Summary Abstracts

Summary Abstracts Spring 2011 Journal

President’s Message The President’s Message is a standing Journal column highlighting current hot topics. In this issue, Executive President Sandra Domeracki, RN, FNP, COHN-S, reviews the importance of AOHP’s 24 active chapters and provides an update on current and planned initiatives to help support chapter activities.

Vice President’s Update AOHP’s Executive Vice President Dee Tyler, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN, reviews an October 2010 report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine titled The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. This report, based on the results of a two-year initiative to assess and transform the nursing profession, is important to all AOHP members as leaders in healthcare. Tyler encourages occupational health professionals to embrace opportunities to lead change and advance health.

Editor’s Column This standard feature provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. She reminds members that May 18 is National Health and fitness Day and encourages her fellow occupational health professionals to make a personal commitment to find the inspiration to feel good physically and mentally.

Association Community Liaison Report Through this regular Journal article, MaryAnn Gruden, CRNP, MSN, NP-C, COHN-S/CM, details how AOHP is gaining visibility as an expert regarding occupational health issues. In this issue, she provides an OSHA Alliance Update featuring NAOSH Week and a historical account of how the modern safety movement began 100 years ago. Also included is information on a new OSHA training video regarding respiratory protection, as well as the organization’s enforcement guidance for PPE in general industry and withdrawal of a proposal to restore a column for MSDs on employer injury logs. Her NIOSH Update highlights a guide to prevent slips, trips and falls, new information on workplace safety and health initiatives, and the launch of Healthy People 2020.

Ready to Research This issue’s Ready to Research column introduces a methodical approach to applying evidence based practice principles to the work of occupational health professionals. Presented by Susan Borrego, RN, MSN, COHN-S/CM, CCDS, Manager of Employee Health, Well-Being and Integrated Disability Management at Kaiser Permanente, Honolulu, Hawaii, this article reviews step-by-step guidelines to inquire about new or existing processes and practice, to frame clinical questions, to change practice, and to improve quality of care and patient outcomes. Recognizing and Assisting the Impaired Anesthesia Provider Anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists are over-represented in the literature for seeking treatment for addiction, perhaps attributable to characteristics of their personalities, and their access or exposure to highly potent pharmaceuticals. Addiction in this group of professionals is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Detection is challenging, as the work setting is usually the last aspect of the anesthesia provider’s life to become affected by the disease. This article, presented by Trina M. Girimont, ARNP, MSN, COHN-S, Director of Occupational Health Services for Shands Healthcare in Gainesville, Florida, will review the occupational hazard of chemical dependency and how occupational health nurses can assist in training perianesthesia staff to recognize and assist an impaired anesthesia provider.

Evaluation of Exposures to Healthcare Personnel from Cisplatin during a Mock Interperitoneal Operation for Cancer Treatment NIOSH conducts research and makes recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. The NIOSH health hazard evaluation (HHE) program is available by request for employees, employers or union representatives to ask a comprehensive team of NIOSH experts for an investigation of their health and safety concerns. James Couch, MS, CIH, REHS/RS, Gregory Burr, CIH and Maureen T. Niemeier, BBA, review for Journal readers how NIOSH responded to a request for an HHE from the management of a university medical center to review the potential for exposure to cisplatin related to a proposed interperitoneal procedure for cancer treatment.

Summary of the AOHP 2010 Membership Survey and Needs Assessment This Journal provides results from an updated, comprehensive AOHP Membership Survey and Needs Assessment that was conducted in August 2010. The Web-based survey was distributed electronically to 1,069 members, with a return rate of 27%. Respondents represented 41 states, as well as Bermuda and New Zealand, and included every AOHP chapter and a variety of practice settings in these geographic areas. The survey responses provide an opportunity for the AOHP Executive Board to analyze the results and develop a plan to better meet the needs of the membership. The Executive Board will take the survey findings into consideration as it embarks on the revision of the association’s strategic plan in September 2011 when the Board meets at the Annual National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.