Health surveillance for health care workers. A vital role for the occupational and environmental health nurse.

Health surveillance for the general health care worker includes surveillance for immunity to infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B. Post exposure surveillance for bloodborne pathogens includes HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Periodic surveillance of specialty practice areas as mandated by OSHA include workers exposed to lasers, radiation, formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, hazardous drugs, anesthetic gases, and tuberculosis.