaign, guide the implementation of effective waste disposal policies, and help establish meaningful partnerships with local businesses.