The Impact of an Aging Population in the Workplace.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people 65 years of age or older living in the United States is projected to double by 2030 to 72 million adults, representing 20% of the total U.S. POPULATION: Evidence suggests that older Americans are working longer and spending more time on the job than their peers did in previous years. The increased number of older adults working longer is observed not only in the Unites States but also worldwide. There are numerous ramifications associated with the changing demographics and the expanding prevalence of an aging population in the workforce. Dynamics that arise include stereotyping and discrimination, longevity and on-site expert knowledge, variances in workplace behavior, a multigenerational employee pool, chronic disease management, occupational safety, and the application of adaptive strategies to reduce injury occurrences. Occupational health nurses play a pivotal role in implementing best practices for an aging-friendly workplace.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Airline Pilots.

The health of an airline pilot is imperative to the safe travels of millions of people worldwide. Medical providers evaluate the cardiovascular risks for airline pilots and the medical requirements to obtain and maintain licensure as an airline pilot. It is the role of the occupational health nurse practitioner to evaluate and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in this population.

Overuse of Diagnostic Imaging for Work-Related Injuries.

Overuse of health care in the United States is a growing concern. This article addresses the use of diagnostic imaging for work-related injuries. Diagnostic imaging drives substantial cost for increases in workers' compensation. Despite guidelines published by the American College of Radiology and the American College of Occupational Medicine and the Official Disability Guidelines, practitioners are prematurely ordering imaging sooner than recommended. Workers are exposed to unnecessary radiation and are incurring increasing costs without evidence of better outcomes. Practitioners caring for workers and submitting workers' compensation claims should adhere to official guidelines, using their professional judgment to consider financial impact and health outcomes of diagnostic imaging including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine imaging, radiography, and ultrasound.

The Impact of Language and Culture Diversity in Occupational Safety.

Occupational health nursing plays a critical part in improving the safety of foreign labor workers. The development and implementation of safety training programs do not always regularly take into account language barriers, low literacy levels, or cultural elements. This oversight can lead to more injuries and fatalities among this group. Despite established health and safety training programs, a significant number of non-native English speakers are injured or killed in preventable, occupation-related accidents. Introducing safety programs that use alternative teaching strategies such as pictograms, illustrations, and hands-on training opportunities will assist in addressing challenges for non-English laborers. Occupational health nursing has an opportunity to provide guidance on this subject and assist businesses in creating a safer and more productive work environment.

Ebola Virus Disease.

Nurses are the largest group of health care providers and, therefore, are often at the forefront of epidemics: responding, treating, educating, and coordinating care as needed. But what happens when nurses are afraid of contracting an illness and decide to leave the workplace? The fear due to Ebola was in part caused by conflicting information around the proper use of personal protective equipment and need for quarantine. The nursing response to as well as the role occupational health nurses can play in diffusing the fear of contracting contemporary infectious diseases are discussed.

Updating a tuberculosis surveillance program: considering all of the variables.

Tuberculosis surveillance programs have used the same testing methods for almost a century. New testing methods have been approved and are available, but how does a health care provider determine which diagnostic test is best in a given situation? Reviewing research statistics can be confusing, and the types of studies conducted may not be similar to a particular application. Development of an organizational needs assessment based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirements, organizational resources, the needs of the employee population, and the logistics of multiple campus sites prior to evaluating the available testing methods can assist occupational health nurses navigate the decision-making process. This article presents an example of a moderately sized health care facility to illustrate how to conduct a needs assessment that results in a decision as to which program best suits the organization. [Workplace Health Saf 2013;61(6):271-278.].

Pain management in occupational health: a guide for non-narcotic pain relief.

Narcotic pain management is currently a topic of concern in the United States; the latest concerns are both legal and ethical. Narcotics are frequently prescribed medications that, when improperly used or supervised, can cause death. Legal concerns include prescribing narcotics without performing detailed health-related evaluations, not recognizing those seeking drugs for personal recreational use, and clients diverting drugs to others for financial gain. Injured workers need to have pain controlled and be mentally safe to perform their job duties. This article identifies types of pain, comorbidities, and alternative methods of pain management beyond narcotic therapy, as well as discusses guidelines used to initiate narcotic therapy when needed.

Substance abuse among registered nurses.

The stressful conditions under which nurses work, due in part to the nursing shortage, are among the risk factors that contribute to nurses' abuse of illicit drugs. Nurses differ from the general population in that they work in an environment where they not only have access to controlled substances, but also are exposed to death and dying, the stress of which can increase the risk of drug abuse. However, practicing while impaired places patients' lives at risk and decreases staff morale.

Human bites in the classroom: incidence, treatment, and complications.

It has been estimated that at least one half of the population will experience some type of bite in their lifetime. Human bites are the third leading cause of all bites seen in hospital emergency departments after dog and cat bites. Human bites can be the source of exposure to body fluids, transmission of communicable diseases, infections ranging from cellulitis to osteomyelitis, and joint deformity from septic arthritis. Approximately 10-15% of human bites will become infected. In the school setting, a teacher or other staff member can sustain a human bite while trying to protect a student from injury. Often the first responder to this type of incident is the school nurse. The role of the school nurse is to promote early reporting, accurate history taking of the time and mechanism of injury, administering immediate wound care, initiating early referrals to appropriate medical providers, and supporting proactive care in the form of adult hepatitis B immunization.