The RCN document "Health Assessment - Advice for Occupational Health Nurses"
(May 1995) discusses conducting health assessments and health aspects
relevant to nursing. It states that "individuals employed in carrying out
this assessment should be suitably qualified in occupational health nursing
or medicine" (p2). The accompanying RCN document "Health Assessment -
advice to managers" (May 1995) however discusses the advantages and
limitations of health screening and states that "the impact of these
limitations can be minimised by using occupational health nurses and
physicians". The Health Service Guidelines "Occupational Health Services for
NHS Staff" (HSG(94)51, states that "although the responsibility for
recruitment rests with the referring manager, the OH department's role is to
provide specialist independent advice to the employer ... No applicant
should be refused employment on health grounds unless expert occupational
medical advice has been sought" (p5).
However, you need to also consider the "competency" base of the nurse
undertaking the assessments. A nurse who has theorectical knowledge and
experience in conducting these health assessments may not necessarily have
undertaken a specialist course in occupational health.
If there are set protocols that follow professional and legal guidelines, a
specific line of referral is determined and they stick to it, and the nurse
is considered to be competent and able to consult a suitably qualified
occupational health specialist in case of doubt, I would suggest that this
is adequate.
Hope this helps
Amanda Dowson
Health Services Manager
Bradford College
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karen Curran [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 18 February 2001 21:12
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Pre employment screening
>
> I'd be grateful for the groups thoughts/feedback on this one (especially
> Stuart Whittaker whom I know has done a great deal of work with the
> subject).
> The scenario is this - a registered nurse, not OH trained, carries out an
> interview with a prospective nurse for agency work. Part of the interview
> procedure includes the completion and screening of a confidential health
> questionnaire. Ethically or otherwise, can he/she do this? He/she will be
> deciding on the suitability of the candidate for work by interview,
> references etc.
>
> Many thanks in anticipation.
>
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