Reference no: EM133219181

Overview

Step into the role of an OHN and learn how you incorporate epidemiology into your daily activities. You will use the case study below for this assignment.

Odessa

Odessa is a 32-year-old female bank employee. While at work one day, she suddenly stops breathing.  A coworker calls 911. Emergency medical technicians arrive at the bank, stabilize her, then rush her to the hospital.  Physicians later determine that she suffered respiratory arrest related to an anaphylactic reaction. 

You as the OHN investigate both the hospitalization and the workers' compensation claim. Since this incident occurred at Odessa's place of employment, she is able to file such a claim. This investigation clarifies Odessa's incident as well as identifies its underlying cause. This will assist in putting measures in place to prevent similar incidents happening to the other bank workers. 

On receiving the case briefing from both loss prevention and the claims management departments, you as the OHN review the file and speak to Odessa and her supervisor.  Odessa said that she had an allergic reaction. Her supervisor told her not to return to work until her physicians discovered and medically confirmed the cause of the reaction.  She has an appointment with an allergist about a possible allergy.

You as the OHN deduced possible substances (agents) to which workers could be exposed.  Your next steps are to determine how the substances are delivered to the workers (host) and to investigate the characteristics of the workplace which lead to transmission of the substances (environment).  You inquire about the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at the bank. 

One of the questions asked concerned the position of the air vents which deliver air into the office space and its relationship with the renovation work occurring in a section of the building in which the bank resides.  You learn that neither an extra exhaust system was provided for the project nor was any provision made to deal with particulates or construction materials which may circulate in the air. 

Tasks

1. Based upon Odessa's scenario, develop an epidemiologic triangle that identifies the interactions between the harmful substances (agent), the workers (host), and the workplace (environment) arrows indicating the direction of the influence.

2.  Identify the ways that you could have incorporated aspects of epidemiology into the work of the Occupational Health Nurse.