ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN), www.aaohn.org, is pleased to announce the 6th Annual National Occupational Health Nursing Week, April 17-23. This year's theme, "OHNs: The Best Value in Healthcare," highlights occupational and environmental health nurses' (OHNs) ability to promote and maintain both workers' physical health and businesses' fiscal health.
In today's challenging economic environment, as businesses attempt to contain healthcare costs and maintain employee benefits, the value and benefit of maintaining or adding OHNs as staff are too often overlooked. OHNs can serve as health promotion and disease prevention experts, case managers, emergency preparedness and disaster planners, as well as authorities on regulatory compliance and safety education and training. They are essentially a one-person team of experts who can oversee and implement programs and practices that benefit a company's bottom line as much as they benefit workers.
"The economic impact of OHNs in today's business world is often overlooked," says Richard Kowalski, RN, MSA, COHN-S and AAOHN President. "With the observance of National OHN Week I hope companies and organizations will consider further investment in OHNs and the invaluable role they play in the workplace."
National Occupational Health Nursing Week was established to raise awareness of OHNs' important role in preserving the health and safety of millions in our nation's communities and companies. This pivotal week also assists employees, employers and the general public in increasing their understanding of the major contributions OHNs make to overall workplace health and safety.
The April dates commemorate the founding of the first professional association for occupational and environmental health nurses. Founded on April 19, 1942 as the American Association of Industrial Nurses (AAIN), the predecessor to AAOHN, the organization began with 300 nurses in 16 states and now includes thousands of healthcare professionals worldwide.
The AAOHN encourages companies and their employees to see why OHNs are America's best healthcare value. For more information on the 2009 National Occupational Health Nursing Week and how OHNs can improve the overall health and safety of the workplace environment, visit AAOHN's Web sites, http://www.aaohn.org and http://www.aaohn.org/bizhealthcheck/.
AAOHN is a global organization with members who encompass the entire range of health and safety workers, worker populations and community groups.