Health surveillance: effective components of a successful program

1. Using the nursing process, the occupational health nurse plays a key role in the health surveillance of workers at risk for exposure to chemical, biological, or physical hazards. 2. To implement and manage a successful occupational surveillance program, the occupational health nurse must be familiar with walk through procedures, test selection and interpretation issues, toxicology and epidemiology concepts and budgeting processes. 3. Employee education and program evaluation are integral and ongoing components of a comprehensive occupational health surveillance program. Anticipation of legal and ethical problems is also critical during the design, implementation, and evaluation of the program. 4. Quality data collection and management aid the occupational health nurse in decision making and accurate and timely record keeping.