Abstract
This issue of Workplace Health & Safety contains a Continuing Nursing Education Module on “Respiratory Protection Toolkit: Providing Guidance Without Changing Requirements—Can We Make an Impact?” 1.0 contact hour of continuing nursing education credit will be awarded by AAOHN upon successful completion of the posttest and evaluation.
A certificate will be awarded when the following requirements are met by the participant: (1) Participant logs on to the AAOHN LMS website at www.aaohn.org/education/online-learning-center and enrolls in the course ($10 members; $15 non-members); (2) The completed posttest and course evaluation are entered online at at http://www.aaohn.org by December 2018;(3) A score of 75% (6 correct answers) is achieved by the participant.
Upon completion of this lesson, the occupational health nurse will be able to:
Describe the benefits of using OSHA’s respiratory protection toolkit
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is an Approved Provider of continuing nursing education by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is additionally approved as a CNE provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (#CEP9283).
Contact hours received for successful completion of the posttest and evaluation may be used for relicensure, certification, and re-certification.
To inform readers of recent changes made to OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) To describe one hospital system’s use of OSHA’s RPP Toolkit for evaluating and improving their program To identify exposures that require an employer to institute an RPP To differentiate between mandatory and voluntary RPPs
Can only be transmitted when expelled by infected patients while speaking or coughing Can be effectively controlled if healthcare workers wear surgical masks when doing procedures on infected patients Include microorganisms that become aerosolized during bronchoscopies and open suctioning Typically only affect nursing personnel who work at the bedside
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Influenza Rubeola Ebola
The RPP standard requires written policies and procedures. OSHA defines precisely how a program evaluation should be administered. Respirator selection and fit testing are required. A program administrator is required.
Found most clinical staff performing respirator seal checks as required Found clinical staff more likely than management to correctly state the recommendations about and use of respirators Has not been done prior to the current study reported in this article Provided the basis for OSHA’s RPP Toolkit
Quantitative Qualitative Quality improvement Longitudinal
Reduction in the number of employees requiring fit-testing Establishment of a central respiratory protection intranet site Development of a safety call line All of the above
Deferring program responsibility to the Safety Professional Including all direct-care staff in the RPP Reminding staff and management that reusing a disposable N95 filtering facepiece is no longer acceptable practice All of the above