Occupational health nurses' participation in health committee surveyed in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan.
This survey was conducted to know the present conditions of occupational health nurses (OHNs) activity related to health committees (HCs) in Japan. Questionnaires that included items related to duties of the OH physician (OHP), those of the OHN, and their mutual duties within the HC, were mailed to 41 companies employing OHNs and questionnaires from 18 companies were analyzed. Comparison of the frequency of OHN attendance at Health Committee Meetings (HCMs) revealed that 33.3% of OHNs attended the HCs when their companies employed full-time OHPs and 83.3% attended when their companies employed part-time OHPs. In a question about the OHN's opportunity to deliver a speech, give a report or make a presentation at their HCMs, 16.7% of OHNs in companies with full-time OHPs and 66.7% of OHNs in companies with part-time OHPs reported they had such opportunity. In companies with part-time OHPs, 50.0% of the OHNs reported that they were asked for their opinions at the HCMs, but OHNs at companies employing full-time OHPs were not asked for their opinions. It was considered that in the future, OHNs, particularly those working with a part-time OHP, will have an important role in the HC and developing OH services for their companies.
Inoue
Masaiwa
M
Department of Hygiene, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube-City, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
Yamamoto
Shinji
S
Kan
Hirohiko
H
Tateishi
Hajime
H
Harada
Noriaki
N
D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009785:Occupational Health Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009787:Occupational Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role; D016526:Workload