The Hanasaari Conceptual Model for Occupational Health Nursing
It was perhaps a breakthrough in 1988 when NIVA (The Nordic Institute for Advanced Training in Occupational Health) and Kitta Rossi from the Institute of Occupational Health in Finland arranged an International Workshop at the Finnish town of Hanasaari. Under the unique skills of Ruth Alston U.K. a dynamic conceptual model emerged. Another workshop arranged by the same group took place in Aspenas , Sweden in 1992 and included delegates from the then newly independent Baltic States , Iceland , Switzerland and Africa.
The Hanasaari Conceptual Model
The Total Environment Concept
The general environment system, which incorporates health and safety aspects, is represented by the large outer circle-a global concept. Within the outer circle the influences, which have global effects, which in turn may affect health, are represented by economic, political, social, ecological and organisational factors. These are interesting areas for practice and education innovation in occupational health nursing.
Man Work and Health Concept. This is represented by the man, work and health triangle and operates within the total environment, aspects of the total environment having a significant (although indirect) effect on workplace health. Political and social polices for example will either expand or contract the development of occupational health. Organisational cultures and strategies may exert a stronger more direct influence on the man, work, and health triangle
Occupational Health Nursing is presented in the centre of the model. Flexibility was interpreted as being proactive rather than reactive. Flexibility is represented by a curving circle of arrows, which exerts influence and develops the concepts identified, ultimately improving the health of people at work and affecting the health of communities outside the workplace, in the total environment. The outward proactive approach may influence politically, socially, economically and ecologically particularly if Occupational Health Nurses raise the level of awareness of their real contribution to health issues in a wider environment.
