Occupational stress is a major physical and mental hazard for many workers and has been found to contribute to cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, mood disturbances, workplace injuries, and mental health problems. Health care utilization related to these physical and mental health problems costs employers billions of dollars annually. To combat this problem, employers should adopt a preventive approach and institute organizational and administrative changes that require the participation of both management and workers. This article reviews policies that could impact the quality of work life and influence organizational changes needed to achieve occupational health and safety. Occupational health nurses play a vital role in designing and implementing policies to improve work environments and reduce occupational stress.
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