Meetings-the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Much has been written about how to facilitate an effective meeting, but apparently not every meeting facilitator has read the literature because every occupational health nurse has endured a "bad" meeting. Individuals who chair meetings have a responsibility to create meetings that are worthwhile to the attendees; attendees have a responsibility to be prepared for meetings so meetings are productive. This article reviews key meeting strategies, providing readers with ways to improve meetings they attend or facilitate.

The nursing process and program planning.

Occupational health nurses implement programs to promote health and prevent injury and disease. The nursing process that is commonly used for individual clients is appropriate and useful when the client is a population of workers. This article provides rationale for using the nursing process for aggregates in occupational settings and provides examples of its use in health promotion programs.

The professional association and practice excellence.

Nursing practice in occupational settings is different from nursing practice in acute care settings. Due to the sparse professional practice resources available to most occupational health nurses at the worksite, belonging to the professional association is important for support and knowledge enhancement needed to maintain practice excellence and credibility.

Image revisited.

The image that nurses project impacts their ability to influence others. Occupational health nurses who dress as other professionals at work dress will convince others that they can do more than treat injuries.

What's in a word?

Words provide meaning to concepts, but misuse of common terms can result in distorted understanding of concepts. Medicine and nursing are separate professions. Medical care and health care are distinct terms that are often used interchangeably. This article discusses terminology in light of the history of nursing, and provides recommendations to occupational health nurses for discussing these concepts with the public and other health professionals.

Health care and politics: issues for the 2008 presidential election.

The presidential candidates for the 2008 election have outlined health care proposals that will ultimately impact the health status of Americans. Highlights focus on access to health care coverage, cost containment, improvement of the quality of care, and financing. This article provides a glimpse into the inherent challenges faced and the impact that nurses can make by casting their vote in this election as consumers and providers of health care.

Epidemiology basics for occupational health nurses.

Epidemiology speaks to the risk of disease, injury, or death. The purpose of epidemiology is to predict disease (or injury or death) based on risk factors or exposures. Results are communicated with caution, to avoid unjustly labeling a risk factor as a "cause" of disease. Although an individual may be at increased risk for a given disease, there is often no way to predict if or when that individual will actually contract the disease. Rather, epidemiology is a tool to assess populations and improve the health of the general public.

Using financial metrics to prove and communicate value to management. Occupational health nurses as key players on the management team.

Successfully communicating value to management starts by gaining visibility and by knowing what management wants to hear. Communicating budget information, including cost savings and time value of money, is an essential skill for the occupational health nurse. The occupational health nurse must be able to speak the language of business to make a meaningful impact in the 21st century work environment.