While considerable attention has been focused on assisting the public to learn about identification of risk factors for heart disease, cancer, obesity, and other medical illnesses, little attention is paid to the "common cold" of psychiatric illnesses-depression. This article examines the impact of depression on employees in the workplace. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WORKPLACE DEPRESSION Conti (1994) examined short term disability data, health benefit costs, and employee assistance program (EAP) referral data from a major company, comparing depression to other medical illnesses. Depression was determined to have the highest medical benefit cost of all behavioral health conditions and was the most common diagnosis in the EAP. Depression resulted in more days of disability and 12 month recidivism than chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and lower back pain. Conti (1995) found depressive disorders represented the single largest component of all the behavioral healthcare claims, accounting for more than half (52%) of all behavioral healthcare medical plan claims for employees, spouses and dependents.

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This article discusses the various standards, regulations, and guidelines that practicing occupational and environmental health nurses follow to ensure the delivery of quality, competent care in all occupational and environmental health nursing practice settings.

Health promotion programs offer an opportunity to support the health of employees, their families, and the communities in which they reside. By integrating health promotion programs with a company's sustainability efforts, the occupational health nurse can directly impact the company's bottom line by ensuring the benefits from a healthy, safe, and fully productive employee who is able to remain in the workplace for some time. This article discusses a successful health promotion program developed and implemented by an occupational health nurse in support of a company's sustainability effort.

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