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Hi Jane, As it's Friday, this is for you and everyone on the list...well, you did ask for funny stories and jokes are funny! Did you hear about the nurse who died and went straight to hell? It took her 2 weeks to realise she wasn't at work! You know you're a nurse if..... Your sense of humour gets more warped every year; You would like to meet the inventor of the call bell system some night in a dark alley; You know the smell of different diarrhoeas and you can identify them; You can tell the pharmacist more about the medication he/she is dispensing than they know; You check the caller ID on your day off to see if anyone from your ward is trying to get you to go in to work; You've been telling work related stories in a restaurant and made someone at the next table sick; You are using more 4 letter words than you ever even knew before you started nursing; Every time someone asks you for a pen you have at least 4 in your pocket....none of them are yours; Your motto is "to be right is only half the battle; to convince the doctor is more difficult"; You've told a confused patient that your name is that of your co-worker and to holler if they need any help; Your bladder can expand to the size of a winnebago's water tank; You find yourself checking out customers' veins in the supermarket checkout queue; You avoid unhealthy looking shoppers in the mall in case they drop near you and you have to perform CPR on your day off; Your finger has gone places you never thought possible; You have seen more penises than any prostitute! Now you have all laughed (I hope....otherwise you aren't really a nurse!), try this exercise. It is incredibly frustrating but there is a way it can be done! "How smart is your right foot?" While you are sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circle movements. While doing this, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand. Your foot will automatically change direction! We all know how stupid this is, but I bet before the day is through you will have tried it several times! Happy Friday! Rita Rita E Ogden Specialist Practitioner/Clinical Team Leader, Occupational Health Service, St. James's University Hospital Tel: 0113 2065228 Leeds General Infirmary Tel: 0113 3923267 >>> Jane Fairburn <[log in to unmask]> 18/01/2008 12:04 >>> Hi My experience of an "HSE Inspector" was to say that HSE also don't approve of "Nurse Led services" or nurses working as "self-employed OH consultants". This person was also a nurse!!?? When I said we consult with OH doctors as and when required - and its actually not that often in our particular experience - she stated this was outrageous and I should have a doctor on my books to oversee everything I do......... Take it with a pinch of salt and use your own good knowledge & experience to guide your practices. I don't know that "NMC guidelines" impacts that much on OH in any event??? I though Friday was a chill out day anyway - anyone got a funny story? With regards, Jane Jane Fairburn BSc (Hons) RSpCPH (OH) CMIOSH Occupational Health Services Director Mobile 07770 638 268 Office 01925 227 000 Direct 01925 294 775 :-) Save Paper - Do you really need to print this e-mail? ________________________________ ________________________________ From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frank Oakes Sent: 17 January 2008 18:22 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Ambient noise levels during audiometry It really does not seem to matter what we think, like the highway code we have to follow the rules and I was also reminded that as nurses on the NMC register we must practice within guidelines. The crux of the subject is the reproducability of the environmental noise during the test and as quite rightly mentioned we do not diagnose but screen. I was given examples of tests done where the OHA had written across the test that there were high levels of noise hence the poor resul;ts and it was thought that this was okay. Hey, I have done this too so what has changed for me. 1. I now know different. 2. The HSE now know I know different. I imagine this makes a difference for how most of us practice. I suppose it will also make a big difference for the companies who have gone to the great expense of purchasing mobile screening units who are constantly undercut by those of us who don't ending up at a competitive disadvantage because we choose to 'turn a blind eye' to the guidance that while confusing is already available so it could be said that we would have no defence if challenged.. I am sure this debate will continue but if you require absolute clarification contact your local HSE OH Inspector. The young lady I spoke to said she will be more than willing to discuss this with anyone and if you want her details please ask. Cheers Frank ----- Original Message ---- From: Annie Anderson <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thursday, 10 January, 2008 5:10:30 PM Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Ambient noise levels during audiometry I totally agree with you Jane, We are carrying out a screening test only, looking for any deviation from the expected or any change in the results from previous ones. We are not doing any diagnosing and if we have concerns then the person is referred to the GP or ENT department for consultation and appropriate testing. When hearing tests are carried out in a quiet office the sound does not differ that much from year to year. Regards Annie Telephone 07788667506 The contents and any attachments of this electronic mail message are confidential and intended only for the named addressees. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the message. Please do not disclose, copy, forward, or act upon the contents of this e mail or any attachments. -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jane Fairburn Sent: 10 January 2008 15:57 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] Ambient noise levels during audiometry Hmmm - so even if an audio is normal then HSE don't believe it is??? Clearly we need to remember we are screening healthy people not diagnosing deafness and prescribing hearing aids! A sound booth is only used to attenuate the interference of extraneous sounds during a hearing test and whilst they reduce, they do not wholly eliminate reverberant and ambient noises in any event as far as I am aware. One of our sites has a booth situated adjacent to the changing rooms & we can't test during shift change! Its simply not as clear as booth or no booth. It seems like common sense to 'screen' people and then consider if further testing is required in a booth - or indeed with appropriately attenuated headset. We should not be seeing new cases of NIHL these days and if we are then something is wrong and its not the OH screening...... Thanks Frank Look forward to your posting the new HSE guidance. Regards, Jane Jane Fairburn Occupational Health Services Director Mobile : 07770 638 268 Office : 01925 227 000 www.people-am.com <http://www.people-am.com/> ________________________________ From: [log in to unmask] on behalf of Frank Oakes Sent: Thu 10/01/2008 15:15 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Ambient noise levels during audiometry A very timely post. Late last year I was privvy to a meeting with HSE who stated that they would not accept a hearing test as being valid unless it was either done in a sound reduction booth or the tester recorded the sound levels during the test with a sound meter and when the levels peaked over a certain level, I am waiting on further details of this, then the test had to be stopped and restarted so it seems that the rule of thumb 'quiet room' is a thing of the past as we can not accurately reproduce the environmental noise levels. I confirmed this via telephone again this week with HSE and they tell me there is new guidance out shortly. As soon as I get the noise levels etc. I will post them here as like myself I am sure this will make an impact on how we practice. Oh yes, they also informed me that they were investigating a number of OH providers/ companies for a variety of bad practices and they are very keen to hear of any more. Oh yes, please remember when replying I am the messenger. Frank ----- Original Message ---- From: "Hawkes, Lynda" <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Wednesday, 9 January, 2008 11:57:49 AM Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] Ambient noise levels during audiometry List, Please can someone advise me what the maximum ambient noise levels should be when conducting audiometry without a sound-proof booth? I have looked at "Acoustics - Audiometric test methods BS EN ISO 8253-2:1998 but have to confess that I don't fully understand what I am reading. Thanks Lynda Lynda Hawkes Occupational Health Advisor Thales Aerospace Division Scudamore Road Leicester UK LE3 1UA Tel: +44 (0) 1162 594030 email: [log in to unmask] www.thalesgroup.com Thales UK Limited is incorporated in England and Wales. Company registration number 00868273. Registered office: 2 Dashwood Lang Road, The Bourne Business Park, Addlestone, Nr. Weybridge, Surrey KT15 2NX This message is private and confidential. 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