Chapter 43

Question 1

The first industrial nurse is considered to be:

a. Betty Moulder
b. Ada Mayo Stewart
c. Lillian Wald
d. Florence Nightingale

Answer 1

ANS: B

Ada Mayo Stewart was hired in 1885 by the Vermont Marble Company.

Question 2

Which population would have been the focus of care for an occupational health nurse in the early 1900s?

a. Injured workers
b. All workers
c. Families
d. The community

Answer 2

ANS: C

In the early days of occupational health nursing, the nurse’s work was holistic and centered on the family.

Question 3

A nurse working in an occupational health setting will most likely work as a nurse:

a. Administrators
b. Clinicians/practitioners
c. Consultants
d. Educators

Answer 3

ANS: B

The majority of occupational health nurses work as nurse clinicians/practitioners.

Question 4

A nurse is pursuing certification as an occupational health nurse. Which organization will provide this certification?

a. American Board for Occupational Health Nurses
b. Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
c. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
d. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Answer 4

ANS: A

Certification in occupational health nursing is provided by the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses.

Question 5

Secondary prevention in the occupational health arena may include:

a. Providing education on safety in the workplace to prevent injury
b. Working with chronically diabetic workers to ensure appropriate medications
c. Screening for hearing loss resulting from noise levels in the plants
d. Ensuring that a person with cardiovascular disease attends a rehab program

Answer 5

ANS: C
Secondary prevention occurs after a disease process has already begun. The other answers are examples of primary and tertiary levels of prevention.

Question 6

The nurse doing a walk-through to identify workplace hazards is providing which level of prevention?

a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Assessment

Answer 6

ANS: A

Primary prevention refers to those interventions aimed at preventing the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability.

Question 7

Limited duty programs after a cumulative trauma injury is an example of which level of prevention?

a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Assessment

Answer 7

ANS: C
Tertiary prevention includes those interventions aimed at disability limitation and rehabilitation from disease, injury, or disability.

Question 8

Which activity would be the primary role of an occupational health nurse?

a. Caring for employees and their families
b. Providing health promotion and emergency care
c. Updating the Material Safety Data Sheets
d. Reporting communicable diseases

Answer 8

ANS: B
The customary role of the occupational health nurse extends beyond emergency treatment and prevention of illness and injury and also includes the promotion and maintenance of health, overall risk management, care for the environment, and efforts to reduce health-related costs in business.

Question 9

Which is the best method an occupational health nurse can use when assessing workplace hazards?

a. Review incident reports.
b. Walk through the worksite.
c. Interview key employees.
d. Read the Standard Industrial Classification Code.

Answer 9

ANS: B
One of the best methods an occupational health nurse can use in assessing workplace hazards is to walk through the worksite.

Question 10

Which was the first legislation that specifically required certain prevention programs for workers?

a. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
b. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
c. Mine Safety and Health Act
d. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code

Answer 10

ANS: C
The Mine Safety and Health Act was enacted in 1968. It was the first legislation that specifically required certain prevention programs for workers.

Question 11

Which types of industries are noted for high degrees of hazards associated with the work?

a. Data entry, animal rescue, and hospice
b. Engineering, science, and laboratories
c. Manufacturing, mining, and agriculture
d. Aeronautics, plastics, and nursing

Answer 11

ANS: C

Even though these are known for high degrees of hazard, no worksite is free of occupational health and safety hazards.

Question 12

The most disabling occupational condition reported in 2005 was:

a. Cuts and punctures
b. Fractures
c. Bruises
d. Sprains and strains

Answer 12

ANS: D
In 2005, sprains and strains were by far the most frequent disabling conditions, accounting for 40.7% of the cases of days away from work.

Question 13

Which work-related hazard may be encountered by all workers?

a. Workplace stress leading to hypertension and cardiovascular disease
b. Asbestos, plastics, lead, and solvents leading to dermatitis
c. Cement dust and metals leading to bronchitis
d. Hormones and nitroglycerine leading to reproductive effects

Answer 13

ANS: A

All the other answers are specific to certain occupations and jobs.

Question 14

Which would be considered agents in the epidemiologic triad?

a. Flexible management styles of the authorities
b. Temperature extremes and crowding
c. Susceptible human beings
d. High-risks groups of individuals

Answer 14

ANS: B

Temperature extremes and crowding are agents.

Question 15

In the epidemiologic triad, an example of a host factor would be:

a. Crowding
b. Shift work
c. Worker’s family
d. Chemical exposure

Answer 15

ANS: C

Crowding and shift work are environmental factors, and chemical exposure is the agent factor.

Question 16

Which population is at greatest risk for experiencing work-related accidents with subsequent injuries?

a. Workers of childbearing age
b. Workers with less than 1 year of experience
c. Workers with diminished sensory abilities
d. Workers with chronic illnesses

Answer 16

ANS: B
New workers with less than 1 year of experience on the current job are at greatest risk for experiencing work-related accidents with subsequent injuries.

Question 17

A worker who has a health reaction to “safe” low-level exposures is experiencing:

a. An allergic reaction
b. A compromised immune system
c. Hypersusceptibility
d. Malnutrition

Answer 17

ANS: C

A worker who has a health reaction to “safe” low-level exposures is experiencing hypersusceptibility.

Question 18

Which statement about chemical agents is accurate?

a. Chemicals are not ordinarily found in the body tissues of the general population.
b. Most chemicals have been studied to determine the effects of exposure on humans.
c. Chronic exposure to low-level doses of workplace chemicals below standards constitutes a potential health risk.
d. Human effects of chemical exposure are associated with single agents rather than with the interaction of agents.

Answer 18

ANS: C
It is true that chronic exposure to low-level doses of workplace chemicals below standards constitutes a potential health risk.

Question 19

An occupational health nurse has conducted a walk through assessment and has identified potential hazards in the workplace. The nurse recognizes that it will be easiest to modify exposure to which hazard?

a. Bacteria
b. Aerosols
c. Noise
d. Burnout

Answer 19

ANS: C
Controlling physical agents, such as noise, can usually be accomplished through engineering strategies and personal protective equipment. It is much harder to change biological agents (bacteria), chemical agents (aerosols), and psychosocial agents (burnout).

Question 20

An employee has come into contact with a biological agent. The occupational health nurse recognizes that a biological agent:

a. May cause accidents in the work environment
b. Is commonly found in the agriculture industry
c. May potentiate stress in the workplace
d. Indicates exposure to bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites

Answer 20

ANS: D
Biological agents are living organisms whose excretions or parts are capable of causing human disease, usually by an infectious process. Biological hazards are common in workplaces such as health care facilities and clinical laboratories where employees are potentially exposed to a variety of infectious agents, including viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

Question 21

Slippery floors are an example of which type of hazard?

a. Enviromechanical
b. Physical
c. Chemical
d. Psychosocial

Answer 21

ANS: A

Slippery floors cause or potentiate accidents, injuries, strain, or discomfort.

Question 22

An occupational health nurse refers an employee to an employee assistance program. Which problem will most likely be addressed?

a. Obesity
b. Smoking
c. Alcohol abuse
d. Lack of exercise

Answer 22

ANS: C
Employee assistance programs are designed to address personal problems such as marital/family issues, substances abuse, or financial difficulties.

Question 23

Why would a nurse conduct an occupational health assessment?

a. It is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
b. It is required by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
c. It helps to identify agent and host factors that place employees at risk.
d. It helps to educate workers about potential hazards.

Answer 23

ANS: C
The reason to obtain an occupational health assessment is to identify agent and host factors that place employees at risk.

Question 24

What is the purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?

a. To educate occupational health and safety professionals
b. To identify and research occupational health and safety hazards
c. To distribute research findings relevant to occupational health and safety
d. To educate employers about occupational health and safety

Answer 24

ANS: D

OSHA educates employers about occupational health and safety.

Question 25

What is the purpose of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health?

a. To examine potential hazards of new work technologies and practices
b. To educate employees about environmental risks and hazards
c. To develop and maintain a database of work-related deaths
d. To set standards that regulate workers’ exposure to potentially toxic substances

Answer 25

ANS: A
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health examines potential hazards of new work technologies and practices.

Question 26

Which item found in the workplace would require a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)?

a. Hand soap
b. Eye goggles
c. Aprons
d. Earplugs

Answer 26

ANS: A

Eye goggles, aprons, and earplugs are not toxic agents and therefore do not need an MSDS.

Question 27

Which is a requirement of the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act (SARA)?

a. Applying stricter rules to determine Superfund sites
b. Sharing written disaster plans with key resources in the community
c. Authorizing each industry to write their own disaster plan
d. Evaluating the effectiveness of a written disaster plan

Answer 27

ANS: B

SARA requires that written disaster plans be shared with key resources in the community.

Question 28

Which action would an occupational health nurse take while involved in disaster planning?

a. Assess for possible disasters.
b. Prevent injuries and death of workers.
c. Store Medical Data Sheets in a safe place.
d. Collaborate with government authorities to plan disaster management.

Answer 28

ANS: B

The occupational health nurse is a key player in occupational disasters.

Question 29

An occupational health nurse working in an occupational health and safety program is likely to provide which services? Select all that apply.

a. Health/medical surveillance
b. Health screening
c. Case management
d. Job task analysis

Answer 29

ANS: A, B, C, D
An occupational health and safety program may include health/medical surveillance, health screening, case management, and job task analysis.

Question 30

An occupational health nurse has become a member of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). Why would a nurse join this organization? Select all that apply.

a. To promote the health and safety of workers
b. To lobby in Congress for safer work places
c. To advance the profession by supporting research
d. To promote and provide continuing education in the specialty

Answer 30

ANS: A, C, D

AAOHN does not lobby in congress for safer work places.