[Features of occupational health nurse support for the improvement of psychosocial working environments and related factors: Focusing on required knowledge and skills, and measures to develop them].

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the support activities provided for occupational health nurses aimed at improving psychosocial working environments, related knowledge and skills, and learning as well as associations among these factors. In addition, we aimed to create correlated factor models to describe the support activities in order to identify ways to promote these activities among occupational health nurses. Methods An anonymous mail-based questionnaire survey was conducted of occupational health nurses who were members of the Japan Society for Occupational Health and belonged to enterprises or independent health insurance societies. Among 356 returned (response rate: 46.4%), all the main items were answered in 329 (valid response rate: 92.4%), and these were analyzed. Factor analysis was performed for the seven items pertaining to support activities for the improvement of psychosocial working and models of each factor of the support activities were developed using covariance structure analysis. Results In the factor analysis, [Clarifying a stress-related situation and advice] and [Facilitating workplace involvement] were identified as support-related factors. The mean implementation rates for these were approximately 50 to 80%, and less than 40%, respectively. [Clarifying a stress-related situation and advice] was associated with skills of providing superiors with explanations to enhance their understanding and collecting and analyzing stress survey results by department, and knowledge of personal stress questionnaires and common stress factors in working The above-mentioned knowledge and skills were associated with self-learning of examining and reporting daily activities for the improvement of working environments and reviewing related papers. [Facilitating workplace involvement] was associated with skills of indirectly supporting discussions led by key persons in working environments and giving feedback regarding occupational stress survey results to superiors, and knowledge of tools for the improvement of working environments and appropriate methods to use stress questionnaires. In addition, such knowledge and skills were associated with self-learning and learning of participating in seminars to learn effective methods to use group-work approaches and receiving support and advice from mentors of universities and research institutions. Discussion The features of occupational health nurse support for the improvement of psychosocial working were revealed by this study. The implementation rates suggest that it is particularly necessary to promote [Facilitating workplace involvement]. It will be necessary to encourage the acquisition of associated knowledge and skills in order to promote occupational health nurse support for the improvement of psychosocial working environments.