Difficulties encountered by occupational health nurses’ in handling health information

Abstract

Purpose: Difficulties encountered by occupational health nurses in the handling of health information were clarified in order to find solutions that enable proper and smooth handling of this information in an industrial health service. Methods: From May to July 2012, semi-structured interviews on difficulties in handling health information were conducted with 10 occupational health nurses with 3 or more years’ experience working at mid-sized enterprises in Aprefecture in Japan. Aqualitative inductive analysis of the content was performed. Results: One hundred six codes were extracted as things that cause difficulty for occupational health nurses in the handling of health information, and grouped in 12 subcategories. They were also grouped in the five categories of “Inefficient health information management system”; “Underdeveloped corporate culture for handling personal information”; “Relationship with administrators that affects the handling of important information”; “Situations whereby occupational health nurses are obstructed in the course of proper handling of health information”; and “Pressure to maintain confidentiality of health information”. Discussion: From these findings it is inferred that occupational health nurses are affected by “Relationship with administrators that affects the handling of important information” and “Situations whereby occupational health nurses are obstructed in the course of proper handling of health information” in a physical environment with a poorly developed foundation, seen as an “Inefficient health information management system”; and a workplace environment of “Underdeveloped corporate culture for handling personal information”. They are also dealing with “Pressure to maintain confidentiality of health information”. The findings suggest the need for more efficient health information management systems and efforts to raise awareness of health information handling throughout companies in order to find solutions that enable occupational health nurses to properly and smoothly handle this information. Conclusion: Difficulties encountered by occupational health nurses in the handling of health information were found to be “Inefficient health information management systems”; “Underdeveloped corporate culture for handling personal information”; “Relationship with administrators that affects the handling of important information”; “Situations whereby occupational health nurses are obstructed in the course of proper handling of health information”; and “Pressure to maintain confidentiality of health information”.