Summary Abstracts
Summer 2019 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 the impact of marijuana legislation on occupational health and the importance of employers communicating their marijuana policies clearly to employees.
Editor’s Column
A standard feature, the Editor’s Column provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. In this issue, she shares her journey to becoming an occupational health nurse and asks readers to reflect on their own career paths.
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 Bobbi Jo Hurst, BSN, RN, MBA, COHN-S, SGE, provides a review of AOHP’s participation on the work group that developed the revised TB recommendations, engagement with NIOSH and OSHA regarding employee health and safety, and the value of attending the National Conference.
Perspectives in Healthcare Safety
Cory Worden, PhD ABD, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, shares his insights on safety in healthcare in this standing column. This issue's feature – High Reliability by the Numbers – describes how employers can take action against unsafe workplace behaviors and conditions, and drive culture change, through a full circle safety management effort.
Overview: What the Occupational Health Professional Needs to Know About the Updated Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment Recommendations
MaryAnn Gruden, MSN, CRNP, NP-C, COHN-S/CM, Beverly Hagar, BSN, RN, COHN-S, and Christine Pionk, MS, RN, COHN-S, authored this overview. An excerpt from the new 16th edition of the AOHP Getting Started manual, it offers an explanation of the revised Tuberculosis screening, testing, and treatment recommendations released by the CDC and NTCA on May 17, 2019.
The Effects of Transitional Work Assignments on Lost Time Days for Workers’ Compensation Claims
In the workers’ compensation claims system, lost-time days or days away from work can have a significant negative impact on both the employer and the employee. Lynn Tyrer, BSc, MSBS, DMSc, OTR/L, PA-C, and Nancy Reid, MHA, DHSc, PA-C, study the potential benefits of transitional work to prevent lost-time claims.
Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis induced by pertussis: the first case report
Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is a severe condition with limited treatment strategies. Although respiratory infection is a major cause of AE-IPF, no reports had previously indicated pertussis infection as a cause. This study reports two cases of pertussis infection-induced AE-IPF. Authors include Kuniaki Hirai, Tetsuya Homma, Fumihiro Yamaguchi, Munehiro Yamaguchi, Shintaro Suzuki, Akihiko Tanaka, Tsukasa Ohnishi, and Hironori Sagara.
Economic Vulnerability Among U.S. Female Healthcare Workers: Potential Impact of a $15-per-Hour Minimum Wage
Using the 2017 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey, Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, MD, MSEd, and Atheendar S. Venkataramani, MD, PhD, investigate racial/ethnic and gender inequities in the compensation and benefits of U.S. healthcare workers and assess the potential impact of a $15-per-hour minimum wage on their economic well-being.