Perioperative nurses in the OR may experience more extensive and sustained exposure to surgical plumes than other surgical personnel. Compared with laser plumes, less policy attention has been given to mitigating the risks associated with exposure to diathermy plumes. Diathermy can produce ultrafine particles and volatile chemical and biological substances, of which a number are teratogenic or carcinogenic. Evidence suggests diathermy plumes contain more biohazards than laser plumes, although protective smoke evacuation equipment is less likely to be used with diathermy. Although there is no direct evidence of harm to OR personnel, further research is required to conclusively establish actual risks and appropriate standards for safe exposure. Interventional strategies should address staff attitudes toward diathermy plume exposure and protective measures. This structured review of the literature describes the nature and risks associated with exposure to diathermy plumes and clarifies the implications for protective techniques and nursing practices.

This study investigated the relationship between fatigue and work safety behavior of fathers with new babies. A total of 241 fathers completed a questionnaire at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum with items on fatigue and safety behavior at work. Results revealed that fathers worked long hours, reported a moderate-to-high physical intensity of work, and experienced interrupted sleep averaging less than 6 hours. Fathers also reported moderate fatigue at both 6 and 12 weeks postbirth, which was inversely related to safety behavior. Both fatigue and sleep history made a small but statistically significant contribution to safety behavior results at 6 and 12 weeks postbirth. Findings suggest that working fathers with babies experience fatigue during early fatherhood and are unable to recover due to interrupted and poor sleep patterns. Managers should consider the potential for fatigue to compromise work safety and develop risk management strategies that target new fathers.

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Education programmes will need to address specifically the knowledge and skills required for wellness-based models of practice in occupational health nursing, as well as research and negotiating skills for working with others in the workplace.

We recorded the direction of hair whorl rotation in samples of male right- and non-right-handers. The data corroborate those of Klar (2003) in showing equal numbers of clockwise and anti-clockwise whorls in non-right-handers but an excess of clockwise whorls in right-handers. The findings support the view that in some proportion of the population direction of coiling arises as a consequence of random events occurring during early (pre-natal) development of the nervous system, while in the remainder of the population there is a systematic bias towards a clockwise direction of rotation. The association with handedness implies that the latter is in a very large measure biologically rather than culturally determined.

Fathers are increasingly expected to engage in infant care. The early postpartum period has been described as a time when work-family conflict, lack of sleep, and fatigue are prominent themes. Research has demonstrated that these themes can have a deleterious effect on work safety. Lack of sleep and fatigue have been linked to workplace accidents, yet few studies have specifically investigated work-family conflict, sleep, and fatigue among men with infants. The need exists to specifically study and measure work-family conflict, sleep deprivation, and fatigue in relation to early fatherhood. Such research could have a direct effect on occupational health nursing practice.

Occupational health nurses face competition from other professionals in the field of occupational health and safety. This study investigated managers' perceptions of Australian occupational health nurses' roles. Managers were asked to rate the importance of occupational health nurses' activities and the time they believe occupational health nurses do or should dedicate to each activity now and in the future. The questionnaire included 22 activity statements grouped into eight areas of practice that were thought to constitute the occupational health nurse role, based on the Australian College of Occupational Health Nurses standards. Data revealed that emergent roles focused on injury prevention, health promotion, management, and research were of increasing importance, with more time being needed for them in the future. Fulfilling these expectations may place occupational health nurses in competition with other occupational health and safety personnel for particular responsibilities and may require negotiation to gain support for taking on these role activities. Fulfilling these emergent role activities effectively will require appropriate professional development and advanced education.