Sustaining a healthy work force in the 21st century--a model for collaborating through reciprocation.

Abstract

Occupational health nurses are positioned to restore and maintain worker health, well-being, and safety, thereby increasing productivity. A model of practice is needed that provides a comprehensive worker-environment perspective. A model that incorporates reciprocation and collaboration increases workers' engagement in their own health action plan. It empowers workers and provides a broader multidimensional perspective on factors affecting or influencing their health. The Reciprocation Model has been designed using the nursing process; it incorporates reciprocation and collaboration to assist occupational health nurses improve or maintain worker health and safety, as well as achieve corporate goals of reducing on-the-job lost time and increasing productivity.