Qualification Courses for Nurses in Occupational Medicine

Qualification Courses for Nurses in Occupational Medicine

Though there is no official status for occupational nurses in Latvia as they are not included in the List of Occupations, due to the changes in legislation on occupational health and safety, employers and several health care companies were interested to increase the qualification of nurses in occupational health.  With an aim to improve occupational health and safety services provided to workers at their workplaces P.Stradins Clinical University Hospital started to carry out the course on basics in occupational health for nurses. These courses are carried out in close collaboration with the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health of the Riga Stradins University and the Centre of Occupational and Radiation Medicine. The course is held twice a year, during one week 5 days following each other. The length of the course is 40 academic hours and it consists of lectures and practical classes. The course leader is the head of the Occupational and Radiation Medicine, professor Maija Eglite. Among the lecturers you can find the top specialists of occupational medicine in Latvia – physicians working at the Centre of Occupational and Radiation Medicine of P.Stradins Clinical University Hospital as well as academic staff of the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health of Riga Stradins University.

Contact information for questions and application:

Course programme

Lectures

Occupational hygiene

1. Definition and goals of occupational medicine.
2. Occupational diseases and work-related diseases.
3. List of occupational diseases. The diagnostic procedure for occupational diseases in Latvia.
4. Pre-employment and regular medical check-ups.
5. Social guarantees in case of an occupational disease or workplace accident.
6. Workplace risk assessment (dust, chemical substances, biological agents, noise, vibration, industrial radiation etc.)

Occupational diseases

1. Occupational lung diseases.
2. Occupational allergic diseases.
3. Musculoskeletal disorders.
4. Ergonomics. Work with visual display units.
5. Health effects of occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals.
6. Toxic metals in workplace. Health effects. Pb, Hg etc.
7. Solvents, poisoning with solvents.
8. Toxic effects to peripheral nervous system.
9. Microclimate. Heat and cold disorders.
10. Occupational cancer.
11. Occupational factors and reproductive health.
12. Stress. Burn-out syndrome.
13. Hazardous factors in health care. Health effects.

Practical work at the Centre for Occupational and Radiation Medicine.