Introduction:

Infectious diseases may be one of may health outcomes that occupational health nurses deal with in their practice. Understanding the epidemiology of infectious diseases will give occupational health nurses a better understanding on how they can control potential workplace exposures. Occupational health nurses working in healthcare may work with the infection preventionist to help reduce transmission in the workplace. Knowledge of infectious diseases is also helpful for those occupational health nurses who work with employees who are traveling to foreign countries and to help the wellness of the worker.

This module is part of the 19-module OHN Prep Course Package.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the basic concepts of infectious disease transmission.
Recognize prevention and control methods for infectious diseases in the workplace.
Explain different infectious diseases that might be encountered in the workplace.
Discuss vaccines that are recommended for adults.
Identify the role of the occupational health nurse in the prevention and control of infectious disease in the workplace.

Lecturer:

Roberta Smith, MSPH, RN, CIC, CIH, COHN-S, has more than 20 years of experience in infection prevention, occupational health, and industrial hygiene. Her background focuses on immunization, infectious diseases, biosafety, and occupational health surveillance. She has experience working within occupational health clinics and assisting a variety of companies to develop workplace policies and procedures to bring them in compliance with OSHA and state-specific requirements.

Major Takeaways:

Human disease does not occur at random and there are causal and possibly preventable factors that influence the development of disease.
When it is anticipated that a worker will have contact with an infectious disease, the hierarchy of controls can be used to help prevent transmission to the worker.
Knowledge of current immunization recommendations is useful to the occupational health nurse to help prevent disease transmission to the worker.

Credit Information - Nursing Continuing Professional Development

The University of Colorado College of Nursing is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. A maximum of 1.25 contact hours is available for this course. For questions about contact hours, please email nursingce@ucdenver.edu.

This course covers topics outlined in the ABOHN Candidate Handbooks for COHN and COHN-S.

Criteria for Successful Completion: You must fully complete this module and all assessment questions, along with the OHN Prep module survey.

Conflicts of Interest: No individuals in a position to control content for this activity has any relevant financial relationships to declare.

Commercial Support: There is no commercial support being received for this event.

Expiration date for Enduring Materials: Origination Date: May 1, 2020 through Expiration Date: May 1, 2022

Joint Providers: This activity is being jointly provided by the University of Colorado College of Nursing Office of Continuing Education, The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health has partnered with the The Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health to deliver continuing education to occupational health nurses.