Identifying health and safety risks for childcare workers.

Childcare workers are exposed to several health and safety risks in their work environment, the most common being infectious diseases, musculoskeletal injuries, accidents, and occupational stress. Pregnant childcare workers have an additional risk of potential harm to the fetus. Occupational health nurses can work collaboratively with childcare workers to reduce these risks and provide workplace health promotion programs. This article explores the occupational health and safety issues for childcare workers and suggests health promotion strategies that could be implemented by occupational health nurses working in this arena.     

Screening for and treating intimate partner violence in the workplace.

The WHO has declared that violence is a leading worldwide public health problem with intimate partner violence one of the most common forms of violence against women (2002). Health care providers are frequently among the first to see victims of intimate partner violence and must strive to provide appropriate and effective care to abused women. Violence by intimate partners can be prevented. Occupational health nurses have a unique opportunity to intervene with abused women. Routine screening for intimate partner violence increases the likelihood of violence identification, leading to early intervention that may prevent trauma and injury. Occupational health nurses can foster a caring and confidential workplace where abused women feel safe to disclose the violence in their lives and trust that the nurse will provide treatment. A safe and healthy workplace, where abused women feel comfortable disclosing intimate partner violence and seeking treatment may also protect coworkers from the stress and violence that may potentially affect them. Occupational health nurses need to add screening for and treatment of intimate partner violence to their current health promotion and prevention activities to benefit all employees.     

Smoking cessation programs in the workplace. Review and recommendations for occupational health nurses

The worksite offers occupational health nurses unique opportunities to assist workers in their smoking cessation efforts. For nurses to be effective in this endeavor, they must be knowledgeable about the various quit smoking strategies that have met with some success. Based on the review of the research, there is no "magic bullet" to offer smokers who want to quit. Occupational health nurses have an opportunity, therefore, to use multiple approaches and design programs to fit the specific needs of the smokers in their practice. Published reports of nurses' involvement in workplace smoking cessation programs are sparse. It is crucial that occupational health nurses spearhead smoking cessation efforts at the workplace and communicate the results of these enterprises.     

Environmental justice: implications for occupational health nurses.

Through the use of innovative tools, such as clinical mnemonics, exercises in risk and asset mapping, and strategic program development, occupational health nurses can incorporate dimensions of environmental justice (EJ) into the workplace. Occupational health nurses who also take on educational roles can use case studies and network with labor and EJ groups to provide clinical experiences for occupational and environmental health nursing students, thereby integrating EJ into occupational and environmental health nursing practice. Occupational health nurses are well positioned to serve as technical experts within community-based participatory research projects. Occupational health nurses must share their knowledge and experience as members of coalitions that represent workers in their fight for worker health and safety.     

Workplace violence in long haul trucking: occupational health nursing update.

Almost 2 million workdays and millions of dollars are lost annually because of non-fatal assaults suffered at the workplace (NIOSH, 1996). Twenty workers, on average, are murdered each week in the United States and an estimated 18,000 workers per week are victims of non-fatal assault (NIOSH, 2001). Violence and stress are two interrelated issues that affect the work force. In-depth studies of these issues have not been conducted with long haul truckers in general, or with women in non-traditional, male dominated fields such as the long haul trucking industry. Epidemiological data related to violence and stress experienced by these under-studied populations are needed to plan effective interventions to reduce occupational risks. Studies employing both qualitative and quantitative methods are needed to articulate risk and protective factors related to violence against workers (Runyan, 2001). Occupational health nurses are qualified to participate in the development and implementation of research and intervention studies to improve worker safety related to violence at the workplace for men and women in both traditional and non-traditional occupational roles.     

A remembrance of the past, an investment for the future.

Occupational health nursing has evolved from a single dimension practice into a complex role providing primary care, health maintenance, and disease prevention programs at the worksite. The focus of the 1990s will be on managed care, health care reform, and competition for resources. Occupational health nurses are in a strategic position to foster the objectives set forth in Healthy People 2000. Occupational health nurses must take the lead in the development and implementation of cost effective health care programs at the worksite. Occupational health nurses must communicate and demonstrate the nature and value of their contributions; demonstrate their competencies; and become knowledgeable in all areas of occupational health and safety. They must acknowledge that they are leaders in workplace health and safety.     

Workplace violence against K-12 teachers: implementation of preventive programs.

Decreasing both workplace and school violence needs to be a priority of individuals, families, communities, and workplaces for the effort to be successful. Key factors associated with school and workplace violence such as parental influences, school staff and police involvement, peer pressure, student influences such as drug and alcohol abuse and a preoccupation with weapons, and the mass media have all been identified as possible factors associated with violence against teachers. In addition, individual student characteristics such as gender, socioeconomic status, and a history of prior violence may play a role. However, none of these factors can be identified or singled out as the reason for violence. Violence against teachers occurs as a result of a combination of these factors. Understanding how these factors interact should be a goal of every community and school. Occupational health nurses have the unique opportunity to partner with communities, school nurses, and the school system to develop effective violence prevention programs. Working in schools is an area of expansion for occupational health nurses. They have the expertise to perform worksite assessments and to identify key areas of weakness throughout the facility. Their expertise in reviewing and analyzing workplace injury data and developing cost effectiveness analysis for proposed interventions is unique. Occupational health nurses also have the skills to network with school officials and other key stakeholders to develop interventions to impact the substantial implications of violence in the schools.     

Child day care arrangements and employee health.

With the changing demographics of the work force and predictions that two thirds of new job entrants will be female, it is vital that occupational health nurses develop programs to meet these changes to ensure the health and safety of the work force. Workers and their families can no longer be viewed as separate from the workplace. There is an interactive relationship between workers, their families, and their work. Child day care arrangements can positively or negatively affect all three domains. Available, affordable, accessible, and dependable child day care are only part of the answer for the child care crisis facing today's workers. The perception of the quality of the day care center seems to be a major factor affecting mothers in the work force. Occupational health nurses are in a pivotal position to assist workers in meeting the unique demands and challenges of the dual career family--including child day care--thus promoting a more productive, healthier, and safer work force.     

Chemical exposures in the workplace: effect on breast cancer risk among women.

Occupational health nurses need to be aware of the current science on breast cancer risks in the workplace because they are risk communicators for employees and their families. Occupational health nurses can serve as advocates for necessary research ultimately leading to risk reduction and prevention strategies in the workplace. Current research suggests exposure to organic solvents, metals, acid mists, sterilizing agents (ethylene oxide), some pesticides, light at night (shift work), and tobacco smoke increases breast cancer risk among women in occupational settings. Animal cancer bioassays conducted by the National Toxicology Program indicate more than 40 chemicals can induce mammary tumors, and most of these are still in production. A variety of occupations worldwide, including health care providers and metal, textile, dye, rubber, and plastic manufacturing workers, have been identified as having some evidence of higher breast cancer risk. Although some chemical exposures are suspected to affect breast cancer risk, estimates of or actual exposures to these chemicals in the workplace often have not been determined. Research needed to better identify breast cancer risks in occupational settings includes monitoring breast cancer incidence in occupations with exposures to suspected carcinogens, characterizing chemical exposures by job type and task, determining whether potential gender differences affect chemical exposures, and using molecular approaches to identify gene-environment interactions.     

Occupational safety and health objectives of Healthy People 2010: a systematic approach for occupational health nurses--Part II.

Occupational safety and health objectives 20.6 through 20.11 focus on reducing work-related assaults, lead exposure, skin diseases and disorders, needlestick injuries, and work-related, noise-induced hearing loss and promoting worksite stress reduction programs. Using the intervention strategies provided, occupational health nurses can play a key role in reducing workplace-related injury, disease, disability, and death. variety of resources pertaining to occupational health and safety from the federal, national, health care, nursing, and environmental realms can assist occupational health nurses in developing and implementing programs appropriate for their workplaces. Through the Healthy People 2010 occupational health and safety objectives, occupational health nurses have the opportunity to develop and implement workplace policies and programs promoting not only a safe and healthy work environment but also improved health and disease prevention. Occupational health nurses can implement strategies to increase quality and years of life and eliminate health disparities in the American work force.     

Managing asthma in the workplace: an overview for occupational health nurses.

Occupational health nurses are the ideal members of the workplace team to initiate disease management programs for chronic illnesses; asthma is just one disease for which occupational health nurses can make a difference. Employees win by improving their health and quality of life, having better control of a chronic health condition, simply feeling better, and using time off for vacation rather than sick days. Employers win by having healthier employees who are absent less often and more productive at work, and who cost the company less for their health care. Occupational health nurses are the key link in this cost saving, productivity enhancing chain. Being proactive in this disease management role clearly establishes occupational health nurses' value in their organization.     

Workplace homicides in Chicago. Risk factors from 1965 to 1990.

Using data from police records, this study examined risk factors related to 940 workplace homicides occurring in Chicago between 1965 and 1990. Black men were predominantly both victims (49%) and offenders (75%). The median age for victims was 42 years, but only 25 years for offenders. Women (40%) were more likely than men (6%) to be killed by intimates. Firearms were involved in 83% of all homicides, and robbery was the primary motive (62%). Workplace homicides occurred most frequently in taverns (22%). Alcohol use by tavern workers was involved in 48% of the homicides. Wide disparity in the number of workplace homicides occurred in Chicago's 77 community areas. Strategies to deter robbery and alcohol use, as well as to prevent domestic violence in the workplace, need to be implemented and evaluated. Occupational health nurses play a pivotal role in effective violence prevention.     

The meaning of occupational health among human resources professionals--a qualitative study.

The study findings provide clear rationale for employing occupational health nurses as specialists in understanding occupational health, particularly in the areas of information seeking (e.g., identifying health resources and best practices) and illness or disability management (e.g., managing complex cases and addressing psychosocial factors). Occupational health nurses can assist human resources professionals to direct their energies to administrative and cultural features within their organizations that impact the health of employees and that clearly fall within their realm of expertise (e.g., working to create a workplace climate of genuine concern for employees). Occupational health nurses can provide aggregate information on the health of the work force to strategically encourage, direct, and harness employer investments in workplace health. Finding ways to translate and communicate workplace health information so it is accessible and useable by employers to direct decision making is a key role for occupational health nurses.     

Training needs of managers in occupational mental health nursing field

Aim: In recent years, the mental health of workers has become a vital issue and the role of managers in occupational mental health promotion is now viewed as extremely important. In this study the training needs of managers with respect to occupational mental health were identified from the perspective of occupational health nurses, who are required to support managers in dealing with this complex problem. Methods: The subjects of the present study were 748 managers in a large public service enterprise who had taken part in training seminars on occupational mental health conducted from 2000 to 2001. In 2004 data were collected from written reports presented by occupational health nurses, which contained questions asked by the participants in the seminar. The content of 163 questions registered in the reports was coded and repeatedly classified based on the similarities between them, and five categories were eventually extracted. Results: The following categories were extracted: (i) basic knowledge of mental disorders; (ii) care for workers with mental disorders; (iii) workplace environment; (iv) mental health promotion; and (v) development of the workplace mental health management system. Conclusions: The managers targeted in this research showed great interest in promoting mental health in the workplace. It is necessary for occupational health nurses as health‐care professionals to cooperate with managers, comprehend their problems and concerns, and support them.     

Occupational stress and constructive thinking: health and job satisfaction

BACKGROUND: Occupational stress is associated with specific situations, characteristics of the work environment, and individual perceptions and reactions in the context of the workplace, but many nursing studies of occupational stress have tended to analyse aspects related to the job itself. In Brazil nursing is acknowledged as a stressful occupation whose stresses are generally associated with the job itself, while the effects of personal characteristics on an individual's response to occupational stress are dismissed. AIMS: The aim of this paper is to describe: (1) occupational stress, job satisfaction and state of health in Brazilian nurses, and (2) the relationship of these variables to a constructive thinking coping style. METHODS: A correlational study was performed during 1999 with 461 nurses recruited from the public health and education system in the Federal District of Brazil. Instruments used were the Nursing Stress Inventory, Constructive Thinking Inventory, subscales of the Occupational Stress Indicator, and a researcher-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: Normal distributions were found for occupational stress, state of health (physical and psychological), and job satisfaction. Results suggest that nurses have fewer psychological health problems and similar job satisfaction compared with other Brazilian government white-collar workers. Occupational stress was directly associated with state of health, and inversely associated with global constructive thinking and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Brazilian nurses in this study seem to have adapted satisfactorily to their profession, but the finding that constructive thinking was significantly related to psychological ill-health, occupational stress and physical ill-health highlights a need to value individual coping styles in the work environment.     

Generalized Public Health and Industrial Nurses Work Together

ABSTRACT Occupational health has been considered a subset of public health nursing for years. The first industrial or occupational health nurses were employed by large companies in the 1890s but the role evolved quickly in the early 20^th century. By mid-century, many large companies employed a physician and nurse(s) to provide examinations, screenings, episodic care, and trauma intervention for workers. Occupational health nurses faced different problems than community-based public health nurses in generalized nursing service. The intersection of public health and employee health was apparent, though, because large industries often constituted the main workplace for a smaller community and sickness could spread throughout a town if the occupational health nurse was not well-prepared in principles of infection control and health promotion. Excerpts from this July 1949 article about building relationship between public health and industrial nurses illustrate the benefits hoped for when they were formally connected to one another through cross-training and in-service education. The author, Margaret Schwem, was a supervisor at the Rensselaer County Department of Health in Troy, New York. In the original article, Schwem included a list of reference materials for those interested in public health and industrial nursing.     

急诊科护士工作场所暴力与职业紧张现状及其相关性分析

目的:探讨急诊科护士工作场所暴力与职业紧张之间的关系,为预防急诊科护士工作场所暴力提供理论依据。方法:采用医院工作场所暴力调查量表和职业紧张目录问卷对广州市5家急诊科护士进行调查。结果:80.2%的急诊科护士在过去一年中遭受过工作场所暴力,其中辱骂、威胁、身体攻击的发生率分别为77.6%、62.0%、22.3%。急诊科护士的职业紧张平均得分为296.62分,职业任务平均得分为132.08分,紧张反应平均得分为67.52分,应对资源平均得分为87.11分。影响工作场所暴力的职业紧张因素从大到小排列依次是工作环境、休闲应对资源、心理紧张反应、任务不适、躯体紧张反应、任务过重、任务冲突。结论:急诊科护士工作场所暴力发生率高,急诊科护士工作场所暴力受职业紧张影响。     

Occupational response to terrorism.

Occupational health nurses are facing new challenges that seriously imperil health and safety in the workplace. The risks faced in the current world pose threats for which the occupational health nurse may not be prepared. These threats go beyond any unexpected workplace emergency. It is critical for all occupational health professionals to understand the implications of these modern threats and the proper response procedures, including the limits of a safe and prudent response. This knowledge will prevent further fatalities. Occupational health nurses need to translate this knowledge into corporate policies and procedures written so safety is the paramount consideration.     

Occupational health nursing practice, education, and research in Korea. An international update.

1. In Korea, occupational health nurses have been working as health managers at the workplace and as part of a hospital based group occupational health service since 1991. The role of occupational health manager, required by law, includes providing preventive and primary care, safety management, and inspection of the work environment. 2. Recently, occupational health nursing practice-based lecture has increased, and more emphasis has been placed on the process of occupational health nursing in both undergraduate and graduate programs. 3. The Korean Association of Occupational Health Nurses and the Korean Academic Society of Occupational Health Nursing have been working to develop professional competence for occupational health nurses since 1991. 4. Until the mid 1990s, occupational health nursing research focused primarily on role and job satisfaction of occupational health nurses. However, the number of research studies has dramatically increased and, gradually, survey studies have been replaced by studies with experimental design.