Occupational health nurses' activity after general health examination for workers

In this study, the present condition of occupational health nurse's role after performing general health examination was surveyed. Questionnaires were mailed to 41 companies, and returned questionnaires from 24 of them were analyzed. Although general health examination results were reported to all workers individually in 100% of companies, physician's opinion regarding the examination results were obtained in 86% of companies with part-time physicians comparing with 100% of those with full-time physicians. Health care support related to the examination results were performed by 90% of occupational health nurses and 70% of physicians in companies which employed full-time physicians, but by 100% of occupational health nurses and 50% of physicians in those which employed part-time physicians. In companies with part-time physicians, 64% of occupational health nurses played roles in submitting reports to Labor Standard Inspection Office, but only 30% of occupational health nurses did it in those with full-time physicians. These results show that occupational health nurses working in companies with part-time occupational health physicians were more active in providing health care for workers after general health examination than occupational health nurses working in those with full-time occupational health physicians.