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Health Nursing
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Submitted to: Ma’am Salas

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Submitted by:
Aliga, Ronitha Venice
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Barayang, Karen kay
DIsonglo, Jorge Jr.
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Osea Jocel

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 Nursing in Occupational Health

Occupational Health Nurses (OHN)s are registered nurses who independently observe and
assess the worker's health status with respect to job tasks and hazards. Using their specialized
experience and education, these registered nurses recognize and prevent health effects from
hazardous exposures and treat workers' injuries/illnesses. Occupational health nursing is a
field within the nursing profession which is focused on the prevention and management of
workplace injuries. Occupational health nurses can work for companies which want to
provide nursing services to their employees, and for government agencies concerned with
occupational and public health issues. Many are registered nurses, and some hold master's
degrees in topics such as public health.

Occupational Health Nursing History in the Philippines

Occupational Health Nursing in the Philippines traces its roots to Ms. Magdalena Valenzuela of
the Department of Health who founded the Industrial Nursing Unit (INU) of the Philippine
Nurses Association on Nov. 11, 1950. INU is an organization of Nurses working in the industry
as company nurse. The Industrial Nursing Unit was changed to Occupational Health Nurses
Association of the Philippines, Inc. (OHNAP) on Sept. 10, 1960 and on Sept. 25, 1979, the
Constitution and By-Laws created a Specialty Board that granted its first Certified Occupational
Health Nurse Title to its first graduate.

Functions of occupational health team

1. Work with the occupational health team to lead the sanitary and industrial hygiene of all
industrial establishments including hospitals to determine their compliance with the
sanitation code and its implementing rules and regulations.
2. Recommends to local health authority the issuance if license/business permits and
suspensions or revocation of the same for any violation of the condition upon which
licenses or permits had been issued, pursuant to existing rules and regulations.
3. Coordinates with other government agencies relative to the implementation of the
implementing rules and regulations.
4. Attends to the complaints of all establishments in the area of assignment related to
industrial hygiene and recommends appropriate measures for immediate compliance.
5. Informs all affected workers regarding the nature of hazards and the reasons for the
control measures and protective equipment.
6. Participates to provide, install and maintains in good condition all control facilities and
protective barriers for potential and actual hazards.
7. Makes a periodic testing for physical examination of the workers and other health
examinations related to worker’s exposure to potential or actual hazards in the
workplace.
8. Provides control measures to reduce noise, dust, health, and other hazards.
9. Ensure strict compliance on the regular use and proper maintenance of personal
protective equipment.
10. Provide employees/workers an occupational health services and facilities.
 11. Refers or elevates to higher authority all unsolved issues in relation to occupational and
environmental health problems
12. Prepares and submit yearly reports to the local and national government.

Scope 

Educationally prepared to recognize adverse health effects of occupational exposure and

address methods for hazard abatement and control, OHNs bring their nursing expertise to all
industries such as meat packing, manufacturing, construction as well as the health care
industry.

 OHNs:
 Have special knowledge of workplace hazards and the relationship to the
employee health status.
 Understand industrial hygiene principles of engineering controls, administrative
controls, and personal protective equipment.
 Have knowledge of toxicology and epidemiology as related to the employee and
the work site.

Typical OHN Activities:

 Observation and assessment of both the worker and the work environment
 Interpretation and evaluation of the worker's medical and occupational history,
subjective complaints, and physical examination, along with any laboratory values or
other diagnostic screening tests, industrial hygiene and personal exposure monitoring
values
 Interpretation of medical diagnosis to workers and their employers
 Appraisal of the work environment for potential exposures
 Identification of abnormalities
 Description of the worker's response to the exposures
 Management of occupational and non-occupational illness and injury
 Documentation of the injury or illness

Types of occupational health nurse

~ Industrial nurse
~ Company nurse
~ Plant nurse

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES
● Assess work environments to identify potential or actual health problems
● Render first-aid treatment , especially during emergency cases, from simple wound dressing
to wound suturing.
● Refer emergency cases to the nearest hospital requiring more extensive medical aid of
surgical care in the absence of company physician.
●Active involvement in the Safety & Health Committee of the company.
● Monitor and record all medicines issued to employees
● Conduct home visit to employees who were on prolonged sick leave and those who went on
leave without permission no notifications for verification purposes.
● Assist the company physician during consultation and treatment.
● Monitor, record and prepare industrial accident reports, assist in filing and processing for
SSS/ PH benefits
● Maintain accurate records of sick, vacation and other leaves.
● Prepare summary reports on industrial accident cases, injuries and sickness.
● Prepare and monitor request for medical supplies, sterilizing equipment, medicines and
linen, among others, for daily use in the clinic as well as maintain stock cards for inventory.
●Perform liason tasks with SSS, Pag-ibig,Philhealth and accredited hospitals.

Hazards in Occupational Health Nursing

A. Physical hazards:

1. Physical hazards are agents within the work environment that may cause tissue damage or
other physical harm.

2. Physical hazards include radiation, temperature extremes, noise, electric and magnetic
fields, lasers, microwaves, and vibration.

3. Health effects may be acute or chronic, depending on the dose and the body part affected.
Examples:

a. Acute: acoustic trauma from excessive noise; heat stress or stroke; skin rashes; eye injuries
from infrared radiation; skin burns, cuts, or contusions.

b. Chronic: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL); multiple myeloma and leukemias from
exposure to ionizing radiation; teratogenic or genetic effects induced by certain types of
radiation.

B. Chemical hazards:

1. Various forms of either synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals in the work environment
may be potentially toxic or irritating to the body system through inhalation, skin absorption,
ingestion, or accidental injection.

2. Chemical hazards include solution, mists, vapors, aerosols, gases, medications, particulate
matter (fumes and dust), solvents, metals, oils synthetic textiles, pesticides, explosives, and
pharmaceuticals. Specifically, health care workers are exposed to chemical hazards such as
anesthetic gases, chemotherapeutic and antineoplastic agents, tissue fixatives and reagents,
disinfectants and detergents, sterilizing agents, solvents, latex, and mercury.

3. Health effects may be acute or chronic and can affect the pulmonary, reproductive, urologic,
cardiovascular, neurologic, and immune systems.
Examples:

a. Acute: respiratory irritation due to smoke, poisoning from accidental ingestion; metal-fume
fever; chemical burns; contact dermatitis and other dermatoses

b. Chronic: cancers (e.g. mesothelioma, bronchogenic and gastrointestinal carcinomas);

pleural disease; occupational asthma; hypertensitivity pneumonitis; birth defects; neurological
disorders

C. Biological hazards:

1, Biological agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, mold, or parasites may cause infectious
disease via direct contact with infected individuals/ animals, contaminated body fluids, or
contaminated objects/ surfaces.

2. Workers in certain occupations (e.g., health care, biologic research, animal handling) have a
high incidence of infectious disease.

3. Health effects may be acute or chronic, depending on nature of the organism.

Examples:

a. Acute: self-limiting infections such as colds and influenzas; measles; skin and parasitic
infections.

b. Chronic: tuberculosis; chronic hepatitis B; HIV infection, progressing to AIDS.

D. Mechanical hazards:

1. Mechanical agents may cause stress on the musculoskeletal or other body systems.

2. Hazards include inadequate work-station and tool design, frequent repetition of a limited
movement, repeated awkward movements with hand-held tools, local vibrations.

3. Health effects may be acute or chronic; they may result in a permanently disabling health
effect.

Examples:

a. Acute: neckstrain and other muscular fatigue from forceful exertion or awkward positioning;
visual fatigue

b. Chronic: Raynaud’s syndrome from use of vibrating power tools; carpal tunnel syndrome
and other work- related musculoskeletal disorders; back injury
E. Psychosocial hazards:

1. Psychosocial hazards are often related to the nature of the job, job content, the
organizational structure and culture, insufficient training and education regarding job
requirements, and the physical conditions in the workplace; leadership and management styles
can also contribute to psychosocial hazards.

2. Psychosocial hazards include interpersonal conflict, unsafe working conditions, overtime,

sexual harassment, racial inequality, role conflict, shift work, limited autonomy, poorly defined
expectations, and work instructions, and absent or limited job reward.

3. Health effects may be acute or chronic, including temporary and permanent disabilities; the
occurrence of accidents and injuries may be a secondary effect of these hazards.

Examples:

a. Acute: increased heart rate; increased blood pressure; sleep disturbances; fatigue;
depression; substance abuse; worksite violence

b. Chronic: hypertension; alcoholism; coronary artery disease; mental illness; gastrointestinal

disorder.

DOH Occupational Health Program

A. The Health of the people is the primordial concern of the Department of Health. By
virtue of the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, Chapter VII – Industrial Hygiene (PD
856) the Department of Health is furthered tasked to take care of the administration and
enforcement of sanitary requirements, environmental measures, provision of personal
protective equipment and health services applicable to all workplaces. The
reorganization of the Department of Health in 2000, left the Occupational Health
Program to National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC),
Environmental and Occupational Health Office (EOHO).
B. The objectives of Occupational Health Program in Partnership with the labor or worker
groups, Local Government Units, industries and other sectors will integrate occupational
health services into basic services in order to:
1. Improve the health status of workers with particular emphasis on the
undeserved/small-scale and the high risk group of workers and the affected
populace including the vulnerable sector including the children.
2. Provide maximum access to occupational services.
3. Develop the skills and amplitude of health personnel on the anticipation, recognition,
evaluation and control of occupational hazards; early recognition and management
of occupational poisonings; and other occupational health and safety concerns.
4. Reduce morbidity and mortality rates among workers in the workplace.
5. Reduce disability incidence due to work related illnesses, poisoning and diseases.
 6. Establish a monitoring/reporting system for occupational diseases.
C. The Program Strategies/Key Result Areas are as follows:
1. Establish/institutionalize Regional Occupation Toxicology (wherein Mercury
Surveillance is incorporated) and poison Control Center.
2. Integration of Occupational Health Services as part of the Primary Health Care
Approach.
3. Upgrade manpower capability of health personnel and existing facilities/laboratory
respond to occupational health and related concerns.
4. Preventive and primitive Occupational Health Strategies.
5. Toxicovigilance activities.
6. Advocacy Campaign thru the “Healthy Workplace” Initiative
7. Research
8. Multi-agency Linkages