Life-long learning and continuing professional development (CPD) are the processes by which professionals, such as nurses, develop and improve their practice.
There are many ways to address CPD: formally, by attending courses, study days and workshops or informally, through private study and reflection.
Reading articles in professional journals is a good way of keeping up to date with what is going on in the field of practice, but reflecting on what you have learned is not always easy.
These questions are designed to help you identify what you have learned from studying the article. They will also help you to clarify what you can apply in practice, what you did not understand, and what you need to explore further.
1. What is the 24:8 rule?
a) People have to consider their skin only for the eight hours they work
b) People have their skin all the time, but only work eight hours out of 24
c) A new take on 24:7
d) A proposed new week of eight days instead of seven
2. What is the most common occupational skin disease?
a) Eczema
b) Psoriasis
c) Irritant contact dermatitis
d) Scabies
3. What approach does professor Gieler propose?
a) Biopsychosocial
b) Holistic
c) Medical
d) Problem-solving
4. What is someone with a predisposition to an allergic reaction called?
a) Aphasic
b) Amnesic
c) Anaphylactic
d) Atopic
5. Where does the skin need to retain a certain moisture content?
a) Stratum lucidum
b) Stratum granulosum
c) Stratum corneum
d) Stratum fibrosum
6. What is produced by the sebaceous glands?
a) Sweat
b) Serum
c) Sebum
d) Serotonin
7. During which season is dermatitis most likely to occur?
a) Spring
b) Summer
c) Autumn
d) Winter
8. Which of the following is NOT a step for the OH practitioner?
a) Interview employee to gain information and history
b) Report the condition to management
c) Review the workplace, the work and the employee exposure
d) Refer to a dermatologist for examination and diagnosis
9. What factor has research shown can result in a skin reaction?
a) Stress
b) Long hours
c) Shift work
d) Redundancy
10. What was causing the skin problem for the woman in the case study?
a) Nickel
b) Bleach
c) Chromium plating
d) Shampoo and hair styling products
FEEDBACK
1. b – people have to consider the state of their skin all the time, but they do not work 24 hours a day – even if it seems like it sometimes. It is always worth considering some health promotion activities on healthy skin, particularly in the winter months – see question 7
2. c – are you au-fait with all these different common skin conditions and how they are affected by work? People who suffer with eczema and psoriasis may suffer acute exacerbations if they are under stress and, as stress is one of the main causes of sickness absence, irritant contact dermatitis may follow close behind. Scabies can also be caught at work, especially by those working in the caring professions. Check out some of the resources below for more information or to refresh your knowledge.
3. a – are you aware of the biopsychosocial model? If not, then Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsychosocial_model) provides a good explanation and a list of 27 references.
4. d
5. c – refresh your knowledge of the structure of the skin.
6. c
7. d
8. b – of course if on step c you find bad practice or processes which could cause skin problems, then it is important to report this to management. It would be wise to encourage the employee/client to report his/her skin condition to management so that they are aware of the problems in the workplace.
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9. a – all the answers may cause stress, which could result in skin problems.
10. d – refresh your knowledge of these substances and how they may affect the skin.
