Occupational Health Nursing Pulse: AAOHN Podcast

Kim Olszewski DNP, CRNP, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN, FAANP, FAAN and Sheila Quinn PhD, RN, join the last episode of 2025 to talk electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly known as e-cigarettes. These products pose a set of risks similar to combustible cigarettes but are not often included in workplace tobacco policies. Through their conversation about ENDS, Quinn and Olszewski also share the broader implications of their findings as they pertain to total worker health implementation in the workplace and how occupational nurses in all stages of their careers can drive organizational change. Read their article, "E-Cigarette and Vaping Perspectives: Recommendations for Occupational Health Nurses," co-authored with Debra M. Wolf PhD, RN, FAAOHN, here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21650799241279991 Kim Olszewski is an ANCC board certified adult nurse practitioner and is a Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist and Case Manager from the American Board of Occupational Health Nurses. In 2007, she received her Fellowship distinction from the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) in 2023, and Fellowship (FAAN) from the American Academy of Nursing in 2020. Olszewski is immediate past president of AAOHN and is past President of the Northeast Association of Occupational Health Nurses and the Pennsylvania Association of Occupational Health Nurses. She has presented at the local, state, regional and national levels of the association over the past 20 years on various topics, including DOT certification, Marketing OHNs, Fatigue Management, Healthy People 2020, Social Media Integration and Diagnostic Updates. Olszewski is Director of Client and Medical Provider Services at DISA Global Solutions Inc. and is Sr. Associate Dean for Commonwealth University's Breiner School of Nursing. Dr. Quinn is the Associate Dean of Nursing and Chief Nurse Administrator at Stockton University. She has over 38 years' experience within the healthcare and educational arena. She has published numerous articles and has presented at international, national, regional, state, and local levels over the past 25 years on various topics including transitioning from acute care to home care practice; nurse managers' perspectives on workplace communication in rural settings; academic, clinical and community partnerships to meet rural needs, and generating enthusiasm for policy and political advocacy. Her recent collaborative research centers on vaping and e-cigarette use in the workplace and policy implications.

In what host Stephanie Weinsier describes as a "full circle moment," this episode features AAOHN Director at Large Cheryl Strunk, RN, COHN, FAAOHN, who serves as Vice President of Operations at Premise Health. A respected mentor, nurse leader, and longtime AAOHN member, Cheryl shares insights from her 23-year career at the intersection of clinical care and business operations. OHNs occupy a unique role – balancing patient care with organizational strategy – and must navigate the changing landscape of healthcare while investing in their staff, business, and themselves. Tune in for an inspiring and candid conversation about the essential skills nurses need to lead, how to leverage networks and resources to champion workplace health programs, and how AAOHN Corporate membership can elevate an organization's health and safety efforts. AAOHN Leadership Products and Resources: 2024 Leadership Institute Webinars: Full Package (also available individually through the AAOHN Online Store) Demonstrating Value AAOHN Professional Development Resources

Tune in to the latest episode of the AAOHN podcast for an overview of travel medicine. Hear from Anne Terry, ARNP, as she discusses global disease and the vaccines employees travelling abroad need to consider. Depending on where an individual travels, whether it is for personal or professional business, and patients' existing conditions, they may need to take additional protective measures in addition to vaccines. Terry shares her unique experience as the head of the Travel Clinic at the University of Washington, the plethora of environmental exposures travelers may encounter, and how her interactions with her patients influence her practice in real time. Further Reading: Travel Medicine Update CDC Yellow Book - https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/index.html International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) - https://www.istm.org/ American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene - https://www.astmh.org/ UW CME – Travel Medicine and Global Health Conference June 2025 - https://uw.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=5&EID=11210 The Travel and Tropical Medicine Manual - https://shop.elsevier.com/books/the-travel-and-tropical-medicine-manual/sanford/978-0-323-37506-1 Germ and Worm Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/germ-worm/id1744408724

Betty Sanisidro, DNP, MSN, COHN-S. APHN-BC, FAAOHN, Executive Director of the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN), joins this episode to talk occupational health nursing certification. With an estimated 12,000 OHNs worldwide, and only around 2,000 holding the COHN/COHN-S certification, now is the time for OHNs to take the next step in their professional journeys. Dive into this episode to hear the history of ABOHN, the key differences between the COHN, COHN-S, and Case Management (CM) certifications, and what nurses need to know about the certification process and requirements. To learn more about certification, visit: https://www.abohn.org/certification.

Join this episode of the AAOHN podcast – recorded at the AAOHN Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, PA – to hear from three poster presenters on their research exploring sleep health. Yuan Zhang, PhD, RN, FAAOHN, Cara Harris, BSN, RN, and Beverly M. Hittle, PhD, RN, FAAOHN, discuss their findings across three different worker populations – long haul truck drivers, Black nurses, and healthcare workers.  Additionally, hear from all three on their experience at the Annual Conference and learn how occupational health nurses in all stages of their careers can get involved with AAOHN.

Sound is a frequently overlooked workplace hazard that affects nearly every industry. Exposure to excessive noise can lead to hearing loss, communication challenges, and even heart problems and cognitive decline. In this episode, Rick Neitzel, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, and Josh Lyon, RN, shed light on the hidden dangers of occupational noise exposure and the crucial insights occupational health nurses need to protect workers. Tune in to explore Lyon's research on noise exposure in landscaping, Neitzel's expertise as an industrial hygienist, and practical strategies nurses can implement to reduce sound-related workplace injuries. University of Michigan Exposure Research Lab  Michigan Public Health Apple Hearing Study  Job Exposure Matrix (noiseJEM)  Buy Quiet: Hearing Loss is Preventable – DHHS (NIOSH) Publication  Noise Exposure and Hearing Loss Among Landscape and Groundskeepers – Josh Lyon RN  *AAOHN members have access to the Workplace Health & Safety Journal for free! To view the full article, ensure you are logged into your AAOHN account, navigate here and select "Access Workplace Health & Safety Journal Online."  Questions? Reach out to Rick Neitzel PhD, CIH, FAIHA at rneitzel@umich.edu, and Josh Lyon RN at joshualy@umich.edu.  

Katie Wells MPH, BSN, RN, FNE-A/P, GFN-C, SANE-A, SANE-P, joins Occupational Health Nursing Pulse: The AAOHN Podcast to share her work on adverse childhood experiences – also known as ACEs. The discussion will lean into workplace collaboration and the role awareness can play in workers' coping strategies. Tune into the podcast to get a sneak peek into Wells' poster presentation at the 2025 AAOHN National Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, while learning about workplace initiatives that center peer support, worker autonomy, and encourage nurse collaboration. Reach out to Katie Wells at kwells3@uab.edu. National Child Traumatic Stress Network Oklahoma State University on PACEs ASIST Training – Suicide Intervention Skills Training Program Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) Online Resources

Kicking off 2025, the podcast welcomes Sarah Bucic, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC, to discuss her impactful work with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE). As temperatures rise, "forever chemicals" (PFAS) permeate workplaces, and the ongoing issue of access to clean drinking water persists, occupational health nurses (OHNs) are on the front lines of protecting patient and community health. Despite the challenges, there is hope. Bucic shares ANHE's valuable, free resources for OHNs, highlights the changes ANHE has already driven, and dives into some of today's most pressing occupational health issues.

Nicole Livanos JD, MPP, Director of State Affairs from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) joins our host in this episode to discuss public policy impacting nursing and regulation. In a fast-paced field with changing health and safety concerns, Livanos shares how important it is for nurses to get involved and stay informed on new legislation affecting OHNs and the workforce. Livanos shares her own experience working in public policy, recent NCSBN advocacy, and concurs with Stephanie Weinsier on how listeners can use resources at AAOHN to get involved.

In this episode, we'll dive into the unique patient-provider relationship between adults with autism and the OHNs caring for them in worksites. Autistic individuals bring unique perspectives and talents to their working environments, but often benefit from accommodations or additional support from their supervisors and OHNs. Our host is joined by Jake Hansen, M.S., BCBA, as they discuss behavioral differences in neurodiverse individuals, the medical history of autism, and the struggle for inclusivity, visibility, and acceptance. To learn more about Hansen and the work he does at Roots Autism Solutions, visit https://www.rootsautismsolutions.com/. For more information, to submit questions to our host or guests, or to suggest a topic or guest for a future AAOHN Pulse episode, please contact education@AAOHN.org.

Dr. Yang Li, PhD, RN, shares her research on the effect of trauma and her observations regarding the integration of trauma-informed care into medical practice on this episode of the AAOHN Pulse. She identifies a critical need for medical professionals to account for what patients have experienced, as well as for caregivers to acknowledge their own struggles. Host Stephanie Weinsier and Dr. Li discuss creating a safe space for patients, practices to treat physical and mental disruptions caused by trauma, as well as the way trauma specifically impacts high risk communities, such as the field of nursing, as seen in Dr. Li's research.                   To learn more about trauma-informed care and to access the rest of Dr. Li's work, click here. Check out Dr. Li's University of Austin page for her contact information. For further reading, visit the AAOHN Journal (free access for members!). For more information, to submit questions to our host or guests, or to suggest a topic or guest for a future Pulse episode, please contact education@AAOHN.org. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal ideation, dial 988 for the nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For more information, click here.

Dr. Louise O'Keefe, Ph.D., MSN, BSN, ADN, CNE, FNP, CRNP, RN, joins this week's AAOHN Pulse to discuss her research on Post-Acute COVID 19 Syndrome – otherwise known as Long COVID. Post-2020, OHNs, RNs, and patients alike were – and still are – burnt out. It can be difficult to discern if the mental and physical symptoms patients exhibit – fatigue, "brain fog," issues with sleep, shortness of breath, etc. – are caused by Long COVID or a rise in mental health conditions. Dr. O'Keefe and our host Stephanie T. Weinsier, DNP, ANP-BC, COHN-S, FAAOHN, dive into how to manage Long COVID symptoms and self-care recommendations for OHNs and RNs. They also discuss how the manifestation of symptoms in patients often associated with Long COVID can stem from larger, systemic issues exacerbated by the pandemic, but that Long COVID can simultaneously be the cause.                 To learn more about Post-Acute COVID 19 and access the rest of Dr. O'Keefe's work, click here. Check out Dr. O'Keefe's page on the University of Alabama in Huntsville website here. For further reading, visit the AAOHN Journal (free access for members!). For more information, to submit questions to our host or guests, or to suggest a topic or guest for a future Pulse episode, please contact education@AAOHN.org.

Dr. Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA from the Women's Health Clinic at Mayo Clinic joins AAOHN to discuss menopause for women in the workplace. Menopause is a universal experience impacting most women from physical symptoms to cognitive or mental health issues affecting both working life and personal life.  While menopause typically happens at the mean age of 52, nearly 8% of women under the age of 45 will enter menopause with a long working life yet ahead of them. Join this conversation to learn so much more from our expert, and increase your ability to have those culturally competent and sensitive conversations.

Occupational stress is not unique to any industry segment or worker demographic, and certain professions certainly deal with repetitive toxic stress in their work environment. Stress has been proven to change the brain with negative outcomes to both personal and professional lives. Join us for an inspiring and educational discussion regarding the research into practice looking at the causes and contributing factors with mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, suicidal issues that are faced by farmers and other rural workers. Join AAOHN with Paul Norrod, DrPH, M.Div., MA-C, RN from the University of Kentucky to learn more about occupational stress.

Robin Rone has been working with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for years. Listen in for her conversation with host Stephanie Weinsier to learn how you can improve DEI in your workplace, and in your life.  Helpful Links from Robin: What is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? (definition) What Are Personal Pronouns and Why Do They Matter?  (website/article) So You Want To Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo (book)

Host Stephanie Weinsier sits down with Ann Marie Loiseau, DNP, RN, CSN, CCM, and Andrea Mantione, NP, to discuss the extensive research the two have been busy conducting on health literacy. 

Listen in to hear an in-depth dive into health informatics and how it pertains to the occupational health nurse. Our host, Stephanie Weinsier, sits down to talk with Anil Adisesh, an expert on the topic. 

Ageism can permeate nearly every aspect of our day-to-day life. Listen to learn how you, as an Occupational Health Nurse, can play a unique and vital role in minimizing ageism for your workers and in your everyday life.  Host: Stephanie Weinsier, DNP, ANP-BC, COHN-S, FAAOHN Guest: Tracey Gendron, PhD, Chair and Associate Professor Department of Gerontology, Virginia Commonwealth University

On Occupational Health Nursing Pulse, Jennylynn sits down with Athena Ramos, PhD, MBA, MS, CPM, Associate Professor, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Department of Health Promotion, to discuss the behind-the-scenes of the workers who are responsible for the food that comes to our tables, and how we can keep them safe.

On Occupational Health Nursing Pulse, Jennylynn sits down with Carin Bennett-Rizzo MS, CNP-BC, COHN-S, Nurse Director for Occupational Health at Boston's Children Health to talk all things Return to Work in the healthcare setting, but also touching on new remote work policies in healthcare.