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Monday, September 8, 8:00 am-5:30 pm; Tuesday, September 9, 8:00 am-5:30 pm; Wednesday, September 10, 7:30 am-2:00 pm
This intensive three-day course presents state-of-the-art information in the field of occupational and environmental health and safety; Comprehensive workbook/resource manuals and classroom materials; Test-taking techniques and strategies for examination preparation; Written tests prior, during and at conclusion of seminar; Participative lectures. Registration fee includes one set of Occupational Health & Safety Principles and Nursing Certification Review Manuals and FREE admission to attend Workshop W011 (3:20 pm-5:20 pm) on September 10.
LUNCH NOT INCLUDED.
Topic Overview:
The Occupational Health Department at the Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK) is now treating behavioral as well as somatic problems of its employees. The reorganized medical program, which began in 2010, has two main goals:
This presentation will detail intermediate (2014) results of this successful reorganization, including: a reduction in sickness absenteeism; an increase in training for medical personnel regarding mental health and non-communicable disease prevention; an increase in flu and pneumococcal vaccination rates; and the integration of emergency preparedness with emergency public service disaster prevention.
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For many occupational health professionals in healthcare, adequate respiratory protection for the staff who care for patients with airborne diseases may be an essential job function. In addition, there may be a need to provide respiratory protection for staff outside the clinical areas, such as engineering staff. This presentation will review the essential elements of a respiratory protection program based on OSHA’s respiratory protection standard (1910.134 CFR.) This training program was developed by a multi-association nursing advisory group, supported by NIOSH, as a result of the recommendations of the 2011 Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Occupational Health Nurses and Respiratory Protection: Improving Education and Training: Letter Report.
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Project: Risk of bloodborne pathogen (BBP) transmission following occupational exposures depends on the healthcare personnel’s (HCP) immune status, source patient factors, and the type of injury and quantity of blood transferred to the HCP. Prevention of transmission requires prompt reporting, expert post-exposure assessment, and rapid dispensing of post-exposure prophylaxis medications (PEP.) A body substance exposure (BSE) hotline was implemented by BJC HealthCare, St. Louis, MO, in 1997, staffed by trained nurse specialists with infectious disease physician oversight and standing HIV PEP orders. The hotline is answered 24/7, and procedures are in place at all entities for source patient lab testing, HIV PEP and employee testing. A total of 4,682 hotline calls were managed from 2000 to 2013, and HCP self-reported BSE are collected in an electronic data repository. The BSE hotline provides a regional service to support exposed employees with after-hours expertise, avoiding employee visits to the ER. Standardized training, assessment tools, standing orders, protocols, and expert physician guidance provide consistent exposure management for exposed HCP by nurse specialists. The hotline services over 28,000 employees, and calls are responded to within 10 minutes. Specialists provide HIV PEP within two hours of warranted exposures for BBP transmission prevention.
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Topic Overview:
Healthcare facilities are potentially dangerous work environments and, while proper training, engineering controls and administrative precautions can help to effectively manage risk, employee accidents can and do happen. Accidents are inevitable in today’s healthcare workplace. Even with the best loss control program, employees still can be hurried or distracted. Employee accidents, while unfortunate, present an opportunity to improve the performance of a healthcare facility’s safety program. Properly conducted accident investigations provide solutions to many workplace hazards. The purpose of this session is to instruct participants in a simple methodology for determining the root cause of workplace accidents. Participants will be able to utilize a six-step process for an effective employee accident investigation program that will help to identify root causes, prescribe appropriate corrective measures and implement performance metrics to ensure a safer workplace. By learning the basic elements of an accident investigation, attendees will understand investigation strategy, witness questioning, evidence gathering, critical decision points, and effective, legal documentation.
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Topic Overview:
This workshop will offer recommendations and advice from individuals who have experience with implementing and sustaining a safe patient handling program (SPH,) from start-ups to seasoned programs at single locations as well as multi-facility systems. The presentation will be targeted to those who have a management role for SPH in an acute care environment who want to start a SPH program from the beginning or to build upon a program that is well established but needs updating. Practical examples and tools will be presented that will be useful in a clinical setting. The workshop will be a combination of lecture, group interaction and exercises, including a review of case studies and assessment tools. Attendees will be encouraged to bring their tough SPH problems to the workshop for discussion.
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Topic Overview: This comprehensive, informative presentation is designed for the occupational health professional new to the field. The eight-hour didactic course was developed from the Getting Started manual, which is updated every two years by the AOHP organization. Course content includes valuable resources, encourages interactive discussion and is presented by a team of knowledgeable experts. All participants will receive the 2014 edition of the Getting Started resource manual in CD format.
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Topic Overview:
This presentation will provide participants with an overview of how one organization efficiently modified and implemented Harvard's 2004 "Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce" initiative to serve the health needs of 30,000 coal miners and their families in Russia. Through regular medical examinations, the Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK Kuzbass) assesses the aptitude of all employees, including their health status and rate of absenteeism. By implementing programs focusing on disease prevention and health risk elimination through "Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce," employees' health status increased, issues related to non-communicable diseases were addressed, and absenteeism decreased.
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Topic Overview:
Every specialty has its procedure that makes it unique. In occupational medicine, our special skill is in disability determination, and the product is an accurate, concise and clear work status report in the form of work restrictions. Yet, there is virtually no science behind the determination of what restrictions are appropriate for a certain worker. Each case stands on its own merits, but there are general principles that can be applied, which are then refined through experience. This presentation will explore some of those generally accepted principles and apply them to case studies in a participatory format. Participants will engage in role-playing and other hands-on activities.
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It is counter-intuitive that the healthcare industry, whose mission is the care of the sick, is itself a "high-hazard" industry for the workers it employs. This employment sector consistently demonstrates poor injury and illness statistics, among the highest in the United States, while it employs more than 12% of the nation’s workforce. This suggests a large population at potential risk of health harm. While possessing every hazard class, with infectious agents the most typically considered, diverse and novel chemical hazards are also present, including sterilants and pharmaceuticals, such as highly toxic anti-cancer drugs. Using the classical industrial hygiene hierarchy of control technologies, novel and unique-to-the-sector hazards can be managed to mitigate risk. This presentation will describe the expanded role of administrative controls and policies, including medical surveillance and protective reassignment, in addressing hazardous drugs and other reproductive health threats. The approach to designing surveillance program content and implementation considerations will be described, and current regulation and best practice recommendations of government agencies and professional organizations will be reviewed.
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The record-breaking OSHA fines currently in the news are eye-popping. The Occupational Safety and Health Act has been in effect for over 40 years, and no employer is given the benefit of the doubt if an interpretation of the OSHA requirements is questioned. With OSHA’s spotlight focusing on aggressive enforcement, occupational health professionals need to know and understand their rights and obligations before OSHA shows up at the door. Be prepared to face them with aggressive compliance.
If you work for one of the many healthcare facilities that grew somewhat lax about employee safety during the Bush Administration, now is the time to buckle down and evaluate your current regulatory compliance policies and practices. Would you be prepared if you opened the door today to find an OSHA Compliance Safety Health Officer (CSHO) ready to inspect your facility? Do you know your legal rights? Your failure to plan may constitute an emergency that will put unnecessary stress - human and financial - on your organization. In this seminar, we will review the top 25 violations written in hospitals and offer helpful tips on ways to minimize your exposure to costly OSHA penalties and negative public relations.
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The goal of this presentation is to educate occupational health professionals on the various tuberculosis (TB) tests available, and the operational and financial considerations for switching from one TB testing method to another. Specifically, the program will include an educational review of the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs,) including what they are, how they work and how they are used to screen for latent tuberculosis infection.
The presenters will discuss TB prevalence in the United States now and in the past, and they will introduce current diagnostic and treatment options for latent TB infection, focusing on the newer, blood-based IGRAs, some procedural considerations for screening programs and the importance of perspective and quantitative result interpretation. Current CDC screening recommendations and guidelines will be reviewed. Examples of screening programs in hospital, public health and Veterans Health Administration settings will be discussed, particularly in comparison with the previous standard of TST use. A toolkit with samples of policies and procedures will be shared.
The program will conclude with information about how participants can complete a financial assessment of the total cost of switching from one TB testing method to another at their institutions, with suggestions on how to present that information to other administrators and medical staff involved in the decision-making process.
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Topic Overview:
This interactive discussion and problem-solving workshop focuses on the basics of workers’ compensation systems, and why 15%-20% of claims produce 80%-85% of the costs. Using real-life case scenarios, participants will gain a better understanding of the subtleties of managing a workers’ compensation injury/illness and the subsequent claims, and will examine the fundamental language of the workers' compensation law common to all 50 states. Other points of discussion will include strategies to control costs while getting workers back to a productive, functional work life as quickly as possible, and what criteria to use when selecting, referring or suggesting qualified medical providers. Following a variety of cases from onset to resolution, from both simple illustrations to more “creeping catastrophic” cases, will enable attendees to gain a better perspective on this 100-year-old system known as workers’ compensation.
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The annual Congress of President meeting begins with an educational presentation from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. All chapter presidents are cordially invited to attend. If you cannot attend, please designate a conference attendee from your chapter.
For working adults, striking a balance between work and home is always a challenge. This session will illustrate for participants how to find a balance point at the end of each workday so they can fully focus on life after work... No more "Blackberry orphans" and neglected spouses. Learn practical steps to clear the mind at the end of each day to relax and find daily balance in life.
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The A3 process is a simple way of writing a problem, an analysis, a corrective action or an action plan on a single sheet of large paper, often with the use of graphics. Many manufacturers use it as a powerful lean management tool. A3 is an improvement process that applies lean thinking to problem solving. Toyota Motor Corporation is known for its ability to improve operational performance. Central to this ability is the training of engineers, supervisors and managers in a structured problem-solving approach that uses a tool called the A3 Problem-Solving Report. The A3’s constraints (just two pages) and its structure (specific categories, ordered in steps, adding up to a “story”) are the keys to the A3’s power. The A3 process presents an ideal opportunity to solve problems, plan initiatives, collaborate and mentor. A3s serve as mechanisms for managers to conduct root cause analysis and scientific thinking while aligning the interests of individuals and departments. Participants will be able to develop an understanding of how an A3 report can be used in their own settings.
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WEDNESDAY OPENING RECEPTION The reception will be held Wednesday, September 10 in the exhibit hall at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. The event will start at 6:00 pm and will end at 8:00 pm. Discover new products, mingle with exhibitors and learn about the companies who work to make your professional life easier. Authentic Cajun story tellers will mingle with party-goers, sharing stories of the Louisiana Bayou and how pirates roamed the streets of this port city for more than a century, supplying luxury goods to New Orleans and beyond. Meet the brilliant and capable pirate leader Jean Lafitte at the reception, and hear about their adventures. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with the exhibitors, enjoy a few hours of networking, savor the munchies and have fun.
New this year! The AOHP 2014 Conference Committee is offering a unique new forum for select exhibitors to share their expertise and display their products and services. The Innovative Product Showcase, featuring visually appealing, informative poster displays from exhibitors, will be open for viewing from Wednesday, September 10 at 6:00 pm until Friday, September 12 at 11:00 am. Come by the Innovative Product Showcase to learn more.
The 2014 Conference Committee reviewed several posters for the AOHP 2014 National Conference. The selected posters will be open for viewing from Wednesday, September 10 at 6:00 pm until Friday, September 12 at 11:00 am. Stop by the poster session and see how these presenters have successfully implemented a program or taken an innovative idea and turned it into a reality.
Topic Overview:
This session will show participants how to work effectively with each of the four generations present in the workforce today. This upbeat, motivational presentation will offer insights as to what each generation values and how they learn. Learn to accentuate the positives that each generation brings to the workforce and how to reach and motivate each generation based on what they value.
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Topic Overview:
The epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States is changing rapidly. Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) provide new alternatives to skin testing for detection of latent TB infection. These developments have important implications related to healthcare worker TB screening. This presentation will review recent data regarding performance of IGRAs and discuss the challenges of implementing and interpreting these tests.
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Occupational health professionals have a key role to play in drug diversion detection and response. Through lecture, power point and case study analysis, this presentation will define the scope of the drug diversion problem in healthcare facilities across the United States. Essential components of a diversion surveillance, detection and response program will be discussed, including relevant policies, the benefits of internal and external collaboration, and staff education. Drug diversion measures for healthcare facilities will also be reviewed, from pre-employment screening and surveillance to drug testing, handling and security, as well as diversion response. The presenter will also highlight related regulatory requirements from the Controlled Substance Act, the FDA and other public health institutions. Specific methods for protecting patients and facilities when diversion occurs will also be examined.
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The AOHP 2014 Conference Committee is offering an opportunity for exhibitors to demonstrate their products and services. The "Solution Series" will feature short (10-minute) sessions in a designated area of the exhibit hall for exhibitors to present and share their expertise directly with the conference attendees in a more controlled setting. The "Solution Series" will allow exhibitors the opportunity to tailor a professional presentation that meets the attendees’ specific needs and interests. Come join us, and learn more!
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH) invites you to a special town hall meeting scheduled for Thursday September 11 during the AOHP 2014 National Conference. Learn the answers to all of your questions regarding data from 15,000 healthcare personnel injuries that have been collected by the NIOSH Occupational Health Safety Network (OHSN) from more than 100 hospitals nationwide and entered into the first modules of its electronic surveillance system:
With input from AOHP and other stakeholders, NIOSH has developed the first modules of this free, secure, electronic surveillance system, which uses existing data to eliminate the need for double data entry. The current modules focus on: slips, trips and falls; musculoskeletal disorders related to patient handling; and workplace violence. Gain valuable insight on uploading your existing data, viewing the benchmarking capabilities and using the output graphs 24/7 at your desk. Come join us and other stakeholders for this informational meeting.
Topic Overview:
The DNA-damaging effects of treatment with anti-cancer chemotherapy resulting in therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and acute leukemia (t-MDS/t-AML) have been recognized for more than 30 years. Concern for the health of cancer caregivers who handled these drugs has also been raised as scores of monitoring studies have documented drug contaminated work areas and worker exposure using post-shift biomonitoring, measures of genotoxicity and in epidemiologic studies of increased reproductive loss. While safe drug handling practices were promoted during the 1990s, concern has persisted that the risk has not been fully addressed. To assess current conditions, a comprehensive exposure assessment study of oncology pharmacy and nursing personnel was performed. Forty-six non-exposed and 63 exposed healthcare workers at three U.S. university hospital cancer centers, all of which reported use of recommended safe handling practices, were enrolled in the study. Sixty percent of 145 total wipe samples demonstrated at least one of the five drugs at concentrations above the limit of detection. Three of the 63 urine samples had measurable concentrations of chemotherapy drugs present. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) was used to assess chromosomal abnormalities in exposed workers. Excess aberrations (numerical and structural) were observed in exposed workers as a function of drug handling frequency, reaching statistical significance for chromosome five (p=0.014.) These signature findings suggest that biologically important exposure and risk persist for oncology workers despite endorsement of safe handling policies.
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Topic Overview:
This presentation will focus on aerial transmission of micro-organisms through the air, including multiple factors that contribute to transmission and how to select proper prevention methods. Topics that will be discussed are:
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This presentation will focus on the importance of health and wellness for healthcare professionals (HCPs.) Literature on health status and health behaviors of HCPs will be reviewed. Evidence-based interventions will be presented. Recommendations will be provided on how to integrate wellness into work units in healthcare settings. An interactive wellness exercise will be included as part of this session.
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Plan to attend this special event on Thursday evening, September 11, from 6:15 pm -9 pm. Sponsor Oxford Immunotec invites you to a delicious dinner and short, informative educational program, which is open to all conference attendees at NO COST. Enjoy good food, a glass of wine or beer, and networking with friends and colleagues during this relaxing, fun event at the mid-point of a busy, informative conference. Special thanks to Oxford Immunotec, a global, commercial-stage diagnostic company committed to improving patient care by providing advanced, innovative tests in the field of immunology, for offering this event to AOHP conference attendees. To attend, please make sure to check “I will attend” on the Registration Form.
Thursday, September 11, 2014 6:30 pm – 8:15 pm
1.5 hour General Session Level: Basic
Title: TSTs, IGRAs and Occupational Health: Analyzing Your TB Testing Program
Presenters: Kathy Dayvault, MPH, BSN, RN, COHN-S/CM and Chris P. Kadlecek, PT
Topic Overview:
The goal of this presentation is to educate occupational health professionals on the various TB tests available, and the operational and financial considerations for switching from one TB testing method to another. Specifically, the program will include an educational review of the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs,) including what they are, how they work and how they are used to screen for latent tuberculosis infection. The presenters will give participants information about how to complete a financial assessment of the total cost of switching from one TB testing method to another at their institutions, with suggestions on how to present that information to other administrators and medical staff involved in the decision-making process.
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Topic Overview:
Adults are at substantial risk for vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. But, vaccination remains a poorly utilized prevention tool among adults. This presentation will describe the highlights on adult vaccination at the most recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting, adult vaccine coverage and coverage disparities across different populations, healthcare provider perspectives and practice standards on adult immunization, and the important role of occupational health professionals in improving adult immunization rates and promoting health and effectiveness of working adults.
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This presentation will provide participants with valuable information on how to manage a successful workers' compensation program. Discussion will center on how to identify issues related to workers' compensation claims and tools that can be used to manage these issues. Prevailing attitudes and their subsequent effects on workers' compensation claims will be analyzed. Claims management regarding how to identify and eliminate fraudulent claims will also be reviewed.
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As employers feel the pressure of providing a solution to the rising cost of healthcare, many turn to on-site services and wellness programs. However, when asked, many employers struggle to provide a measurable return on investment—calculated in terms of improved health and impact to the bottom line. In the Towers Watson 2012 Onsite Health Center survey, which looks at 74 large employers, 53% of those employers do not know or track their return on investment. Through longitudinal studies conducted on large employee populations, this session will offer validated research about the clinical and economic benefits of these services and their related interventions.
The impact of the services and interventions is reviewed from several relevant angles:
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Currently, 20 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. Two of those states, Colorado and Washington, have also legalized recreational marijuana. This creates an interesting dilemma for workplace drug policy enforcement. To date, the U.S. courts have upheld the termination of employees who have tested positive for marijuana use, even if for medical purposes. While use becomes more widespread in Colorado and Washington for strictly recreational purposes, the impact on a drug-free workforce is unknown.
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Occupational health professionals are not just clinicians, but also educators, case managers, consultants and risk managers. Therefore, data on staffing ratios in other types of healthcare settings cannot be generalized to occupational health offices. The paucity of available literature on these unique offices indicates that it is unfeasible to offer recommendations on staffing ratios without first adequately assessing the current ratios in occupational health offices in healthcare settings and analyzing the factors that may influence those ratios. Accordingly, this session will review a 2014 study which aims to address this concern, conducted by Ethan Moses and Kevin Walters in collaboration with AOHP. Dr. Moses and Walters received the 2013 Julie Schmid Research Scholarship from AOHP to expand upon previous staffing surveys. The goal of this research is to assess and analyze the factors that influence staffing ratios among AOHP members’ organizations to lay the foundation for future, large-scale studies that have the statistical power to examine ideal staffing ratios. In doing so, previous staffing survey questionnaires were modified and improved upon to describe current staffing patterns and identify variables that impact staffing levels in occupational health offices in healthcare settings. Additionally, the researchers included survey measures to investigate potential relationships between staffing ratios and the respondents’ job stress and satisfaction. In this session, the presenters will discuss the methodology and findings of this research as it pertains to AOHP members, as well as possible implications for occupational health offices nationwide.
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Topic Overview:
This session will focus on the ergonomic issues often overlooked as hospitals grapple with the problems of safe patient handling. Healthcare has historically led most industries in high rates of musculoskeletal injuries that can be traced directly to patient handling activities. Environmental design can either add to or subtract from the effectiveness of the patient handling program based on either good or poor applications, respectively. Door widths, toilet heights, handrail placement, types of floors and threshold can all play a part in the difficulty or ease with which patients can move around the facility and can make equipment either more or less effective. Poor design and program application will often be at the root of non-compliance, and yet, hospitals historically have overlooked these issues. These issues play an even more important role with continued increases in the number of bariatric patients.
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For many occupational health nurses (OHNs) in healthcare, adequate respiratory protection for the staff who care for patients with airborne diseases may be an essential job function. In addition, there may be a need to provide respiratory protection for staff outside the clinical areas, such as engineering staff. The results of a national survey of OHNs revealed that OHNs in healthcare often learn about respiratory protection through on-the-job training/experiences. This presentation will provide an overview to date of the efforts of the NIOSH and multi-association advisory group that was convened after the release of the 2011 Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Occupational Health Nurses and Respiratory Protection: Improving Education and Training: Letter Report. The results of the national OHN survey on respiratory protection, the development of OHN respiratory protection competencies and the training modules that have been developed will be shared.
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Post-offer medical examinations are critical to ensure that a prospective employee is well matched to the applied for job. A mismatch of the applicant’s ability to perform the essential job functions increases the chance of an on-the-job injury. A comprehensive post-offer pre-employment physical examination, including an assessment of the physical capabilities of the applicant in relationship to the essential physical demands of the job, is key to injury avoidance. The presentation reviews the rational and components, implications and costs of such an evaluation. Topics to be covered include the components of the exam, how to determine the physical demands of the job and the costs involved.
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FRIDAY ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING AND AWARD LUNCHEON – SPONSORED BY AXION HEALTH
Join us at the annual business meeting and award luncheon on Friday, September 12 from 11:45 am to 1:45 pm. This luncheon meeting is included in your main conference registration. This special event recognizes winners of AOHP individual and chapter awards. Celebrate with the award winners and hear the latest news from AOHP board members. To attend, please make sure to check “I will attend” on the Registration Form. This event is sponsored by Axion Health.
Topic Overview:
The presentation provides an overview of occupational lung disease with a particular focus on occupational asthma. Discussion includes the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system, clinical evaluation (PFTs, chest x-rays and bronchodilator challenge,) common asthmagens encountered in the workplace and pulmonary response. Participants will improve their clinical evaluation of patients with occupational asthma (asthma either caused by or exacerbated by workplace exposures) and be able to identify workplace exposures generally associated with occupational asthma, such as inhaling chemicals, gases, fumes, dusts and solvents, or workplace factors such as high humidity and extreme temperature.
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DLAR (Division of Laboratory Animal Resources) is the division within Duke Health System whose employees care for all of the animals being used in and for medical research. This includes animals of all sizes, from mice to non-human primates. Duke monitors all divisions that have a "Days Away Restricted/Job Transfer" (DART) rate over 4.00 per 100 full-time employees. In 2007, DLAR had a DART rate of 26.13, the highest DART rate at Duke. DLAR’s DART rate was 70% higher than the division with the next highest DART rate. Most of the injuries were related to ergonomics and occupational hygiene safety. In 2008, upper management was already in the process of re-classifying all of its job positions from union to non-union, which assisted with changing the culture and morale by reducing turnover and giving employees a long-term career path. With upper management taking responsibility for making systemic changes to the division regarding employee safety, a Safety Committee was finally established. With continued upper management financial and administrative support and a positive working relationship with Duke Ergonomics and Occupational & Hygiene Safety, the Safety Committee has been able to facilitate multiple upgrades of various magnitudes that have had an enormous impact on the injury rate. By 2012, the DART rate for DLAR had been reduced by 67%, to 8.69. This presentation will show before and after injury data and examples of these solutions, including HR policy changes, material purchases, and both large and small equipment installations.
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Two years ago at the AOHP National Conference in Las Vegas, Ken Scott from the Mountain and Plains ERC introduced AOHP members to some of the issues that will arise as the U.S. healthcare workforce ages. In this presentation, AOHP members will see what he and his colleagues have developed since the last AOHP session on the aging workforce. The presentation will introduce participants to the following resources:
1) A research study, published in the AOHP Journal, that analyzed how patterns of occupational injuries in private U.S. hospitals change as healthcare workers age.
2) Digital stories developed by aging nurses that dig deeper and reach more broadly than statistics and numbers alone.
3) An online train-the-trainer program to help occupational health professionals in healthcare educate their organizations about the aging workforce and its constellation of issues, challenges and opportunities.
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Most people work hard, but only a few are truly acknowledged for their efforts. Ensure your aptitude is recognized and respected by effectively communicating personal and departmental value to the C-suite. This learning session will focus on the methods and tools vital to marketing personal value to your organization. First, the presenters will review what metrics drive the C-suite and other organizational leaders. Secondly, they will explain how to calculate your personal Return-on-Investment (ROI) value through a custom ROI tool specially developed for use by occupational health professionals. Lastly, participants will be stepped through an example scenario to reinforce the tool utilization and value of ROI messaging.
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There is a high incidence of needlestick exposures related to needlestick injuries associated with the use of needles and surgical procedures. Many of these procedures are performed in the operating room. One such means to reduce needlestick injuries is to use safety needles. Another means is the use of blunt needles, but these can only be used for fascia tissue and not for skin closure or securing procedural lines. Studies have found that suturing was one of the most frequent causes of needlestick, ranging from 16.7% to <100% of the providers. There are little or no educational materials directed at suturing and proper suture technique. Suturing is performed in many settings, not only in the surgical suite, but also in emergency departments, clinics, and on medical and surgical floors. There is a need to educate healthcare providers on how to reduce the incidence of needlesticks from the use of needles and from exposures associated with suturing. Trending of needlestick injuries, staff education and modifications of needle devices and techniques will also be discussed in the presentation. The treatment of needlestick injuries is rapidly evolving to prevent serious viral infections. This presentation will review the means to reduce needlestick injuries and the most up-to-date treatment of these injuries.
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The NIOSH Occupational Health Safety Network (OHSN) deployed in summer 2013. This is a novel electronic surveillance system that allows benchmarking of occupational injury/illness rates and data analysis across an entire industry, starting with the healthcare sector. The first three OHSN modules focus on common events that can lead to injuries or musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare personnel: patient handling and working in awkward postures; slips, trips and falls; and workplace violence. Participants will learn about data collection and observed trends over the past year, and lessons learned in this process. The session will also introduce the newest OHSN module focused on exposures, including both sharps injuries and blood/body fluid exposures.
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Low back cases are among the most costly and frequent cases in workers' compensation. There are a confusing number of treatments available for different diagnoses, and hundreds of published articles. Often, practitioners cannot agree on the actual diagnosis creating the patient’s symptoms. This lecture will review the latest literature with an emphasis on controversial areas, such as why there is a frequent lack of long-term success for spinal injections. Discussion will cover the latest treatments and their likely success rates, as well as patient motivational techniques. The treatment recommendations from the recently updated Colorado workers' compensation guidelines and the ACOEM guidelines, which are currently in the process of updating, will be reviewed. Attendees will discover interesting new evidence that speaks against some of the traditional ideas about how to treat common back and neck conditions.
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In this presentation, a Job Accommodation Network (JAN) consultant with over 20 years of experience in workplace accommodations will share her knowledge about the interactive accommodation process and the role that employers, employees and healthcare professionals play in that process. Problem areas will be identified and addressed at each step, and real-life accommodation situations will be provided to illustrate how these problem areas can be overcome. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss situations they have been involved in and to ask questions about their role in the accommodation process. Best practice tips will be provided throughout.
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Violence in the Workplace. We hear about it every once in a while, yet it seems like it's happening more often. And, for every incident we hear or read about in the news, there are many other smaller incidents that occur across the country each day that we don't hear about. Employers have both legal and ethical responsibilities to maintain a safe work environment – for the patients, but also for the staff. Well over half of the employers in this country have no program or policy addressing workplace violence, and among those who have a policy, less than half address domestic violence. Workplace violence probably wouldn't or couldn't happen at your healthcare facility, right? Or, could it? Employers can be held liable for workplace violence when it can be shown that there was negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent security, and/or inadequate safeguards to provide a “safe and healthful workplace.” As an occupational health professional, how can you help to minimize the potential for violence in employees?
Hospitals may face liability for workplace violence events. You want to be prepared! On September 8, 2011, OSHA issued the Compliance Directive “Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Incidents of Workplace Violence.” This comprehensive seminar will explore the statistics, the legal issues surrounding employment practices and what OSHA is doing to try to make your workplace safer for employees.
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This presentation will provide an overview of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations and case law, and provide case histories and legal opinions on current FMLA cases. Discussion on management of intermittent FMLA will be included.
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This presentation will discuss the development and implementation of a pre-employment/post-offer nicotine testing program at a large healthcare organization. The importance of developing partnerships with multiple internal departments and external vendors will be discussed. The timeline and specific steps required will be detailed. An overview of the challenges and lessons learned from developing and implementing a pre-employment/post-offer nicotine testing program will be presented.
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Topic Overview:
Employee wellness programs continue to grow in popularity. The most comprehensive and integrated programs have several cornerstones, most notably health, safety and psychosocial well-being. In an ideal world, all three are equally valued. In the real world, however, the psychosocial cornerstone often receives short shrift. Yet, many employers and employees cite psychosocial issues as a significant well-being concern. When interventions are offered, many hone in on a specific issue (e.g., stress,) emphasize “fixing” the individual and may be offered off-site. This approach ignores the big picture. Workplace wellness programs benefit from a broader, more comprehensive, balanced approach with coordinated services for individuals, groups and the organization as a whole. Offering services on-site can help maximize employee participation and engagement, and provide unique secondary benefits.
This presentation highlights a comprehensive, on-site program comprised of an array of diverse services that can be tailored to other workplaces. Program components range from simple to complex and address psychosocial support, stress management, team-building, morale, job satisfaction and professional development. Positive outcomes include enhanced well-being, coping skills, job satisfaction, teamwork, group cohesiveness, peer support and cultural awareness. In addition, reduced burnout, absenteeism, turnover, and bottom line costs are noted.
This interactive session will encourage participants to share their thoughts and stories. Lessons learned in the model program will be shared to help participants develop preliminary ideas and plans for creating psychosocial wellness programs in their workplaces (including how to integrate safety and health promotion components.) It can be done! And, it’s so worth it!
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National Committee Information Meetings
All Certified and non-certified Occupational Health Nurses are invited
Topic Overview:
As part of the societal push to improve worker well-being through worksite health promotion, increasing attention is being given to the use of incentives. For example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) incents employers to pursue a comprehensive worksite health promotion strategy, with intention of driving high levels of participation and demonstrated health outcomes. But, what do we really know about the use of positive and negative incentives in getting workers to improve their health? Do incentives improve participation? Do they lead to long-term gains in worker health?
This presentation will focus on one of the most vexing aspects of worksite health promotion - how to effectively use incentives to promote sustainable engagement. The presenters will review case studies and benchmark data on how organizations have applied knowledge of health behavior change in the workplace. Discussion will include a review of the incentives built into the ACA, provide information on what organizations across the country are doing with incentives, and provide insights, tools and resources to help new and seasoned professionals design and implement worker health promotion programs that meet the needs and interests of every worker.
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Topic Overview:
Bloodborne pathogen exposures continue to occur among healthcare workers, despite years of attention and a variety of efforts to eliminate them. The AOHP-sponsored Exposure Survey of Trends in Occupational Practice (EXPO-S.T.O.P.) benchmarking research study (in its second year) continues to provide new insights into this issue. This team-taught presentation will demonstrate to conference participants how research and evidence-based practice can inform their management of this crucial concern. The session will include updates on sharps and muco-cutaneous exposure incidence, expand on best Practices in exposure prevention and provide a preview report on the most recent findings.
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Topic Overview:
Occupational health plays a pivotal role in the ongoing safety of the work environment. As members of the management team, it is essential for Occupational Health Department staff to know and understand the potential changes in the regulatory environment caused by the passage of newly introduced legislation. This presentation will review the pertinent and germane bills introduced in the second session of the 113th Congress and give insights into the reasons behind the issues.
New initiatives presented by the various federal agencies will also be reviewed. Since 2008, OSHA has become an enforcement agency, and in the fall 2013 regulatory agenda, OSHA included initiatives for a new infectious disease standard and regulations which may result in the promulgation of required injury/illness prevention plans. This section of the legislative review will discuss the proposed regulations introduced by the Department of Labor and Department of Health and Human Services, and give details of the potential outcomes.
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Topic Overview:
This presentation provides a blueprint for attendees to get more out of life, both personally and professionally. This is accomplished by encouraging participants to choose a positive attitude, take positive risks, be a team player and live each day with enthusiasm. It is a reminder to be all we can be, and to live each day to the max. This session is practical, highly motivational and spiced with liberal doses of humor, both regular and Cajun. Life should be enjoyed, not endured!
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