The Temporary Workforce: Integration with Best Practices in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing

The onset of temporary staffing originally focused on clerical workers and has since expanded dramatically. Today's temporary workforce has great diversity in skills and education, including many professionals as well as clerical and manufacturing temporaries. The temporary worker has the opportunity try out an employer, work towards a career goal, receive specialized training, and identify flexible work to fit with family or school needs. Workers report they often choose temporary work for the flexibility or as a bridge to a permanent job. Regardless of the reason, more effort needs to be directed towards identifying where the workers are, what safety training has been provided, what type of injuries they have, and how the injuries can be prevented. The challenge is ensuring the safety of temporary workers at the worksite. The OEHN is aptly positioned to identify ways to impact the health and safety of the temporary workforce and influence the denouement of tracking their injuries. The increasing number of temporary workers and the inadequacies of the current methods of tracking the location, type, and severity of the injuries provide the OEHN with a unique opportunity to plan, organize, lead, and control the improvement of the working conditions of temporary workers.Master of Public Healt

Development of Evidence Based Medical Surveillance Program Recommendations for At-Risk Employees

Background: Nearly eight million United States healthcare workers are potentially exposed to hazardous drugs (HDs) in their workplace. This exposure puts staff at increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, rectal cancer, and fetal anomalies. Despite evidence-based guidelines for handling HDs, preventative measures are inadequate surveillance. Purpose: This project sought to evaluate current policies and procedures regarding HD exposure workplace practices at large academic medical centers in the Northeast, improve education of HD exposure, and develop a standardized medical surveillance program (MSP) at one large academic health network. Methods: Large academic medical centers in the Northeast were contacted to provide information about current workplace practices. Semi-structured interviews (N=14) were conducted to determine current workplace practices & policies at each (N=14) institution. Data from interviews, current policies and procedures was evaluated to create a proposed MSP. Data was presented to stakeholders. A post-presentation survey and discussion informed feasibility and determined next steps for implementation. Results: Information from 14 medical centers was analyzed. The post-presentation survey identified obstacles for implementation including: Need for an occupational medicine provider; A record keeping system; Monitoring on an ongoing basis; and Defining population at-risk to survey. Eight of nine stakeholders filled out the post-presentation survey. All respondents supported development of a standardized MSP. 87.5% of respondents advocated for hiring of an occupational medicine provider to successfully implement an MSP. Conclusion: Stakeholders supported development of a standardized MSP within the target academic health network and advocated for an occupational medicine provider at each institution in the network for successful implementation. The data from this study will guide policy change & future implementation of an MSP

AAOHN J

Problem-based learning, which emphasizes group collaboration to solve real-world case scenarios, is an instructional approach that is well suited to occupational and environmental health nursing education. Learners actively work through case studies rather than passively receive information presented through lectures. Problem-based learning methods promote critical thinking skills and motivate learning, preparing learners for professional practice in complex, ever-changing environments. Despite these advantages, problem-based learning is under-utilized in nursing education compared to more traditional lecture methods. This article presents key concepts of problem-based learning, discusses problem-based learning in educating occupational and environmental health nurses, and describes the development of a problem-based learning case aimed at increasing occupational and environmental health nurses capacity to address pesticide exposure among migrant and seasonal agricultural workers.KL2 RR025015/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United StatesT42 OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States3T42OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States2013-07-20T00:00:00Z21366187PMC371716

Embracing a Competency-Based Specialty Curriculum for Community-Based Nursing Roles

The Quad Council competencies for public health nursing (PHN) provide guidance in developing curricula at both the generalist and specialist level. However, these competencies are based on nursing roles in traditional public health agencies and community/public health is defined more broadly than official agency practice. The question arises as to whether community-based specialties require largely the same knowledge and skill set as PHN. The purpose of the competency cross-mapping project reported here was to (a) assess the intersection of the Quad Council competencies with four community-based specialties and (b) ensure the appropriateness of a Quad Council-based curriculum to prepare graduates across these four specialties (home health, occupational health, environmental health, and school nursing). This article details the multistep cross-mapping process, including validation with practice leaders. Results indicate strong alignment of community-based specialty competencies with Quad Council competencies. Community-based specialty-specific content that did not align well is identified, along with examples of didactic and clinical strategies to address gaps. This work indicates that a Quad Council-based curriculum is appropriate to prepare graduates in community-based specialties when attention to the specialty-specific competencies in the clinical setting is included. This work guides the development of a doctorate of nursing practice curriculum in PHN, encompassing the four additional community-based specialties

Workplace Health Saf

This article describes how hybrid online and classroom learning approaches were used to design and offer an occupational health nursing review course throughout a multi-state region of the northwest United States. In response to demand from practicing occupational health nurses for board certification preparation, a series of asynchronous and synchronous continuing education modules was created covering a range of occupational health nursing topics. This review course illustrates how innovative educational delivery models can serve the needs of occupational health nurses challenged by geographic and time constraints.20152017-08-24T00:00:00ZT42 OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States3T42OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States25994977PMC5570582878

Incorporating Environmental Health into Pediatric Medical and Nursing Education

Pediatric medical and nursing education currently lacks the environmental health content necessary to appropriately prepare pediatric health care professionals to prevent, recognize, manage, and treat environmental-exposure–related disease. Leading health institutions have recognized the need for improvements in health professionals’ environmental health education. Parents are seeking answers about the impact of environmental toxicants on their children. Given the biologic, psychological, and social differences between children and adults, there is a need for environmental health education specific to children. The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, in partnership with the Children’s Environmental Health Network, created two working groups, one with expertise in medical education and one with expertise in nursing education. The working groups reviewed the transition from undergraduate student to professional to assess where in those processes pediatric environmental health could be emphasized. The medical education working group recommended increasing education about children’s environmental health in the medical school curricula, in residency training, and in continuing medical education. The group also recommended the expansion of fellowship training in children’s environmental health. Similarly, the nursing working group recommended increasing children’s environmental health content at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing nursing education levels. Working groups also identified the key medical and nursing organizations that would be important in leveraging these changes. A concerted effort to prioritize pediatric environmental health by governmental organizations and foundations is essential in providing the resources and expertise to set policy and provide the tools for teaching pediatric environmental health to health care providers

Utilizing the Green Nursing Project Initiative to Educate Nurses about Health Effects Related to Exposure of Chemicals Contained in Household and Personal Care Products and to Inspire Them to Take Action

Consumers are exposed to a variety of environmental chemicals including carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and endocrine disrupting chemicals from everyday use of common household and personal care products. Evidence supports concern that exposures to low doses or the combination of low doses of chemicals can pose a health risk for the general population as well as for vulnerable populations. Gaps exist in translating this information to the public and helping people understand the health effects related to chemical exposures and personal actions they could take to reduce exposures. There are 2.6 million nurses in the U.S. who have direct access to numerous patient populations. Educating and utilizing nurses as a conduit for information-sharing related to environmental health issues could fill the gap, influence health outcomes, and contribute to sustainable communities. A Speaker’s Bureau was constructed under the Central Mass Health Literacy Project to facilitate community access to health literacy topics. The Green Nursing Project is an initiative to educate hundreds of nurses about Environmental Health Literacy topics and Inspire them to take Personal and Professional Action. The Green Nursing Project includes Hands-on Interactive Workshops to introduce participants to chemicals in consumer products, adverse health effects, and risk reduction strategies

The effects of E-cigarettes versus Traditional Cigarettes on the Health of Young Adults

Background: Electronic cigarettes, more commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, were initially designed as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarette users. Although there are some benefits to transitioning to e-cigarettes, the benefits do not outweigh the health risks both cause to the cardiovascular and pulmonary system. Objective: This study was designed to better understand the consequences that traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes have on young adults\u27 health. Method: Research was conducted using CINAHL, EBSCO, and PubMed. The commonly used phrases to find search results include “traditional versus e-cigarettes effects on cardiovascular system” and “traditional versus e-cigarettes effects on respiratory system.” Boolean operators used to refine the search results include “young adults” to narrow down results to the specific age category studied. Results: Twelve articles were chosen for this study ranging from various types of articles. For example, the articles appraised were systematic reviews, meta analyses, cross sectional studies, and randomized control studies. Overall, more research needs to be conducted to examine the long term effects associated with e-cigarettes as they are still fairly new. While e-cigarettes still cause negative effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the available short-term data explains that they have slightly less negative effect on health compared to the traditional cigarettes. Conclusion: Findings were inconclusive and preliminary. More research is needed to unravel the complex health effects of e-cigarette smoking on long term health

Workplace Health Saf

Occupational health nursing focuses on promotion and restoration of health, prevention of illness and injury, protection from work-related and environmental hazards, and corporate profitability. Quality education about the relationship between work and health is critical for nurses' success regardless of work setting, and is consistent with Healthy People 2020 goals, but is lacking or limited in some programs. This report introduces an innovative occupational health nursing curriculum for students enrolled in baccalaureate nursing programs. The process of designing and pilot testing this novel curriculum, its alignment with nursing competencies, and its format and learning activities are described. Preparing professional nurses to understand the role of the occupational health nurse and the relationship between work and health is an essential curricular consideration for contemporary nursing education.T42 OH008455/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United StatesT42 OH008845/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States2016-03-08T00:00:00Z26077879PMC478291

The Value of Occupational Health Nursing

Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) work in a variety of industries to keep employees healthy and safe. Approximately 29% of OHNs work in hospitals and medical centers followed closely by 23% of OHNs who work in manufacturing and production (American Board for Occupational Health Nurses [ABOHN], 2011). OHNs bring considerable value to organizations, although their contributions cannot always be measured and tracked in dollars. They advocate for employees and are fiscally responsible to the organizations that hire them. Many employers fail to understand how OHNs can positively contribute to their organizations' productivity and decrease the financial bottom line. Instead, OHNs are often viewed as an expense in the budget, hired to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and treat medical emergencies. Evaluation tools are described that measure the value OHNs provide an organization (i.e., cost-benefit analysis, cost-effective analysis, return on investment, and workers' compensation costs). A cost comparison of Army National Guard (ARNG) and workers' compensation was completed to compare sites that have OHNs to those with vacant OHN positions, as well as sites who hire a non-nurse in the Occupational Health (OH) position. This comparison demonstrates the value OHNs provide in managing workers' compensation costs and shows cost containment when OHNs were involved in appropriate case management. Different employment options of OHNs are presented with important considerations for organizations that choose to hire OHNs as full-time members of their staff compared with those that hire contracted OHNs. There are advantages and disadvantages to both hiring practices; however, when these are practices are analyzed, organizations that employ OHNs demonstrate a greater overall investment in employee health and safety.Master of Public Healt