A Century of Practice

Abstract

Occupational health nursing has grown and developed throughout the last century, from the influence of a few nurses in the late 19th century to 1988. Today's occupational health nurses have a significant impact on millions of workers across the United States and worldwide in multinational corporations. Nurses currently enjoy expanded roles, including involvement in the political arena and policy-making decisions, development of health promotion programs, research, and education, as well as providing more traditional but equally important employee health services, counseling, and teaching. The American workforce, as well as management teams, have seen the outcomes of quality occupational health nursing care and contributions throughout the years. The practice of American occupational health nursing which began in very humble surroundings and conditions in the 19th century continues to thrive in the space age of the 1980s and 1990s and to plan for the challenges of the 21st century.