Development of an assessment guide for occupational health nurses

Based on an expressed need for an evaluation tool or quality assurance measurements for occupational health programs, a committee of occupational health nurses was established. The committee acknowledge the importance of developing an evaluation tool that would be helpful to occupational health nurses in any setting, considering the diverse responsibilities and functions. A thorough review of the literature was conducted to identify available documents and resources for quality assurance measurements in health care facilities, and in particular, occupational health settings. The literature review indicated that most of the quality assurance programs were designed for the hospital setting. Utilizing the AAOHN standards, job descriptions and the AIHA audit tool for occupational health programs, the final 10 page assessment guide was developed and designed for use by occupational health nurses working alone or in a multiple nurse setting and by nurse managers. It is the intent of the committee that the assessment guide would provide a stimulus for further research and development of the tool by other occupational health nurse.