Online Learning: Hazardous Exposures in the Workplace

Mary C. Jahangir JD MSN RN

Viterbo University

Background
Nurses and health care workers are exposed to a wide variety of potential toxicants in the work environment. Some of these exposures lead to preventable disease. In fact, the number of non - fatal preventable diseases and injuries reported for health care workers and nurses are among the highest in this country(CDC, 2012 ).

Significance
Nurses have the right to work in an environment that is free of hazards. They have a duty to assess the health care environment to protect themselves and their patients from disease and injury.

Purpose/objective
The purpose of this evidence based learning review is to explore how BSN-C students may effectively learn to assess chemical hazards in their work environments and learn to work with others collaboratively to sustain safe and healthy work environments.

Methods/project
Evidence based learning strategies.

Results
Students participated in website visits to various government and non-profit websites, read relevant journal articles, participated in non-asysnchronous online discussion and submitted scholarly papers on an identified chemical hazard in their workplaces.

Clinical implications
Nurses have a duty to assess the clinical environment for potential hazards. Nurses must work collaboratively to sustain a health work environment.