Corporate expectations for occupational health nurses' activities

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Current roles of occupational health nurses (OHNs) may be perceived as less comprehensive than those of other health personnel.
• Corporate expectations for OHN activities are evolving, with a focus on future contributions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare current and future activity perceptions of occupational health nurses, medical personnel, and corporate management.
• To identify areas for occupational health nurses to expand their roles and gain recognition.
• To inform OHNs on leveraging corporate expectations for role development and educational advancement.

Main Methods:

• Data collected from reports by corporate management, occupational health, and medical personnel.
• Analysis of perceived current and future activities within occupational health nursing.

Main Results:

• Corporate management reports suggest OHNs perform fewer current activities compared to other personnel, but future expectations are similar.
• Two key areas identified for role expansion: health promotion/risk reduction analysis and cost-effective healthcare research.
• Future activities desired by corporations largely align with cost containment interests.

Conclusions:

• Occupational health nurses can strategically expand their roles into health promotion analysis and cost-effective research.
• Understanding corporate expectations, particularly regarding cost containment, is crucial for OHNs to gain support for new programs and advanced education.
• This study provides insights for OHNs to enhance their professional contributions and visibility within organizations.