268049 Respiratory Protection and Occupational Health Nurses

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Barbara Burgel, RN, PhD, COHN-S, FAAN , Department of Community Health Systems, University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, San Francisco, CA
Holly Carpenter, RN BSN , Department for Health, Safety, and Wellness, American Nurses Association, Silver Spring, MD
Debra Novak, RN, DSN , CDC/NIOSH NPPTL, Pittsburgh, PA
Candace Burns, PhD, ARNP , College of Nursing - HSC 22, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Annette Byrd, RN, MPH , AAOHN, Pensacola, FL
Mary Ann Gruden, CRNP, MSN, NP-C, COHN-S/CM , AOHP Association Community Liaison, Pittsburgh, PA
Ann Lachat, RN, BSN, FAAOHN, COHN-S/CM , ABOHN, Hinsdale, IL
Patty Quinlan, MPH, CIH , Northern California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Berkeley, CA
Deborah Taormina, RN, BSN, COHN-S, MS candidate , Occupational and Environmental Health Graduate Nursing Program, UCSF School of Nursing, San Francisco, CA
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) and Respiratory Protection: Improving Education and Training (2011) outlined seven recommendations which include improving OHN competency in respiratory protection. An advisory board was convened in December 2011, with stakeholder representation from the CDC/NIOSH National Personal Protection Technologies Laboratory, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN), the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP), the American Nurses Association (ANA), and the Institute of Medicine Standing Committee on Personal Protective Equipment for Workplace Safety and Health. Objectives: 1) Conduct a survey to assess current OHN roles, responsibilities, and education needs in respiratory protection; 2) Determine self-perceived level of expertise in respiratory protection (novice, beginner, competent, proficient, and expert) and how OHNs achieve and maintain knowledge and skills in respiratory protection; 3) Identify how OHNs motivate employees to use respirators appropriately. Methods: A 30-item web-based survey was pilot tested and will be administered in Spring 2012 to all OHNs affiliated with AAOHN, ABOHN, AOHP and ANA. Results: Survey results will be presented which describe knowledge, skills and abilities of OHNs. Conclusions: The work of the advisory group and survey results will be used to develop innovative curricular materials to augment the education of OHNs regarding all aspects of a respiratory protection program. Future goals include a) educating all levels of nurses in respiratory protection, and b) developing interdisciplinary core competencies in respiratory protection for occupational health and safety professional education.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the poster or podium session, participants will be able to: 1. Describe the recommendations of the IOM report “Occupational Health Nurses and Respiratory Protection: Improving Education and Training." 2. Identify the need for innovative curricular interventions to increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of occupational health nurses in respiratory protection.

Keywords: Occupational Exposure, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Co-Chair of the National Respiratory Protection Advisory Group (CDC/NIOSH National Personal Protective Technologies Laboratory, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, Association of Occupational Health Professionals, American Nurses Association). The Advisory Group aims to implement the 2011 IOM "Occupational Health Nurses and Respiratory Protection: Improving Education and Training" Report recommendations. Using innovative curricular methods, the goal is to augment OHNs knowledge, skills and abilities in respiratory protection.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2083.0: Poster Session: Occupational Health Surveillance