Occupational Health Nursing

Occupational Health

ž  Implies the sum of all efforts to improve the health of workers in the community and its industries

industrial medicine

ž  Involves the reduction of injury and disease  in industry and efforts to promote quick return of workers to productive activity

ž  The basic objective is prevention at all levels, employing the coordinated efforts of a group specialists

History

ž  Occupational nursing was once called industrial Nursing

ž  1958, IN in  US elected to call themselves occupational health nurses to reflect broader and changing scope practice within  the specialty

occupational health nursing

It includes the application of the nursing principles in providing health services to employees of their place of work, which maybe:

ž   industry,

ž   insurance,

ž  companies department

ž  and other commercial establishments,

ž  civil service and

ž   other educational institutions

ž  and even in agricultural agencies

ž  Is the specialty practice that provides and delivers health care services to workers.

ž  The practices focuses on promotion, protection and supervision of workers health within the context of a safe and healthy work environment

ž  It is autonomous and make independent nursing judgments in providing health care

ž  Often works alone in situations where they may have to give immediate care to patients with serious injuries

ž  They need to be fully informed of their legal responsibilities

ž  First consideration is patients’ welfare

Objectives of ohn

ž  Assistance, maintenance, and promotion of positive health of laborers and employees, through early detection and prevention of occupational diseases and hazards of industrial processes and by coordinating and cooperating with activities of other community health and welfare agencies

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSe

Qualifications:

ž  BSN degree

ž  1 or more years of emergency nursing

ž  Ability to take and read ECG’s, eye screening, audiometer testing, laboratory tests and x-ray

ž  Must know company policies on personnel, insurance benefits, sick leaves, pay rates, health programs and medical matters and records

Responsibilities of ohn:

ž  Assists or participate in the developing an adequate health program for laborers, which should include sound health education activities

ž  Encourages periodic physical examination and provides guidance or direction in obtaining this service

ž  Cooperates with occupational medical programs in the prevention of accidents and in the promotion of good working atmosphere and relationships in the place of work or in the plant environment

ž  Helps in teaching others to give good nursing care to the sick or handicapped in their own homes

ž  Determines resources for rehabilitation of the laborers and employees whenever indicated

Roles of ohn:

They may find themselves  as :

ž  Administrators-custodian of employees’ health records, interpreters of company policies

ž  Clinician- First aiders to the injured

ž  Counselors-/consultant-advisers of the workers and Health and safety teachers

ž  Researcher- finding new ways in providing health program for workers

Functions of the ohn:

1.     Collaborates with management in developing objectives for the employee health services compatible with the company’s corporate goals and objectives

2.     The OHN administers the employee health service

3.     3. The OHN defines nursing authority and responsibility based on standards of service and practice established by the nursing profession and collaborates with management in determining the nurses position in the organization structure

4.     The OHN administers nursing care and develops nursing care procedures and protocols with specific goals and interventions appropriate for employee’s needs

5.      THE OHN coordinates responsibilities in the health assessment program and promotes health maintenance and prevention of illness and injury

6.     The OHN collaborates with other onsite members of the occupational health team to evaluate the work environment and utilize outside resources when services are not available within company

Salary

ž  Must have to bargain individually for their salaries

ž  Pay is probably less than in hospital work, but there are compensations

ž  Off duties on weekends most of the time

ž  Exceptions to nurses working in large plants which may require overtime works

ž  Has seniority wage increases, pensions and insurances

The Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines

ž  Old name- “Industrial Nursing Unit of the Philippine Nurses Association”

ž  Organized in November 21, 1950

ž  Through the initiative of Mrs. Magdalena Valenzuela of the DOH

ž  With the purpose of promoting friendship and to organize nurses in industrial and commercial enterprises into an Industrial Nursing Unit

ž  On September 20, 1929 it was renamed to OHNAP

OHNAP- Purposes

ž  To contribute to the promotion of public health nursing through the conservation and promotion of the industrial workers health and that of his family

ž  To keep up with modern methods and techniques of PHN in general and of IN in particular in order to promote the quality and quantity of nursing service

ž  To provide expert nursing guidance of industrial health workers

ž  To attain good relationship and understanding among industrial nurses in particular and all  nurses in general

ž  To provide a medium whereby common problems of industrial nurses may be threshed out for the benefit of all

ž  To raise the insight of industrial nurses beyond the walls of their industrial clinics so they may see their place not only in the nursing service but in the total public health program as well

ž  To gain support from agencies employing nurses

Occupational hazards

ž  Biological or infectious hazards

ž  Chemical hazards

ž  Environmental or mechanical hazards

ž  Physical hazards

ž  Psychosocial hazards

Biological/ infectious hazards

ž  Include bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites which maybe transmitted via contact with infected clients

Chemical hazards

ž  Various form of chemical, including medications, solutions, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulate matter that are potentially toxic or irritating to the body system

Environmental/mechanical hazards

ž  Factors encountered in the work environment that cause or potentiate accidents, injuries, strain or discomfort

Physical hazards

ž  Agents within the work environment such as radiation, extreme temperatures, and noise that can cause tissue trauma

Psychosocial hazards

ž  Factors and situations encountered or associated with one’s job or work environment that create or potentiate stress, emotional strain, and or interpersonal problems

                                       

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES	LECTURE CONTENT
At the end of the lecture the student will be able to: 1.     Gets involved in professional organizations and civic	Occupational Health ž  Implies the sum of all efforts to improve the health of workers in the community and its industries industrial medicine ž  Involves the reduction of injury and disease  in industry and efforts to promote quick return of workers to productive activity ž  The basic objective is prevention at all levels, employing the coordinated efforts of a group specialists History ž  Occupational nursing was once called industrial Nursing ž  1958, IN in  US elected to call themselves occupational health nurses to reflect broader and changing scope practice within  the specialty
SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES	LECTURE CONTENT
Activities 2.     Determines personal and professional goals 3.     Supports activities related to health and nursing issues.	occupational health nursing It includes the application of the nursing principles in providing health services to employees of their place of work, which maybe: ž   industry, ž   insurance, ž  companies department ž  and other commercial establishments, ž  civil service and ž   other educational institutions ž  and even in agricultural agencies ž  Is the specialty practice that provides and delivers health care services to workers. ž  The practices focuses on promotion, protection and supervision of workers health within the context of a safe and healthy work environment ž  It is autonomous and make independent nursing judgments in providing health care ž  Often works alone in situations where they may have to give immediate care to patients with serious injuries ž  They need to be fully informed of their legal responsibilities ž  First consideration is patients’ welfare Objectives of ohn ž  Assistance, maintenance, and promotion of positive health of laborers and employees, through early detection and prevention of occupational diseases and hazards of industrial processes and by coordinating and cooperating with activities of other community health and welfare agencies

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES

LECTURE CONTENT

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSE Qualifications: ž  BSN degree ž  1 or more years of emergency nursing ž  Ability to take and read ECG’s, eye screening, audiometer testing, laboratory tests and x-ray ž  Must know company policies on personnel, insurance benefits, sick leaves, pay rates, health programs and medical matters and records Responsibilities of ohn: ž  Assists or participate in the developing an adequate health program for laborers, which should include sound health education activities ž  Encourages periodic physical examination and provides guidance or direction in obtaining this service ž  Cooperates with occupational medical programs in the prevention of accidents and in the promotion of good working atmosphere and relationships in the place of work or in the plant environment ž  Helps in teaching others to give good nursing care to the sick or handicapped in their own homes ž  Determines resources for rehabilitation of the laborers and employees whenever indicated Roles of ohn: They may find themselves  as : ž  Administrators-custodian of employees’ health records, interpreters of company policies ž  Clinician- First aiders to the injured

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES

LECTURE CONTENT

ž  Counselors-/consultant-advisers of the workers and Health and safety teachers ž  Researcher- finding new ways in providing health program for workers Functions of the ohn: 7.     Collaborates with management in developing objectives for the employee health services compatible with the company’s corporate goals and objectives 8.     The OHN administers the employee health service 9.     3. The OHN defines nursing authority and responsibility based on standards of service and practice established by the nursing profession and collaborates with management in determining the nurses position in the organization structure 10.   The OHN administers nursing care and develops nursing care procedures and protocols with specific goals and interventions appropriate for employee’s needs 11.    THE OHN coordinates responsibilities in the health assessment program and promotes health maintenance and prevention of illness and injury 12.   The OHN collaborates with other onsite members of the occupational health team to evaluate the work environment and utilize outside resources when services are not available within company

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES

LECTURE CONTENT

Salary ž  Must have to bargain individually for their salaries ž  Pay is probably less than in hospital work, but there are compensations ž  Off duties on weekends most of the time ž  Exceptions to nurses working in large plants which may require overtime works ž  Has seniority wage increases, pensions and insurances The Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines ž  Old name- “Industrial Nursing Unit of the Philippine Nurses Association” ž  Organized in November 21, 1950 ž  Through the initiative of Mrs. Magdalena Valenzuela of the DOH ž  With the purpose of promoting friendship and to organize nurses in industrial and commercial enterprises into an Industrial Nursing Unit ž  On September 20, 1929 it was renamed to OHNAP OHNAP- Purposes ž  To contribute to the promotion of public health nursing through the conservation and promotion of the industrial workers health and that of his family ž  To keep up with modern methods and techniques of PHN in general and of IN in particular in order to promote the quality and quantity of nursing service ž  To provide expert nursing guidance of industrial health workers ž  To attain good relationship and understanding among industrial nurses in particular and all  nurses in general

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES

LECTURE CONTENT

ž  To provide a medium whereby common problems of industrial nurses may be threshed out for the benefit of all ž  To raise the insight of industrial nurses beyond the walls of their industrial clinics so they may see their place not only in the nursing service but in the total public health program as well ž  To gain support from agencies employing nurses Occupational hazards ž  Biological or infectious hazards ž  Chemical hazards ž  Environmental or mechanical hazards ž  Physical hazards ž  Psychosocial hazards Biological/ infectious hazards ž  Include bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites which maybe transmitted via contact with infected clients Chemical hazards ž  Various form of chemical, including medications, solutions, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulate matter that are potentially toxic or irritating to the body system Environmental/mechanical hazards ž  Factors encountered in the work environment that cause or potentiate accidents, injuries, strain or discomfort

SPECIFIC OBJEC TIVES	LECTURE CONTENT
	Physical hazards ž  Agents within the work environment such as radiation, extreme temperatures, and noise that can cause tissue trauma Psychosocial hazards ž  Factors and situations encountered or associated with one’s job or work environment that create or potentiate stress, emotional strain, and or interpersonal problems