FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2001
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Cindy Price, 202-651-7038
Hope Hall, 202-651-7027
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American Nurses Foundation Awarded $261,000 OSHA Grant Supporting Health And Safety Training Programs
WASHINGTON, DC – The American Nurses Foundation (ANF), the research, education and charitable affiliate of the American Nurses Association (ANA), has been awarded a $261,000 training grant by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The foundation will use the grant to develop new health and safety training programs, as well as to expand existing programs. These programs include training for front-line nurses on hazard identification and control; a train-the-trainer initiative on OSHA standards, including the new ergonomics standard; and the identification and prevention of work-related hazards and exposures. As a result of the grant, ANA will partner with state nurses associations to teach hazard assessment and promote cooperative efforts with health care employers to identify, eliminate and control hazards.
ANF was among 19 new grantees that were awarded funding totaling more than $4.8 million. The grant is for one year, with the possibility of renewal over five years.
"We applaud OSHA for awarding these grants to ANF and other organizations representing some of the nation's most at-risk workers," stated ANA President Mary E. Foley, MS, RN. "The training that results will help prevent the back injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that affect up to 38 percent of all nurses by assisting nurses in developing ergonomics programs that identify and control ergonomic hazards."
Health and safety is a top priority for ANA. The association advocates for enforceable standards, guidelines and training with regard to the identification and prevention of workplace hazards and exposures, and the development of standards. Of particular concern are needlestick injuries, which carry with them the risk of exposure to potentially lethal bloodborne pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C. In addition to needlesticks, nurses also face other infectious agents such as TB, disabling back injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), latex allergy, workplace violence, chemical hazards and poor working conditions, such as short staffing and mandatory overtime.
Other key ANA health and safety initiatives include pollution prevention in health care, prevention and control of latex allergy, prevention of workplace violence and research that links patient safety to worker safety.
The American Nurses Foundation (ANF), founded in 1955, complements the work of ANA, the largest nursing organization in America, by raising funds and developing and managing grants to support advances in research, education and clinical practice. Since its inception, the foundation has worked to enhance consumer's health by supporting projects that strengthen the nursing profession. ANF accomplishes its mission through four major functions: nursing research grants, extramural projects/grants, fund-raising and American Nurses Publishing.
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The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.6 million Registered Nurses through its 54 constituent associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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