Legislation affecting occupational health nursing: identifying relevant laws and regulations

Occupational health nurses are challenged by the complexity of the laws and regulations governing their practice. Establishing a practice-based regulatory framework and applying an efficient review process simplifies that challenge. For those interested in expanding this framework beyond laws and regulations, a number of agencies and organizations that establish standards and recommendations relevant to the occupational health setting exist, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (www.cdc.gov/niosh), and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (www.acgih.org). Materials published by these agencies (e.g., the CDC "Adult Immunization Schedule;" NIOSH "Recommendations for Protecting Outdoor Workers from West Nile;" American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists "Guide to Occupational Exposure Values," "TLVs," and "BEIs") are often of value to occupational health nurses and worth their attention.