Occupational health nursing as a component of baccalaureate nursing education

Much can be gained by the nursing profession and by society by having well-prepared, professional occupational health nurses. Furthermore, conceptual knowledge about occupational health will better prepare the non-specialized nurse for her or his nursing practice. Lastly, knowledge about the hazards and risks that may accompany one's occupation will increase the nurse's awareness of the hazards that she/he may face in her/his own occupational setting. For these reasons the incorporation of occupational health content in the baccalaureate nursing programs would be a singular achievement for the nursing profession. It is clear that work-related injuries and illnesses pose a major challenge to today's health care providers. Most occupational health problems are preventable. It is fitting and indeed imperative that members of the nursing profession be leaders in a concerted effort to reduce the many risks in the workplace. The U.S. Public Health Service (1983) states that it is their goal that "by 1990 at least 70% of primary health care providers should routinely elicit occupational health exposures as part of the patient (health) history and should know how to interpret the information in an understandable manner." It is only through the introduction of important occupational health concepts in baccalaureate schools of education that this goal will be accomplished. Knowledge about occupational health nursing is fragmented. Furthermore, an occupational health curriculum, when it does exist, is varied in its content and its emphasis. this stems in part from a dearth of knowledge and experience by educators in the field of occupational health.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)