Barriers to continuing education and continuing professional development among occupational health nurses in Japan.

As Japan's industries pursue technical innovations, the responsibilities of occupational health nurses are becoming increasingly complex. With such change, continuing professional development (CPD) and continuing education (CE) are crucial to the provision of appropriate care for workers. This study examined current practices of occupational health nurses and identified barriers to conducting occupational CPD and CE activities. A survey questionnaire was sent to 2,077 occupational health nurses late in 2010, asking about factors affecting attendance at and participation in CPD and CE activities, including challenges for occupational health nurses in practice. Findings demonstrated that many occupational health nurses do not work for companies that support CPD and CE. A significant finding was that occupational health nurses in Japan desire CPD activities and recognize the importance of attending CE activities. Continuing education is viewed by occupational health nurses as essential for their professional development and advancement with broader practice responsibilities and authority. Findings from this study are useful in crafting recommendations to increase occupational health nurse participation in both CPD and CE, leading to improvement in overall workplace health and safety in Japan.

Taking leave from work: the impact of culture on Japanese female nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This paper provides an overview of nurses' working conditions in Japan, exploring tensions between nurses' rights to take leave from work to fulfil family and personal needs and their actual ability to take such leave. It also considers possible effects of being restricted from taking such leave. BACKGROUND: Little has been written on the specific needs of nurses who are mothers in the Japanese work environment. Research has focussed on the effects of heavy, stressful workloads and long working hours leading to burnout, death from overwork and suicides in Japanese culture. However, research that considers unique cultural and female issues in Japan affecting nursing work has not been published. METHOD: Discursive. CONCLUSION: The paper shows that there are many overlapping, complex issues affecting nurses working in Japan and their needs need to be considered and addressed in order to promote a healthier work environment, as well as a more humanistic environment. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Workplace issues are relevant to recruitment and retention and better conditions are likely to improve hospital functioning.