Personal Learning Zone in this issue

Summary:

FEATURED ARTICLES

This issue of Occupational Health [at Work] features a Personal Learning Zone (PLZ) article recommended for continuing professional development (CPD). The assignment questions, ‘Personal learning statement’ and ‘Certificate of engagement’ are available to subscribers at here.  These will also be stored in your password-protected PLZ. The PLZ will help you document your own CPD. Occupational health physicians and nurses, occupational hygienists and other professionals can use the resource in support of their specialism’s revalidation or CPD requirements.

Pages 24–29. Improving the quality of spirometry. OH professionals should be aware that a national registry for practitioners performing spirometry will become fully operational by spring 2021; however, there is considerable debate about whether it should apply to OH  practitioners who are undertaking health assessments and surveillance rather than diagnostic spirometry. The question for OH is how to ensure that practitioners are competent and carry out workplace spirometry to a consistently high standard.

ADDITIONAL CPD

The following articles, news and research items are suggested reading for CPD and professional revalidation. Subscribers can complete their online Personal Learning Zone CPD record at here

Page 4. Measures introduced by government in response to the coronavirus pandemic include: adding COVID¬19 and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS¬CoV¬2) to the list of notifiable diseases; and public health guidance for first responders.

Page 5. A complete overhaul of the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) part of the NMC register has been announced, with new standards for the OH nursing specialty likely to be in place by autumn 2021.

Pages 13-14. In many organisations, OH professionals will be the ones managers and employees will look to for advice on appropriate responses to the coronavirus pandemic, including guidance on returning to work after self­ isolation. Our COVID­19­ point checklist will help you check that your organisation continues to respond appropriately.

Pages 35-37. Religion and belief are both protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, but one person’s philosophical belief might conflict with the fundamental rights of others, which can be particularly important in work situations.

Pages 41-42. Our compendium of recent research in occupational health includes a study on the effectiveness of pre­ employment psychological testing to predict future psychological injury and sickness absence among police officers, and a systematic review of studies investigating the economic impact of interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour and promote physical activity at work.

Author: The At Work Partnership Ltd

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2020 (vol. 16/6) pp43

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