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NuRSING OCCuPATIONAL INJuRy AND STReSS n 339

knowledge generation (Bakken, Stone, & (Department of Health and Human Services,
Larson, 2008; Ozbolt & Saba, 2008), and National Institute for Occupational Safety
application of informatics methods and tools and Health [NIOSH], 2009). Growth of the N
to improve the quality and safety of patient HCSA sector through 2014 is projected to be
care (Brokel & Harrison, 2009; McCormick, more than any other industrial sector, with
Delaney, & Brennan, 2007). Moreover, current about 4.3 million jobs (30%) or 1 out of every
and future research trends are focused in the 5 new jobs (Berman, 2005). Home health care
areas of patient preferences and patient-cen- services is leading the growth in this subsec-
tered e-health. examples include the use of tor (nearly 70%) followed by residential care
Web-based technologies to engage patients facilities (48%). About 80% of HCSA workers
as full-fledged members of the health care are women, a greater percentage than in any
team (Bakken et al., 2008) and the use of tele- other industrial sector and nearly double that
health and telecommunication technologies for all industrial sectors combined. Registered
to improve care of the underserved (Cady, nurses, more than 2 million, constitute the
Finkelstein, & Kelly, 2009). largest occupation within the HCSA sector,
NIS modules represent the nursing of which 70% are employed in hospitals.
informatics applications within CIS. While Although there are many commonalities
early NIS modules functioned as informa- between the occupational safety and health
tion silos, today they are integrated into problems faced by health care workers and
interoperable CIS where data captured at workers in other industrial sectors, such as
the point of care are available to support the exposure to hazardous chemicals, many of
nursing process, decision making, and qual- these risks and hazards are less visible and
ity patient care across domains and settings. more unique to this field. Because more
NIS modules are used in all major areas of than 90% of those working in health care are
nursing. Through involvement in designing women, adverse reproductive outcomes and
and implementing NIS modules within CIS, responsibilities outside the workplace are of
nurses aim to preserve the unique function special concern. In addition, dealing with
of basic nursing care which is essential to the highly complex patient care, exacerbated
human welfare, while leveraging technology by traditional patterns of work organization
to enhance nursing practice. including long or unpredictable work hours,
rotating shifts, and understaffing, is very
Patricia C. Dykes stressful.
Ida Androwich The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS,
Virginia K. Saba 2005a) reported that the incidence rate of
injuries and illnesses in the HCSA sector was
5.9 cases per 100 full-time workers, nearly 1.3
and 1.4 times higher than in private and ser-
NursiNg occupatioNal vice-providing industries, respectively. Most
of these occurred in nursing and residential
iNjury aNd stress facilities and hospitals. The incidence of non-
fatal occupational injuries for this sector was
5.5 cases per 100 full-time workers, compared
An estimated 17 million people, about 11% to 4.4 and 3.9 cases per 100 full-time workers
of the u.S. workforce, are employed within in the private and service-providing indus-
the Health Care and Social Assistance tries, respectively. The number of nonfatal
(HCSA) employment sector. About 80% injuries for this sector (624,000) accounted for
of these workers are in health care indus- 15.7% of the total number of injury cases in
tries and 20% in social assistance industries private industry. Nursing and residential care