Health Promotion in the Workplace

bleg

Hey guys,

I just finished a pharmacy degree and don't start my pre-reg til september. Due to the recession and the cutbacks last thursday there is no summer work available in industry or pharmacies. I have an idea that might be worthwhile and I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of a programme like this before. Basically what I'm hoping to do is go into workplaces, initially manufacturing plants, to try to talk to people about the most common illnesses affecting irish people, how to avoid them and how to treat them. I have prepared fairly comprehensive presentations on ten topics:

1. Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, the Heart stopper!

2. Hypertension (High blood pressure)

3. Obesity

4. Type 2 Diabetes

5. Depression

6. Men’s Health Issues (Including Erectile Dysfunction, testicular cancer and Disorders of the Prostate)

7. Nicotine: Addiction and its effects; giving up

8. Alcohol and its effects: the dreaded hangover and long term effects

9. Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis

10. Asthma

I intend each talk to last about 30 minutes with roughly 15 minutes for Q&A. I don't want to rest on my laurels and I see this programme as a good way of improving people's health, helping me refresh my education and keep up to date with the latest clinical trials and findings.

I have been in contact with the Health and Safety departments from a few companies and all have come back positively and I am currently awaiting for them to be in contact again.

Anybody have any opinions or ideas?

2Scoops

I'm fairly sure that the DHC already has workplace initiatives going on. While they may not be widespread, they are free. Charging companies for this service might work, but I just can't see them spending money to give their workers an hour off, especially when you haven't much experience, tbh.

drzhivago

bleg wrote: »

Hey guys,

I just finished a pharmacy degree and don't start my pre-reg til september. Due to the recession and the cutbacks last thursday there is no summer work available in industry or pharmacies. I have an idea that might be worthwhile and I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of a programme like this before. Basically what I'm hoping to do is go into workplaces, initially manufacturing plants, to try to talk to people about the most common illnesses affecting irish people, how to avoid them and how to treat them. I have prepared fairly comprehensive presentations on ten topics:

1. Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, the Heart stopper!

2. Hypertension (High blood pressure)

3. Obesity

4. Type 2 Diabetes

5. Depression

6. Men’s Health Issues (Including Erectile Dysfunction, testicular cancer and Disorders of the Prostate)

7. Nicotine: Addiction and its effects; giving up

8. Alcohol and its effects: the dreaded hangover and long term effects

9. Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis

10. Asthma

I intend each talk to last about 30 minutes with roughly 15 minutes for Q&A. I don't want to rest on my laurels and I see this programme as a good way of improving people's health, helping me refresh my education and keep up to date with the latest clinical trials and findings.

I have been in contact with the Health and Safety departments from a few companies and all have come back positively and I am currently awaiting for them to be in contact again.

Anybody have any opinions or ideas?

dont mean to rain on your parade here and am one who likes initiative but isnt this a job for a public health person or occupational physician

There is a potential conflict here in that as a pharmacist you are picking a significant number of health issues here which have pharmacological treatment modalities and thus marketing pharmaceuticals to them

Treatment is normally a matter for a patient and physician isnt it?

nesf

bleg wrote: »

Hey guys,

I just finished a pharmacy degree and don't start my pre-reg til september. Due to the recession and the cutbacks last thursday there is no summer work available in industry or pharmacies. I have an idea that might be worthwhile and I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of a programme like this before. Basically what I'm hoping to do is go into workplaces, initially manufacturing plants, to try to talk to people about the most common illnesses affecting irish people, how to avoid them and how to treat them. I have prepared fairly comprehensive presentations on ten topics:

1. Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, the Heart stopper!

2. Hypertension (High blood pressure)

3. Obesity

4. Type 2 Diabetes

5. Depression

6. Men’s Health Issues (Including Erectile Dysfunction, testicular cancer and Disorders of the Prostate)

7. Nicotine: Addiction and its effects; giving up

8. Alcohol and its effects: the dreaded hangover and long term effects

9. Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis

10. Asthma

I intend each talk to last about 30 minutes with roughly 15 minutes for Q&A. I don't want to rest on my laurels and I see this programme as a good way of improving people's health, helping me refresh my education and keep up to date with the latest clinical trials and findings.

I have been in contact with the Health and Safety departments from a few companies and all have come back positively and I am currently awaiting for them to be in contact again.

Anybody have any opinions or ideas?

Honestly mate, I find the idea of a pharmacy grad with no practical experience talking about medical issues like depression in the workplace bizarre. Do you really think you're in a position to give advice about these?