A Description of an Occupational Reproductive Health Nurse Consultant Practice and Women's Occupational Exposures during Pregnancy

Abstract

It is estimated that each year 20 million workers in the United States are potentially exposed to a variety of reproductive hazards. In 1986, Wisconsin implemented an advanced practice public health nurse role to serve as the occupational reproductive health consultant to employees, employers, health care professionals, unions, and others. This article describes this advanced practice role in public health nursing and the women who sought reproductive health consultation. Data on the types of workplace exposures that these consultees had during pregnancy are used to illustrate the occupational history and its importance for pre-conceptional and early-pregnancy counseling. The sample for analysis was limited to the 118 women, aged 19-43 years, who received consultation services between 1990 and 1993 and whose pregnancies resulted in live births. Data were abstracted from the consultant's records of telephone and written consultations and linked to birth certificate records to provide information on smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy. The findings are summarized using descriptive statistics. Implications of the findings for public health nursing are discussed.

Evaluating the perceived role of the nurse consultant through the lived experience of healthcare professionals

“…The critical review and synthesis of the empirical literature (Table 1) and some selected discussion papers on the NC (Berragan 1998, Schulmeister 1999, Adams 2000, Ashworth 2000, Wright 2000, Alderman & Lipley 2001, Harker 2001, Moore 2001, Snedd 2001, Da Costa 2002, Jones 2002, Watson 2002, Coady 2003, Meiner 2004, McSherry & Johnson 2005) provides evidence that evaluation of the NC role is taking place. The literature highlights the importance of evaluating the impact of the NC on a international (Hewitt & Tellier 1996, Happell et al. 2002, Hekkinki et al.…”

“…The review shows a increasing trend towards resolving Watson's (2002) concerns. Seven (Hewitt & Tellier 1996, Dawson & Benson 1997, Manley 2000a, b, Carnwell & Daley 2003, Hayes & Harrison 2004, Graham & Wallace 2005, Woodward et al. 2005) of the 10 studies reviewed were small scale and three large scale (Guest et al.…”

Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Pregnant Women Exposed to Solvents

“…The sample of women employed during pregnancy consisted of Wisconsin women ( n = 144) who consulted (hereafter, referred to as "clients") the occupational reproductive health nurse consultant. Details of the consultant's practice and the types of occupational exposures clients experienced are described elsewhere (Hewitt & Tellier, 1996). A manual search of the state fetal death records for the study years failed to identify any late fetal deaths among this cohort.…”

“…To identify reproductive toxins, it is imperative that clinicians take thorough health histories, including information on workplace exposures to hazardous chemicals such as solvents, before conception and during pregnancy. An easyto-use, practical guide to obtaining occupational reproductive exposure histories is available (Hewitt & Tellier, 1996). Perinatal nurses and others increasingly are being exhorted to incorporate occupational and environmental health into their practices (Institute of Medicine, 1995).…”

An exploration of personal initiative theory in the role of consultant nurses

“…However, studies of roles described as consultant nurses in other countries reveal similar challenges to those experienced in the UK: for example, in Victoria, Australia (Blackford and Street, 2001), New South Wales, Australia (Jannings and Armitage, 2001;O'Baugh et al, 2007), Wisconsin, USA (Hewitt and Tellier, 1996) and Columbia, USA (Popejoy et al, 2000;O'Baugh et al 2007). O'Baugh's group confirms that ambiguity and confusion about the nature of the role persist.…”