Occupational health nurseOccupational health setting a b s t r a c t Background: Education and experience are important components in the ability of occupational health nurses (OHNs) to promote high-quality care and competence. OHNs will increasingly require the skills and knowledge to base care on best evidence, to use critical thinking and demonstrate advanced leadership and decision-making skills to develop and enhance services in a more complex and diverse occupational healthcare environment.Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the needs for professional development of the OHN in the occupational health setting.Method: An explorative, descriptive, contextual generic and qualitative research method was used in this study. The purposive sampling method was used as the OHNs surveyed described their personal need for professional development in the occupational health setting. Data was collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews. Eight interviews were done by an interviewer who held a doctoral degree in community health nursing and a qualification in occupational health and was affiliated with a private occupational health institution at the time of the study. The interviews were conducted during August 2012.Results: The OHNs reported that professional development needs have to be identified by the OHNs. Short courses need to be designed by training institutions and should be attended by the OHNs to improve their operational functioning on a day-to-day basis in the occupational health setting. The OHNs experienced that their role and function in the workplace were not valued by their managers. The results of this study revealed four major themes, namely constraints hindering the OHN in developing professionally, positive aspects identified by the OHNs regarding the need for professional development, professional development needs of the OHN and suggestions of how to meet the OHNs' professional development needs. Conclusion:There is a need for OHNs to identify their professional development needs and recommendations were made to meet these needs.

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Occupational health nurses (OHNs) are qualified registered nurses with a postgraduate qualification in occupational health nursing. An important activity of OHNs is to identify and assess health risks in the workplace. Health risk assessments (HRAs) are conducted by OHNs to determine all the occupational health stressors, for example noise, vibration and chemical substances. The authors conducted legal compliance occupational health audits and observed that 85% (n = 23) of OHNs in different settings conduct HRAs only to a limited extent. The following objective was formulated for the study: To explore and describe the extent to which OHNs conduct HRAs as it is a legal requirement for compliance; and the possible reasons for not adhering to the regulation and conduct them only to a limited extent. A quantitative, descriptive design was used in this study. A sampling frame was developed from a list of all the members of the South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners (SASOHN) in Gauteng. From the target population of OHNs in Gauteng, a systematic cluster sampling method was used. A self-developed questionnaire was distributed by mail and e-mail, and authors sent respondents reminders. The authors ensured that validity, reliability and ethical standards were adhered to. The findings revealed that OHNs are mature, experienced, predominately female practitioners who operate on behalf of a disproportionately large number of workers. Four factors influencing these nurses in conducting an HRA to a limited extent were identified: competence, ignorance about the role of the OHN, workload and attitude.Beroepsgesondheidverpleegkundiges (BGV’s) is gekwalifiseerde geregistreerde verpleegkundiges met ’n nagraadse kwalifikasie in beroepsgesondheidsverpleging wat basiese gesondheidsorg in die beroepsgesondheidsprogram lewer. ’n Belangrike aktiwiteit van die BGV is om alle gesondheidsrisiko’s in die werksplek te identifiseer en te assesseer. Die BGV doen ook ʼn gesondheidsrisiko-analise (GRA) om stressors soos geraas en vibrasie te identifiseer. Die navorsers het met besoeke aan verskillende fabrieke bevind dat 85% (n = 23) van BGV’s GRA’s net in ’n sekere mate doen, alhoewel ’n GRA wetlik vereis word. Die volgende doelwit is vir die studie geformuleer: Om te ondersoek en te beskryf in watter mate BGV’s GRA’s uitvoer, en om die moontlike redes vir die nie-nakoming van die regulasie te ondersoek. ’n Kwantitatiewe, beskrywende navorsingsmetode is gebruik. ’n Sistematiese groepsteekmetode is gebruik om ʼn steekproefraamwerk uit ’n lys van die SASOHN-lede in Gauteng saam te stel. ’n Selfontwikkelde vraelys is aan respondente gestuur. Die navorsers het geldigheid, betroubaarheid asook etiese standaarde gehandhaaf. Daar is bevind dat BGV’s ouer, hoofsaaklik vroulike praktisyns met bo-gemiddelde ondervinding is wat vir ʼn groot getal werkers verantwoordelik is. Vier faktore is geïdentifiseer wat BGV’s beïnvloed om GRA’s net in ʼn sekere mate uit te voer, naamlik bevoegdheid, onduidelikheid betreffende die rol van die BGV, werkslading en houding.