Summary Abstracts
Fall 2017 Journal

Staying Current on Government Affairs
In his Journal column, Stephen Burt, MFA, BS, AOHP Government Affairs Committee Chair, provides analysis of recent government affairs activities. For this issue, he examines OSHA's Severe Injury and Fatality Reporting Rule, which became effective January 1, 2015, yet still generates many questions regarding the triggering events for reporting workplace accidents.  

Editor’s Column
This standard feature provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. In this issue, she discusses the challenges of flu vaccine season and shares a word of encouragement from a grateful employee in her workplace. 

Association Community Liaison Report
This regular Journal article details how AOHP is gaining visibility as an expert regarding occupational health issues. In this edition, author MaryAnn Gruden, MSN, CRNP, NP-C, COHN-S/CM, announces her retirement and introduces the new Community Liaison, Bobbi Jo Hurst, BSN, RN, MBA, COHN-S, SGE. Her final article also includes updates from OSHA and NIOSH.

Perspectives in Healthcare Safety
Cory Worden, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, is the Manager of System Safety for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, TX. In his standing Journal column, Worden shares his insights on safety in healthcare. This issue's feature - The Leader's Primer to Developing a Safety Culture - reviews the important role leaders have in effectively communicating, setting realistic expectations for, and recognizing and incentivizing safety behaviors, to promote safe conditions.

Understanding Trends in Pertussis Incidence: An Agent-Based Model Approach
This study examined the impact of undetected infections, adult immunity, and waning vaccine-acquired immunity on recent age-related trends in pertussis incidence. Authors Erinn Sanstead, MPH, Cynthia Kenyon, MPH, Seth Rowley, MPH, Eva Enns, PhD, Claudia Miller, MS, Kristen Ehresmann, RN, MPH, and Shalini Kulasingam, PhD, show observed trends in relative pertussis incidence in Dakota County, MN, can be attributed in part to fluctuations in adult immunity and waning vaccine-acquired immunity.

Healthy Plant-Based Diet: What Does it Really Mean?
Despite improvements in cardiovascular mortality rates over the past several decades, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Studies show that groups consuming predominantly plant-based foods, versus animal-based foods, have lower rates of heart disease, but what is the best definition of a "plant-based diet?" Article authors Kim Allan Williams Sr., MD and Hena Patel, MD, demonstrate through research the importance of protein source and support recommendations to increase plant protein intake, which in turn calls for education of physicians, patients, and the public about the largely unrecognized protein content of plants. 

The Urgency of Creating a Culture of Caring: Start with You!
With the high costs associated with staff turnover, creating a culture that cares for and about nurses could be the most significant recruitment tool for a healthcare organization. Professional coaching can greatly enhance opportunities for improving resilience, re-energizing and re-engaging leadership and staff, and breathing new life into an organization's culture. It can also lead to a healthy bottom line. Kim Richards explores the possible impacts on outcomes if the more than three million nurses nationwide would commit to a lifestyle of self-care.