Delivery of Occupational and Environmental Health Services

POSITION STATEMENT

Delivery of Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Services

INTRODUCTION occupational and environmental health services in the workplace. Occupational and environmental health nursing is the specialty practice that provides for and delivers RATIONALE health and safety programs and services to workers, As the largest single group of healthcare worker populations and community groups. professionals providing healthcare in the workplace, Tremendous changes have occurred in recent years OHNs are critical to delivery of high quality within the occupational and environmental health occupational and environmental health services to care delivery system including: working populations across the world (WHO, 2001).

 a focus on health care cost reductions resulting OHNs are historically at the frontline protecting and in greater economic constraints and promoting the health of worker populations. As part outsourcing or displacement of qualified of a larger multidisciplinary team, OHNs utilize their occupational health care providers; expertise to develop and implement comprehensive occupational and environmental health programs to:  an increase in health care providers with diverse professional backgrounds competing to  promote total worker health; deliver occupational health services;  decrease health-related costs for workers and  collaboration among various healthcare their employers; providers to support total worker population health management, rather than traditional  improve employee morale and satisfaction; provider models;  increase productivity;  increased emphasis on wellness and prevention to support worker productivity and  decrease absenteeism; presenteeism;  facilitate continuity of care.  implementation of evidence-based research to guide clinical practice. The OHN is the key to the coordination of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to delivery of safe, Notwithstanding the changing healthcare delivery quality, and comprehensive occupational and system, the American Association of Occupational environmental health programs and services that Health Nurses (AAOHN) posits that the specialized may include: training, education and experience of professional occupational and environmental health nurses  clinical and primary care, including assessment, (OHNs) effectively prepares these professionals to diagnosis, management, and documentation of continue to deliver high quality, comprehensive occupational and non-occupational illnesses and injuries;

Copyright © 2015, AAOHN, Inc. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSES, INC. 330 N. Wabash Ave, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60611 | 312-321-5173 | FAX 312-673-6719 | www.aaohn.org ______ case management for occupational and non- CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS occupational illnesses and injuries; A coordinated and cost-effective plan that  health hazard assessment and surveillance of maximizes the use of services for workers can be worker populations, workplaces, and best administered by a qualified OHN who has community groups; knowledge of the needs and various services available and works within the scope of practice  investigation, monitoring, and analysis of illness within his/her licensure state and the Standards of and injury episodes and trends, as well as Occupational & Environmental Health Nursing. methods to promote and protect worker health and safety; While well trained OHNs are a key component to the delivery of high quality occupational and  compliance with laws, regulations, and environmental health services in the workplace and standards governing health and safety for are essential to providing cost- effective workplace workers and the environment; programs, AAOHN acknowledges that in some situations it is not feasible or appropriate to utilize  management and administration of full-time OHNs. occupational and environmental health services; In order to determine and meet the unique occupational health needs of worker populations, it  health promotion and disease prevention is recommended that employers: strategies using primary, secondary, and tertiary principles;  conduct a feasibility study to prioritize the worker health management needs and  counseling, health education, and training determine the extent to which OHNs would be programs using adult learning approaches; effective supporting the health of the population in a cost-effective manner;  research related to occupational and environmental health.  employ OHNs as staff members, consultants or contract providers to coordinate delivery of care OHNs have established themselves as experts and and lead the multidisciplinary team in leaders in occupational health by combining their addressing the overall health needs of the unique training, education and experience with employee population. practice resources such as: REFERENCES  The AAOHN Competencies in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing, American Board of Occupational Health Nurses (2016). About Us. Retrieved from  The AAOHN Code of Ethics and Interpretive https://www.abohn.org/about-abohn/about-us Statements, American Association of Occupational Health  The AAOHN Standards of Occupational and Nurses (2015). AAOHN Position Statement: Environmental Health Nursing, Code of Ethics and Interpretive Statements.

 Fundamentals of Occupational and American Association of Occupational Health Environmental Health Nursing: AAOHN Core Nurses (2015). AAOHN Position Statement: Curriculum – 4th Edition, and Competencies in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing.  Peer-reviewed, evidence-based research publications supporting occupational health American Association of Occupational Health nursing practice. Nurses (2012). AAOHN Position Statement: Standards of Occupational & Environmental Additionally, more than 4700 practicing occupational Health Nursing. health nurses have demonstrated their occupational health expertise by passing a specialty examination Moore, P. & Moore, R. (Eds.). (2014). Fundamentals and completing the rigorous qualifying educational of Occupational and Environmental Health and experience standards required of certification Nursing: AAOHN Core Curriculum. Pensacola, through the American Board for Occupational Health FL: American Association of Occupational Nurses, Inc. (ABOHN, 2016) Health Nurses.

Copyright © 2015, AAOHN, Inc. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSES, INC. 330 N. Wabash Ave, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60611 | 312-321-5173 | FAX 312-673-6719 | www.aaohn.org ______Strasser, P.B. (2012). Occupational and Revised 4/95; 1/96; 5/98; 10/12, 2/17 (AAOHN Environmental Health Nursing: The Practice Committee) Foundations of Quality Practice. Workplace Health and Safety, 4(60), 151-157. Reviewed 6/02; 6/03, 8/04, 9/12 (AAOHN Practice Committee) World Health Organization (2001). The role of occupational health nurse in workplace health management. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/occupational_health/regions/ en/oeheurnursing.pdf