【Objective】The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that may influence the competency of occupational health nurses of administering efficiency of working environments and working operations.【Method】Our organization mailed a self-administered questionnaire to 513 occupational health nurses and received responses from 206 (response rate: 40.2%), and 141 responses were selected for analysis. 【Results】We found that six factors, such as “Education outside your worksite is useful for administering working environments and working operations,” “You feel some difficulties in administering working environments and working operations,” were significantly associated with role recognition and work achievements. We hypothesized that the competency was influenced by those factors through role recognition and work achievements and conducted a path analysis. The competency was significantly influenced by work achievements, and the factor “On the job training (OJT) is useful”. Their employer’s positive feelings towards them were influenced by work achievements. 【Discussion】Enhanced work achievements and OJT will increase the competency of practice. In addition, enhanced work achievements will increase their employer’s positive feelings towards them.

The level of occupational health for medical staff working at medical facilities in Japan lags behind other countries. The main reason for this situation is that the administrations of facilities have been depending on medical staff for occupational health carrying out the functions of occupational health themselves because they are medical professional groups. Administration also believes it is staff responsibility to look after their own health.The purpose of this research is to explore further activities for promoting occupational health in medical facilities nationwide, focusing on the placement of occupational health nurses. A questionnaire was sent to 2573 nurse managers of hospitals with more than 100 beds. The questionnaire asked whether occupational health activities were undertaken or not, the contents of activities, and obstructive factors of activities.

Results: 649 questionnaires were returned. The number of medical facilities with a fulltime occupational health nurse (OHN) (with no other duty) for staff was 36 (5.6%); part time OHN (with other duty to fulltime worker) was 43 (6.6%) and no OHN for medical staff 568 (87.5%). The OHNs’ employment conditions were full time and part time. The qualifications of OHNs are RN and Health Nurse. A significant reason given for not employing OHNs for medical staff was ‘having no idea of the role of OHNs’: 20% indicated low recognition of the issues of occupational health and misunderstanding the roles of OHNs, as well as weakness in assisting the development of human resources.

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”.