several TV videos showing the successes of
Occupational Health.

"We do not stress what our graduates might
be able to do, we prefer to point out the
things they've already done. The students
all have nursing degrees and my job is to
build on that background."

"And some of our students don't even
realize the potential they have until
they are out in the work place."

Occupational Health is a two-year, part-
Time program offered to registered nurses
through a series of 11 evening courses.
Day times are set aside as a time for
practicums - where students put their
skills to work in an actual job setting.

The results of her graduates’ work is

one major point that really makes Morrow
proud and she can fire off the statistics
like a computer.

*In 1981, Panco Poultry reduced workers
tendon problems from a 4 to 1 down to a
20 to 1 ratio after an Occupational
Health Consultant entered the plant.

*Fibreglas Canada decreased their time
loss due to injuries by 66 per cent be-
tween 1983 and 1984.

*Freightline B.C. dropped their accident
rate by 33 per cent and their injury
severity rate by 67 per cent during the
same two years.

Graduates in More Demand

And the list of indirect benefits shows
why Morrow's graduates are becoming even
more in demand with industry and business
across the province.

"Suggestions from an Occupational Health
Consultant can lower time loss and money
loss due to accidents, breakaqe, and
time at a plant, as well as the time and
money lost in training replacement
workers," Morrow says.

 

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"Stress is lowered, and we can help
keep employees and management working
productively in their own environment."

Emphasis on A Climate for Change

And to accomplish this Morrow uses a
unique teaching method with the emphasis
on creating a climate for change, not on
marks.

"The more | teach, the less | think marks
are of importance. In fact, most of my
classes are graded on a pass/fail scale,
and when a student knows they're doing
well they often don't even care to see
their marks."

"And being an advocate of health and
safety is not what the program is about
either," she says. "Your average employee,
is not going to be too impressed by some- §
one telling them to lose 20 poundsor to
stop drinking."

"The Occupational Health Consultant is

primarily there to, first, do an assess-
ment of what is happening, second,
discover the workplaces' strengths, and
finally, find out what the people there
want and then help them make those
changes."

"As it is, most people already have the
information they need to make changes,
and basically they just need a little
support."

Students registered this semester in
Morrow's program are currently working
in a variety of practicum sites, helping
to make EXPO, the WBC, Shellburn, loco
and an aluminum plant in Bellingham,
Washington safer places.

Industries Sold on Our Merits

"I+ may sound impressive at first but
actually B.C. is not really advanced in
Occupational Health," Morrow says.
"Originally, the industries had no idea
what could be done but slowly they are
being sold on our merits." ‘