OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

NURSING
 WHAT IS WORK & HEALTH
WORK / OCCUPATION
 An essential human activity that occupy a considerable part of
a person’s waking hours
 Can be stimulating & rewarding
 Can contribute to stress

HEALTH
 NOT merely the absence of disease BUT a state of complete
physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being
(Wellers, 2000)
 Factors influencing our Health
Genes
• Determine who you are

Environment
• Likelihood of contracting disease

Health •Workplace

Lifestyles • Leisure

• Smoking • Domestic/living Environment

• Diet
• Alcohol
• Stress
• Exercise
Workplace Hazards
Physical hazards
Chemical hazards
Biological hazards
Mechanical hazards
Psychosocial hazards
Ergonomic Hazards
Safety
 Basic Principles of Disease
Prevention
NURSING INTERVENTIONS
Higher level High • Treatment / Referral
of surveillance degree • Lung Function Test
of hazard
• Personal Protective
TERTIARY
PREVENTION Equipment

• Health Screening
System of enquiry
• Early detection
SECONDARY PREVENTION

• Health education
Lower level • Base-line health
of surveillance Limited evidence of hazard and exposure assessment
• Elimination of
PRIMARY PREVENTION substances
What is Occupational Health?
WHO Occupational Health:
‘the promotion and maintenance
of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of
workers in all occupations’
(Harrington & Gill,1992)
• Effects of working condition and/or environment
 health of worker ability to perform tasks in
the workplace
• Prevention is better than cure  ensuring work &
working condition DO NOT affect the health of
people
Workplace Health & Safety
Who are legally responsible for identifying and correcting health
and safety hazards?
• Authorised personnels
• Employers
• Contractors
• Owners
• Workers
• Supervisors
• Self-employers persons
• Suppliers
Protected workers fundamental rights
• To know about hazards in the workplace, how to identify them
and how to protect themselves

• To participate in health and safety decisions through

management’s consultation with occupational health
committees and workers

• To refuse unusually dangerous work

 According to The Occupational Health
and Safety Act - OSHA (1993),

“…..everyone in the workplace is required

to work together to identify and control
health and safety hazards”
Who are the Occupational Health Team?

• Occupational health • Industrial psychologist

physician • Ergonomist
• Occupational health
• Occupational therapist
nurse
• Occupational health • Physiotherapist
epidemiologist • Health educator
• Occupational hygienist • Safety engineer
• Industrial toxicologist
What is Occupational Health Nursing?

• Application of nursing principles in conserving the

health of workers at the workplace.

• Based on principles of recognition, prevention and

treatment of illness, injuries.

• Formally known as ‘Industrial Nursing’

Aim of the roles of OHN
• To promote health at work
• To protect the health of the worker
• Care for work-related injuries and illness
• Committed to client’s wellness which involves
- health promotion
- disease and injury prevention
- health education
- care and safety management
 Objectives
• Maintenance and promotion of workers’ health and
working capacity(Health monitoring)
• Improvement of working environment and work to
become conducive to safety and health(Worksite visits)
• Development of work organizations and working
cultures in a direction, which supports health and safety
at work (Health Education )
Factors determining OHN’s scope of practice

• The number of workforce

• Types of products and processes
• Chemicals used
• Machinery used
• Management philosophy
12 main functions specific to OHN
• health supervision of workers
• health surveillance of the work environment
• accident prevention
• prevention of occupational ill health
• treatment of illness
• treatment of illness and injury at work
• first aid course
• promotion of health and prevention of ill health
• giving counselling
• rehabilitation and resettlement into work; records and reports
• liaison and co-operation (internally and externally)
• administration of the health unit
• research (including surveys)
Dorward (1993 cited by Oakley)
The Scope of OHN practice

1. Prevention of occupational injuries

2. Prevention of occupational illness
3. Reducing work place hazards
4. Promotion of worker’s health
5. Restoration of worker’s health (maintenance of worker’s
health)
 Occupational injuries
• such as a cut, fracture,
sprain, amputation, etc,
that may results from a
single instantaneous
exposure or incident in the
work department or during
the course of work.
 Occupational illness

• any abnormal condition or disorder, other than one

resulting from an occupational injury caused by exposure
to environmental factors associated with employment.

• It can be acute or chronic illnesses, following exposure to

the hazards through inhalation, absorption, ingestion, or
direct contact.
 Work and Health
• Exposure to health hazards in the workplace may cause adverse
health effects

• Disease development depends on;

host factors, non-occupational exposure (lifestyles & hobbies),
environmental factors, inherent properties of the agent, exposure
level, exposure length & other workplace stressors.
Definition of Role

The position of a person in a particular situation and the

degree to which they are involved it it or the duty they are
expected to perform.

(Cambridge International Dictionary 1995)

5 Major Roles of the OHN
• Clinician/Practitioner
• Administrator
• Educator
• Researcher
• Consultant
 Clinician/Practitioner
1. Assess work environment
2. Assess workers health status
3. Perform health surveillance
4. Provide direct nursing care
5. Conduct health education and counselling
6. Collaborate, communicate and consult with Occ. Safety & Health
(OSH) team
7. Maintain accurate, concise and complete records
8. Develop and implement programs to correct health and safety
hazards
9. Institute personal protective programs
10. Initiate referrals to hospitals and clinics
11. Conduct health screening programs
12. Conduct health training programs
13. Manage workers compensation claims
14. Maintain professionalism and ethical conduct
15. Adhere to legal requirements in exercising duites
Administrator

1. Maintain awareness of technology, legal &

professional changes associated with OH and Safety
2. Coordinates in professional growth & education
opportunities for staff
3. Formulates policies for OH and Safety
4. Develops, implements and evaluates OH service
Educator
1. Provide education programs to employers & employees
2. Promotes integration of OHN practice into nursing education
3. Utilise experts in OHS in planning & coordinating relevant
education programs
4. Collaborates with other OHN regarding practice issues &
students practical sites
5. Serves as a role model and preceptor for the students
Researcher

1. Participates in the development &

implementation of research
2. Disseminates research findings to others through
presentation, publication & practice
3. Incorporates research results into own practice
4. Collaborates with other members of OH team in
developing & conducting research
Consultant

1. Offer advise to the patient regarding the future treatment, or

preventative measures to be taken at work when it is
appropriate.
2. Offer advice to management regarding the health of the
worker as it may be affected by the processes or the
substances used in them, where she/he considers such advice
to be necessary
Specific Roles of the OHN

1. Advisor 7. Leader
2. Counselor 8. Rehabilitator
3. Educator 9. Researcher
4. Environmentalist 10. Safety expert
5. Hygienist 11. Supervisor
6. Interpreter 12. Student
Harrison (1984)
THANK YOU !