The AAOHN 2010 Global Summit addresses the contributions of occupational health nurses (OHNs) to a global healthy workforce providing a unique opportunity for a broadly based group of U.S. and international health care researchers, occupational health nursing practitioners, and educators to exchange information and knowledge. The Summit serves as platform for exploring innovative strategies to enhance and sustain OHN best practices that contribute to a healthy workforce in global, diverse settings. The conference will attract a multidisciplinary audience of OHN and other occupational health (OH) professional, and OH management participants from industry, academia, the military, and a broad spectrum of health care settings. Conference sessions will address issues related to OHN education, training and certification, and worldwide efforts to address the challenges of creating and maintaining an effective OHN workforce. The overarching goal for the conference is to improve services to the global workforce through advancing the practice of occupational health nursing and exploring the impact that the profession has on the global health of workers. The conference will encourage the efforts being made in various countries and regions of the world to blend knowledge of and experience in occupational health nursing. It will establish a foundation for future exchange of global OHN best practices. The proposed use of technology enhancements will allow innovative participant- presenter interaction and expansion of sessions to global internet audiences both as live sessions and as post conference continuing education web seminars. The technology based approach of the conference offers a unique opportunity for expanded participation from audiences in diverse locations and practice settings.
Occupational health nurses (OHNs), the largest group of health care providers serving the worksite, focus on the health and safety of worker populations and are a vital resource for the global development and expansion of occupational health programs and services. This conference will bring together a diverse group of U.S. and international occupational health nursing educators, researchers, and practitioners to share knowledge and OHN practice experience and establish a foundation for future exchange of global OHN best practices. The conference will provide a significant contribution to worker health through increased understanding and collaboration on healthy workplaces and excellence in OHN practice.