Openness in Occupational Hygiene Professional Development

Abstract

Continuing professional development is a foundational aspect of professionalism in health-related disciplines. For board-certified industrial/occupational hygiene (IH/OH) professionals, professional development is mandated as part of the code of ethics for practice. However, board certification in IH/OH and occupational health and safety is not required for professional practice in many countries, including the United States. This qualitative study involved a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to the lived experiences of IH/OH professionals who engage in professional development in the United States. This study was conducted to better understand the role of openness in IH/OH professional development, including the use of open educational resources (OERs) and open educational practices (OEPs) and the level of learning desired by IH/OH professionals who complete continuing professional development. Participants (n=11) were IH/OH professionals who engage in professional development and live and work in the United States. A 10-question semi-structured interview was conducted via Zoom regarding IH/OH experiences with professional development. A thematic analysis of interview transcript data was performed. The results provide insights about openness in the IH/OH professional community and how OERs and OEPs might be used for professional development. Findings revealed that IH/OH professionals may be reluctant to embrace the concept of openness, due to the potential financial impact on professional organizations, and indicated that the IH/OH community may not be ready for a public open scholar at this time. The aspect or level of learning desired by IH/OH professionals was also heavily linked to the career stage of the individual. There is a need for research to further explore the continuing professional development needs of early career and mid-career IH/OH professionals. This study provides opportunities for further study about openness in professional development for general occupational health and safety professionals, although this population is difficult to define or set parameters for.