Occupational Health Nurses’ Perceptions in Work Ability Risk Management and Analysis

TL;DR

This study explores how occupational health nurses perceive managing work ability risks and identifies factors that help or hinder their efforts.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the factors influencing occupational health nurses' ability to manage work ability risks effectively.

Findings

OHNs view work ability risk management as central to their role at both organizational and individual levels.

Promoting factors include electronic tools, cooperation, and time resources, while hindering factors include time shortages and productivity pressures.

Variation in OHNs' perceptions highlights the need for further research on their competence in WARMA.

Abstract

Occupational health nurses (OHN) play a key role in identifying and managing work ability risks, as they have close interaction with employees and the customer organization, and they monitor work ability in multiple ways. The study aimed to describe OHNs’ perceptions of work ability risk management and analysis (WARMA) and identify promoting and hindering factors.

A descriptive qualitative study with semi-structured thematic interviews was conducted in May–June 2023, using purposive sampling of ten OHNs. The data were analyzed using both inductive and deductive approaches.

OHNs perceived management and analysis of work ability risks as important work. The management and analysis of work ability risks was described as the central core work of occupational health care, which is carried out at the level of the customer organization and at the individual level. Factors promoting the management and analysis of work ability risks are electronic tools, time resources, occupational health cooperation, multi-professional cooperation, and personal experience. Factors hindering WARMA are insufficient time resources and productivity pressures.

OHNs’ perceptions of WARMA varied. There are multiple factors that promote or hinder WARMA which require consideration at individual and organizational levels. The findings of this study provide a basis for further research that could focus on measuring OHNs' overall competence in WARMA.

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