Warm Greetings to the Texas Occupational Health Nurses,
I recently attended the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) conference, and it was an incredible experience! The event provided valuable insights into the latest evidence-based best practices in occupational and environmental health nursing and occupational safety. There were many discussions on cutting-edge technology, research, and resources that enhance the quality of occupational and environmental health and safety programs, ensuring the health and safety of all workers. The conference also provided a wonderful platform for sharing knowledge, skills, and lessons learned among colleagues in the field. Read on below to find some conference highlights.
Conference Highlights
- Social Determinants of Health – The conference addressed several important topics, including social determinants of health. Discussions highlighted issues such as low wages, barriers to obtaining food, lack of transportation for healthcare access, and difficulties in navigating the internet for health insurance. To tackle these challenges, action items included raising awareness, ensuring accountability, and exploring creative solutions like implementing farmers markets in the workplace. Improving access to these determinants is crucial for enhancing overall longevity and well-being.
- Keynote Presentation – Employee-preneur: Be the CEO of Your Career – This presentation centered on leadership development, urging attendees to view their careers as valuable products within a multibillion-dollar organization. A thought-provoking example posed was: When you go to a restaurant, do you focus on ordering an item from the menu, or do you consider the ingredients and request a dish made with what’s available? This analogy encourages a deeper reflection on how we approach our careers and the choices we make.
- Best Practices in Program Management – This session delved into important workplace concepts like psychological safety and total worker health. Team psychological safety is the shared belief that enables members to take risks, voice ideas and concerns, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of negative repercussions. NIOSH Total Worker Health© (TWH) policies, programs, and practices aim to integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards. Despite these efforts, there remains a gap in understanding the most effective ways to implement the TWH strategy. The message was clear: We are catalysts for change.
Get Involved
It’s that time of year again! TSAOHN is reaching out to our members to help keep our organization vibrant and engaged. We are seeking individuals to run for the TSAOHN Board of Directors. The open positions for 2025 and 2026 include two Director roles and the Secretary. Additionally, the Treasurer position is currently vacant, as no one ran for the 2024-2025 term. This role will be included on the ballot to complete the 2025 term.
For more information and to get involved, please visit www.tsaohn.org.
Respectfully submitted,
Hilda Wist
FNP-C President, TSAOHN
