MARCH 2003 News WANTED !! We are looking for meeting sites for this year. If your facility can host a meeting please contact David Embrey or Pat Edwards. Things have been hectic with everyone and we want to get back on track with our Organization. MAY EVENTS AOHC 2003: The AOHC Conference is being held May 2-9 in Atlanta this year. Topics ranging from clinical, safety, business, ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, complementary methodologies, workers’ compensation, regulatory and legal issues, ethics, wellness and many others will be covered. You can find the entire program on line at http://www.aaohn.org/ Maybelline in May: Mark your Calendars for May 16th. The annual Maybelline in May meeting will be hosted by Pat Edwards again this year. We are planning on a continuation of last years debate of Workers’ “Compensation Reportable vs. OSHA Recordable.” There will be more information soon on this event. TOOL KIT FROM THE CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) has developed Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice, a tool kit for physicians. The tool kit is designed to raise awareness about mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and improve clinical management and outcomes for patients with MTBI. We encourage you to join us in this effort by informing your members about this initiative and the availability of the free tool kit. There is a clear public health need for physicians to quickly diagnose, properly treat, and carefully monitor patients with MTBI. Every year, approximately 1.5 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries. Many are released from medical care without hospitalization or never receive medical care at all. An unknown proportion of those who are not hospitalized may experience long-term disability. The groups at highest risk for TBI are older adults, adolescents, and young adults. The tool kit contains practical, easy-to-use clinical information, patient information in English and Spanish, scientific literature, and a CD-ROM. You can review the final version of the tool kit by going to: http://velocityrx.com/aed/. Once at the Web site, accept the disclaimer, then click on Traumatic Brain Injury. To order free copies of the tool kit for your organization, please email: jpmcdonald@cdc.gov or fax 770-488-4338, Attn: Jane McDonald. We encourage your help in promoting the tool kit to your members by: * announcing the tool kit's availability through letters, e-mails, and your listserve, newsletter, or Web site announcements; * sending out a press release (sample attached) after CDC's release is disseminated to media on January 22; * linking your Web site announcement to CDC's tool kit site; http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/tbi_toolkit/toolkit.htm (accessible after January 22, 2003); * announcing the kit's availability at appropriate meetings and conferences; and/or * making presentations at meetings. To facilitate your promotion efforts, we are attaching a package of sample promotional materials. This package contains: a sample news release, talking points, a newsletter article and a flyer that can be tailored to fit your organization's needs. On behalf of the CDC and the NCIPC, thank you for your consideration and help. Sincerely, Jane P. McDonald, M.Ed., CHES Health Communications Specialist National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC DRUG FREE WORKPLACE: Courtesy of Marcia Parrish Drug Free Workplace Program Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic 325 S. 6th Place Lowell, AR 72745 479-770-1149 drugfree@aohconline.com What You Should Know About Ephedrine Ephedrine, a naturally occurring alkaloid derived from the plant Ephedra equisetina that also can be produced synthetically, is an Amphetamine -like drug that stimulates the cardiovascular and nervous system. The desire to be thinner, stronger or faster leads millions of Americans to the pills and powders that contain Ephedrine – the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says more than 100 supplements contain the drug some users refer to as “legal speed.” Ephedrine can cause harmful reactions in people with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. People with vulnerabilities to ephedrine can suffer heart attacks, strokes or seizures after taking the drug. Reports of adverse reactions to ephedrine include liver failure, elevated blood pressure, elevated body temperature, heatstroke and death. Currently, products containing ephedrine can be bought over-the-counter, but there are increasing calls for the FDA to halt such sales or to ban ephedrine altogether. While it has received hundreds of reports of adverse reactions to ephedrine, the FDA says such reports alone don’t provide a scientific basis for assessing the safety of ephedrine. The results of a RAND Corporation study on the dangers of ephedrine are expected in April. Source: http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/Templates/Article.asp?ws=PDFA&vol=1&grp=NewsCenter&cat=Feature+Stories&top=Articles&tit=What+You+Should+Know+About+Ephedrine POSITIONS AVAILABLE I am looking to fill two OHN positions at a company in Little Rock in the very near future. This is a very good position with a national company that supports a strong corporate worksite health initiative, one that has won the C. Everett Koop award multiple years. There is a very good benefit package which includes a 401(k)and educational provisions. You can reach me via return e-mail or you can call me at my toll free number 1-877-525-4812. Best Regards Carol Dial