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PP2026001

Innovating Nursing Education: Occupational Health Clinical Experience in an Academic Medical Center

Carin Bennett-Rizzo, MS, RN, COHN-S, NEA-BC

Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA

Occupational health nursing (OHN) practice is vital for worker safety and health, yet nursing students rarely encounter this specialty during training. This project aimed to create a structured OHN clinical experience within an academic medical center.
Methods: Occupational Health Services (OHS) broadened our relationship with the Department of Nursing, who oversaw the relationship with college nursing programs. OHS was included in departments willing to take undergraduate and graduate nursing students. OHS developed an OHN education program providing students with orientation to regulatory frameworks, workplace injury management, and employee health initiatives. Activities included observation, case discussions, and hands-on tasks under preceptor guidance. Feedback was gathered through surveys and reflective journals.
Results: Students reported improved understanding of OHN principles, workers' compensation processes, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Preceptors observed strong engagement and interest in nontraditional nursing roles. Challenges included meeting competency objectives.
Conclusion: Incorporating OHN clinical experiences into nursing curricula enhances awareness of this specialty and broadens career perspectives. Academic-practice partnerships are key to sustaining these opportunities.

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PP2026002

Occupational HIV Exposures in the Healthcare Setting

Maggie Larson, MPH, RN

Advocate Health, Oak Brook, IL

Healthcare workers face significant, life-altering risks from bloodborne pathogens (HBV, HCV, HIV). Although confirmed transmission in the healthcare setting is rare, contaminated sharps and splashes remain frequent hazards. These exposures pose severe health risks to staff and cause operational, financial, and logistical burdens for employers. Additionally, as healthcare organizations expand borders, they cross diverse regulatory variances. This analysis reviews 24 HIV occupational exposures reported in 2024 across a 28-hospital system division (Illinois and Wisconsin), with 75,000+ employees.

Key Findings:

• Total Exposures: 24 HIV-positive source incidents
• Incident Types: 18 percutaneous and 6 splashes
• Source Data: 15 sources had RNA detected
• Analysis Focus: Activity performed, device usage, PPE usage, PEP optimization, cost analysis, and state variance of HIV testing consent
• Results: A single HIV exposure can cost approximately $7,750+ for employers, not accounting for lost time and wages. Subcutaneous injections and suturing were the most common for device usage. “While using device” was the most common activity being performed, and opportunities to ensure prompt and safe device disposal were identified.
• Implications: To minimize needlesticks/blood exposures and improve safety, employers must adopt robust sharps prevention programs that utilize a continuous improvement model.

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PP2026003

Staying Organized at a Distance: Practical Strategies for Remote Occupational Health Nurses

Jennifer Baugh, BSN, RN

BJC HealthCare, St. Louis, MO

Remote occupational health nursing offers flexibility and convenience; however, it also presents challenges related to organization, documentation, communication, and boundary setting. Without intentional systems in place, remote occupational health nurses may experience workflow inefficiencies, missed follow-ups, increased stress, and burnout. Implementing structured organizational strategies is essential to maintain productivity, compliance, high-quality care, and work-life balance. This poster:

• Shares practical organizational strategies that support efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability for a remote role.
• Highlights common challenges encountered in remote environments, including scattered information, missed tasks, email overload, and blurred expectations and boundaries.
• Provides solutions implemented to address these challenges.

Learning objectives include identifying common organizational challenges faced by remote occupational health nurses; digital tools and workflows to assist with managing cases, tasks, and documentation; implementing time-management and boundary-setting strategies; and improving communication and follow-up while working off-site. When supported by strong organizational tools and systems, remote occupational health nursing can be effective and sustainable. Implementation of these tools and systems has taken time and effort but has resulted in reduction in errors and missed follow-up, improved communication and documentation accuracy, and increased job satisfaction.

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PP2026004

AOHP - Celebrating a 45-Year Journey of Excellence

Peggy Anderson, RN, COHN-CM (Retired), MaryAnn Gruden, MSN, FNP, RN, COHN-S (Retired), and Christine Pionk, MSN, NP, RN, COHN-S (Retired)

AOHP, Wexford, PA

Celebrating 45 years as an organization, this poster highlights the achievements of AOHP.

Follow the organization's journey across 45 years of growth from its inception to the nationally-recognized organization it is today. The poster portrays how AOHP's mission to provide excellence in education, collaboration, communication, and research has been achieved.

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PP2026005

Rapid-Cycle Quality Improvement to Confirm and Improve Measles Immunity in Healthcare Workers

Sharon Burt, MSN, CRNP, COHN-S and Amanda Scott, CIH, CSP, CMLSO

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

In December 2023, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health declared a measles outbreak due to 9 individuals testing positive for the highly infectious virus. As our pediatric patient population is particularly vulnerable, CHOP policy requires all healthcare workers (HCWs) to have documented immunity to measles. In response to the community outbreak, CHOP convened a series of Exposure Management calls, during which time Occupational Health (OH) reviewed HCW measles immunity status and identified >300 HCWs with incomplete documentation. Our objective was to improve the safety of the CHOP patient population, staff, and community by ensuring 100% compliance with CHOP's measles immunity policy. OH convened a response group to evaluate root causes of the immunity gaps and propose potential solutions. Following implementation of several strategies (see diagrams), we achieved a 50% improvement in non-compliant HCWs within 30 days and 89% after 3 months. We have sustained a high level of immunity (>99%) since April 2024. Through proactive efforts and sustainable processes to ensure HCWs have complete documentation of measles immunity, we have promoted patient safety and reduced time spent on exposure follow-up. Given the continued rise in vaccine hesitancy and resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases, this approach is scalable and adaptable to other infectious diseases.

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PP2026006

Cardiovascular Health Among Healthcare Professionals

Kristen Wagner, MS, BSN, RN, CCM, COHN-S

BJC Corporate Health Services, St. Louis, MO

Healthcare professionals are at increased risk for heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and musculoskeletal injuries. This poster showcases the development, implementation, and reception of the “Heart Savers” program implemented at our hospital under the direction of our wellness team. The program's purpose was to address the risk factors healthcare professionals have for cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to long shifts, demanding jobs, and poor health habits. Focusing on our employees' overall health is essential, as it can reduce absenteeism, workplace injuries, illnesses, and recovery time. Aggregate data collected from the 2024 free employee health screenings were used to determine risk factors needing attention, and an employee survey was used to assess the knowledge of different CVD risk factors. Monthly heart health education was provided, along with healthy activities for the hospital employees to help them improve their awareness of risk factors for heart disease. Implementing this initiative increased employee participation in the annual health screenings by 23%, improved knowledge of CVD risk factors, and identified future wellness topics.

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PP2026007

Comprehensive TB Screening and Control Program

Changhong Jiang, RN, MSN, COHN, CRRN, CEAS, Kari Lahmon, RN, MSN, COHN-S, CPN, NE-BC, Victoria Henderson, MHA, MLS (ASCP), DLM, Randall T. Hayden, MD, Heather Glasgow, PhD, and D(ABMM) Diego Hijano, MD, MSc

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global threat, causing 1.23 million deaths in 2024. In the United States, 13 million people have latent TB. The prior TB program focused only on patient-facing staff, relied on inconsistent external processes, and caused follow-up delays. This project established a standardized, comprehensive TB program to enhance safety, efficiency, and timely return to work.

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PP2026008

Centralizing a 24/7 Employee Injury and Exposure Incident Review Process Through 5SAFE

Sharon Burt, MSN, CRNP, COHN-S, Tina J. Penrose, MSN, MPH, RN, CPHQ, and Anya Even, MSN, RN-BC, LSSGB, PMP

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

CHOP has expanded to a three-hospital system, with 50 ambulatory locations. Ensuring equitable support for all personnel is a priority. Prior to 2025, employees' responses to injuries and exposures differed by location and time, making tracking and responding to safety themes difficult due to incomplete or delayed information and inefficient responses to events. Simultaneous with CHOP's growth, the 5SAFE Employee Safety Line planned to expand to a 24/7 “one-stop” service for employee safety needs to address system gaps and support callers in real time.

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PP2026009

Impact of AI-Informed Ergonomics to Reduce Occupational Injuries in the Medical Transport Environment

Sheryl Williams, RN, BSN, CCRN, CFRN, CMTE, MTSP-C, Jeremy Norman, MBA-HCM, NRP, FP-C, and Rebecca E. Cash, PhD, NRP, FAEMS

Air Methods, LLC, Greenwood Village, CO

Industry leader Air Methods is an accredited U.S. air medical transport company that provides community-based, hospital-based, and customized emergency medical services. With over 300 bases of operations serving 48 states, the company employs more than 4,500 team members, including clinicians, pilots, mechanics, air communications specialists, and support staff. This poster evaluates whether the implementation of a structured ergonomics training program and associated workplace resources were associated with reductions in on-the-job ergonomic injuries among frontline personnel.

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PP2026010

Stop Needlesticks: You CAN Prevent Injury!

Amanda Lewis, BSN, RN and Cheryl Sullivan BSN, RN

SSM Health, Madison, WI

Needlestick injuries remain a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers, with substantial implications for staff safety, patient care, and organizational outcomes.

At our organization, injury data revealed that nearly 20% of all needlestick injuries were associated with sharps container-related events, making this area a clear priority for intervention. These injuries impact a broad range of staff and are largely preventable through targeted system and workflow improvements. To develop meaningful corrective strategies, we needed to understand the specific barriers employees encounter when disposing of sharps. A comprehensive survey completed by more than 150 frontline staff provided valuable insight into their experiences, challenges, and perceptions regarding sharps container placement, accessibility, fill levels, and replacement process. The results highlighted several key barriers: 23.5% reported lack of time, 22.4% indicated no clear responsibility for replacement, 17.6% cited simple forgetfulness, and 10.6% noted inconvenient container location.

Using this feedback, our Needlestick Committee developed a standardized Sharps Container Toolkit. This toolkit provides standardized guidance for leaders to support early intervention, consistent practices, and injury prevention across all care settings. This project highlights the importance of engaging frontline staff, using data-driven insights, and addressing environmental and operational barriers to create safer processes and reduce sharps-related injuries organization wide.

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PP2026011

Simplifying Reasonable Suspicion Testing

Nancy Kester, RN, MSN, Michelle Brownfield, RN, MSN, and Amber Hancock, RN, BSN

OSF HealthCare, Rockford, IL

Background: OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, IL, OSF has 17 hospitals - 11 acute care, five critical access, and one continuing care - with 2,305 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs over 27,000 Mission Partners across more than 170 locations. These include OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, OSF OnCall, its digital health operating entity that offers hospital-at-home care, two colleges of nursing, OSF Home Care Services, and hospice services.

Problem/Opportunity: Due to the significant variation in resources, staffing, and operational workflows across multiple locations, the process for performing after-hours reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing was inconsistent. This variation created an opportunity to standardize processes, reduce costs, and support Mission Partners performing after-hours testing by assessing the following issues:

• Variable workflows and testing methods
• Increased labor demands for staff training and retraining
• Higher potential for collection errors
• Inconsistent access to testing services
• Financial impact from use of external vendors

Methods (PI Project Phases): Phase 1: The team evaluated the current state across the health system, identifying process variability, role responsibilities, training gaps, and operational challenges. A future state workflow was defined to promote consistency and efficiency. Phase 2: The project team assessed system-wide needs for training, competency evaluation, and support for Mission Partners conducting after-hours testing. Cost analysis included labor, supplies, initial and refresher training for urine collection and breath alcohol testing, and fees associated with external vendor utilization.

Intervention/Solution: A review of testing methods determined that oral fluid testing offered a simplified, cost-effective, and reliable alternative for substance testing. Transitioning to oral fluid testing provided multiple benefits:

• Easier and faster sample collection
• Reduced training time and labor costs
• Lower risk of collection errors or tampering with specimens

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PP2026012

Improving N95 Fit Testing Compliance

Andrea Martin, RN, BSN

Presbyterian Española Hospital, Española, NM

Annual N95 respirator fit testing can be a source of frustration at many hospitals. However, having to perform fit testing regularly is a requirement of OSHA and per standard 1910.134(f)(2), employers must ensure that an employee is fit tested prior to initial use of a respirator, and at least annually thereafter. Presbyterian Española Hospital (PEH) found that getting employees to complete the annual requirement was difficult and often only able to achieve a compliance rate of 40%-60%. The goal of this project was to improve fit testing compliance hospital wide.

Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement, we reviewed the fit testing policy, established goals for improvement, and implemented changes.

Historically PEH policy required fit testing upon hire and then annually in their birth month. In 2024 PEH trialed annual fit testing for all employees during a 2-month period (April-May). PEH achieved a compliance rate of 76% by April 1, 83% by August 1, and 91% by year end. PEH decided to make this a permanent change and saw similar compliance rates for 2025. Additional changes planned for 2026 include a goal of achieving 90% compliance by the end of May.

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