Page 36 - OOHNA Spring-Summer 2017
P. 36
ReseaRch n
OccupatiOnal HealtH nurSeS
prOmOting lung HealtH fOr farmerS
by Rose-Marie Dolinar, Gwendolyn Devereaux and Andrew M. Johnson
Introduction rometry, without the pre-/post- the clinics were held in rural
bronchodilator protocol, will often communities in proximity to the
Farming in ontario and canada show normal lung function. farmers, and consisted of four
has evolved over the past 100 occupational health nurses are parts: 1) a lung health question-
years, from farms feeding their
in an ideal position to be able to naire; 2) a review of respirator
own families, to farms feeding
thousands of people. large scale detect lung health changes in its types (matched to particular lung
production farming is here to stay, early stages. the difficulty is in health risks); 3) N95 respirator fit-
reaching a population that nor-
in response to the shift of popula- testing; and 4) a pre/post spirom-
tions to large urban centres. With mally does not seek health care, etry lung function test. Sixteen
or lives in an under-serviced area.
this change to higher produc- poultry producers attended the
the Poultry Producers lung lung health clinics.
tion farming comes added risks Health study aimed to measure
for lung health, both from out- collaboration between the farm-
door work in the fields, as well as lung function through spirometry ers and health care providers were
as well as provide training on how
indoors, in the barn environment. to protect lungs by wearing respi- established before any lung health
occupational health nurses clinics were scheduled, since harvest
rators that are fit-tested, to ensure
work in many sectors, such as times needed to be confirmed. con-
maximal protection from occupa-
mining and manufacturing, that tional lung hazards. sultations with two rural health care
address lung health risks. reach- centres were conducted, to arrange
ing out to farmers for lung health Planning and implementation of for space and time for the clinics.
assessments can be a challenge, a lung health clinic for farmers due to the outreach nature of
due to the demands of farming the clinics, outsourcing of spirom-
activities, harvest times, and dis- the Poultry Producers lung Health etry was done, to provide the lung
tances to health care centres. study, conducted in southwestern function testing in a location that
chronic obstructive pulmonary ontario in august 2016, provides was as close as possible to the farm-
disease (coPd) is a treatable and an example of providing outreach ers. occupational health nurses
preventable disease (Gold, 2017). community lung health clinics, with trained in spirometry, can provide
the development of lung disease the goal to bring lung health first the spirometry or the team can con-
such as coPd is very gradual, and foremost to the farmer. due sist of the occupational health nurse
working with a registered respira-
and tends to be noticed by farm to poultry production methods
workers only after there has been moving towards industrial large- tory therapist within the lung health
a significant loss of lung function, scale confinement facilities, poultry clinic. Each location can adapt to
often up to 50-60% (Gold, 2010). workers’ exposure to bioactive dust the resources available, if calibra-
People with coPd often present is a potential occupational hazard tion and standardization of mea-
for health care in later stages of (Viegas et al., 2013). surement is ensured.
the disease because they accept the planning phase can take the
cough or mild breathlessness as longest time. this phase is essen- Description of the clinical edu-
“normal” (Gold, 2010). tial for the success of the clinics cational program
Early detection of lung health to allow for a foundation of trust 1. Baseline lung health question-
changes is an important strategy to occur; to establish supportive naire (clinical component).
in preventing and hopefully slow- community networks; to become 2. review of lung health risks and
ing down lung disease progression. involved in rural community health respirator types (educational
coPd is, however, under-diag- organizations; to meet and listen to component).
nosed, due to many adults not hav- suggestions from the rural commu- 3. N95 respirator fit-testing (edu-
ing (or seeing) their doctor or health nities; to provide the best locations cational component).
care provider. to add to the missed and times for clinics; and involve the 4. Pre/post spirometry lung func-
diagnoses problem, screening spi- farmers at all stages of preparation. tion testing (clinical component).
34 OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017
OccupatiOnal HealtH nurSeS
prOmOting lung HealtH fOr farmerS
by Rose-Marie Dolinar, Gwendolyn Devereaux and Andrew M. Johnson
Introduction rometry, without the pre-/post- the clinics were held in rural
bronchodilator protocol, will often communities in proximity to the
Farming in ontario and canada show normal lung function. farmers, and consisted of four
has evolved over the past 100 occupational health nurses are parts: 1) a lung health question-
years, from farms feeding their
in an ideal position to be able to naire; 2) a review of respirator
own families, to farms feeding
thousands of people. large scale detect lung health changes in its types (matched to particular lung
production farming is here to stay, early stages. the difficulty is in health risks); 3) N95 respirator fit-
reaching a population that nor-
in response to the shift of popula- testing; and 4) a pre/post spirom-
tions to large urban centres. With mally does not seek health care, etry lung function test. Sixteen
or lives in an under-serviced area.
this change to higher produc- poultry producers attended the
the Poultry Producers lung lung health clinics.
tion farming comes added risks Health study aimed to measure
for lung health, both from out- collaboration between the farm-
door work in the fields, as well as lung function through spirometry ers and health care providers were
as well as provide training on how
indoors, in the barn environment. to protect lungs by wearing respi- established before any lung health
occupational health nurses clinics were scheduled, since harvest
rators that are fit-tested, to ensure
work in many sectors, such as times needed to be confirmed. con-
maximal protection from occupa-
mining and manufacturing, that tional lung hazards. sultations with two rural health care
address lung health risks. reach- centres were conducted, to arrange
ing out to farmers for lung health Planning and implementation of for space and time for the clinics.
assessments can be a challenge, a lung health clinic for farmers due to the outreach nature of
due to the demands of farming the clinics, outsourcing of spirom-
activities, harvest times, and dis- the Poultry Producers lung Health etry was done, to provide the lung
tances to health care centres. study, conducted in southwestern function testing in a location that
chronic obstructive pulmonary ontario in august 2016, provides was as close as possible to the farm-
disease (coPd) is a treatable and an example of providing outreach ers. occupational health nurses
preventable disease (Gold, 2017). community lung health clinics, with trained in spirometry, can provide
the development of lung disease the goal to bring lung health first the spirometry or the team can con-
such as coPd is very gradual, and foremost to the farmer. due sist of the occupational health nurse
working with a registered respira-
and tends to be noticed by farm to poultry production methods
workers only after there has been moving towards industrial large- tory therapist within the lung health
a significant loss of lung function, scale confinement facilities, poultry clinic. Each location can adapt to
often up to 50-60% (Gold, 2010). workers’ exposure to bioactive dust the resources available, if calibra-
People with coPd often present is a potential occupational hazard tion and standardization of mea-
for health care in later stages of (Viegas et al., 2013). surement is ensured.
the disease because they accept the planning phase can take the
cough or mild breathlessness as longest time. this phase is essen- Description of the clinical edu-
“normal” (Gold, 2010). tial for the success of the clinics cational program
Early detection of lung health to allow for a foundation of trust 1. Baseline lung health question-
changes is an important strategy to occur; to establish supportive naire (clinical component).
in preventing and hopefully slow- community networks; to become 2. review of lung health risks and
ing down lung disease progression. involved in rural community health respirator types (educational
coPd is, however, under-diag- organizations; to meet and listen to component).
nosed, due to many adults not hav- suggestions from the rural commu- 3. N95 respirator fit-testing (edu-
ing (or seeing) their doctor or health nities; to provide the best locations cational component).
care provider. to add to the missed and times for clinics; and involve the 4. Pre/post spirometry lung func-
diagnoses problem, screening spi- farmers at all stages of preparation. tion testing (clinical component).
34 OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017
