Update on occupational health nursing through 21st century requirements: A three-round Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Occupational health nurses have promoted health and practiced at a strategic level for many years, and are closely aligned with public health and policies, workplace and environmental regulations, and changes in the nursing profession.

OBJECTIVE

This study was carried out to create a consensus text on the definition, qualifications, responsibilities, and education of occupational health nurses based on the 21st century requirements.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A Delphi panel of public health nursing academicians, occupational health nurses, other health professionals, faculty members of public health, and occupational physicians. A consensus-building approach using three rounds of e-Delphi technique were used, with 45 participants in the first round, 41 in the second round, and 36 in the third round. Data were collected in all three rounds with Google Forms between October 28, 2021, to February 28, 2022. Qualitative content analysis was performed in the first round, and mean, standard deviation, median, and mode values were presented based on the answers to the 5-point Likert questions in the second and third rounds. Values of at least 80 % and above were used for the consensus text in the third round.

RESULTS

62.2 % of the participants were female. The mean age was found 47.71 ± 11.03 years. The experts reached a consensus on the definition of occupational health nurse by emphasizing professionalism, effective communication, record keeping, nursing knowledge, skills, equipment, and competence in the field, with a participation of 91.7 %. A consensus was reached on the qualifications including observation, examination, evaluation, research, health promotion, compliance with confidentiality and ethical rules, and working in harmony with the team, with a participation of 94.4 %. The responsibilities of occupational health nurses included to create a healthy and safe workplace, participate in periodic health examinations, maintain effective communication with employees, acting in accordance with ethical principles, provide continuous professional development, and perform health education and promotion, guidance, and counseling. Experts specified that occupational injuries and diseases, duties, authorities, and responsibilities of the occupational health nurse, occupational health and safety legislation, health education, risk assessment, effective communication, and health literacy need to be integrated into the content of certificate program with 97.7 % participation. A maximum of 500 h for the total duration of the certificate training was suggested.

CONCLUSIONS

The expert panel opinions provide a wide perspective for competencies, and educational standards of occupational health nurses. The results could assist in initiating the infrastructure of multidisciplinary postgraduate education programs, developing national and international collaborations, and increasing the number of scientific events should contribute to the professional development of occupational health nursing. Future research should focus on imbedding these consensus items in national and international certificate programs to prepare qualified advanced occupational health nurses.

Structural conceptualization of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities

OBJECTIVES

In this study, concepts were constructed that express learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities with the aim of clarifying those characteristics. This was based on the idea that elucidation of the characteristics of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs used in occupational health nursing activities would be meaningful in providing high-quality occupational health services that respond to the needs of society.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 people who fulfilled the three conditions of having completed a master's degree programs, working as an occupational health nurse after completion of the program, and not continuing on to a doctoral program. The nursing conceptualization method of Naomi Funashima was used.

RESULTS

From the obtained data, 512 code items expressing learning experiences in master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities were identified. These items included five core categories (concepts), 34 categories, and 69 subcategories. The five concepts constructed were "Pursuit of expertise and self-evaluation," "Mutual understanding of various people that leads to human resources utilization," "Theoretical and academic learning that influences changes in activities," "Research learning that lead to activities based on scientific evidence," and "Learning that leads to high-quality activities making use of expertise."

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that various learning experiences in the master's program to pursue the specialty of occupational health nurses in order to recognize their roles as well as the experiences to take the initiative in learning had been integrated in their activities after completion of the course and had contributed to their high-quality occupational health nursing activities. It was suggested that the learning experiences in the master's program, which had been revealed in this study, were the experiences necessary for providing high-quality occupational health nursing activities to satisfy the social needs.

Occupational health nurses' roles, credentials, and continuing education in Ontario, Canada

The role of the occupational health nurse is broad and includes health care provider, manager/coordinator, educator/advisor, and case manager and consultant, depending on the type of industry and the country in which the nurse practices. Regardless of the type of role, the occupational health nurse must participate in continuing nursing education (CNE) activities. This study describes the roles, credentials, and number of CNE activities undertaken by occupational health nurses working in Ontario, Canada. Using a nonexperimental descriptive design, a questionnaire was mailed to all practicing occupational health nurses who are members (n=900) of a local nursing association. Three hundred fifty-four questionnaires were returned. Nurses reported a variety of roles in the following categories: case management, health promotion, policy development, infection control/travel health, ergonomics, education, research, health and safety, direct care, consultation, disaster preparedness, and industrial hygiene. Sixty-five percent of nurses held an occupational health nurse credential, and 19% of nurses attended more than 100 hours of CNE annually. Occupational health nurses have multiple workplace roles. Many attend CNE activities and they often prepare for credentialing.