General nursing and occupational health nursing: a comparison of scientific progress.

Education, research, theory development, and scientific knowledge development are indices that can be used to measure scientific progress. The progress of occupational health nursing science has followed the progress of general nursing science by a period of 20 years. A critical mass of doctorally prepared occupational health nurses is necessary for the scientific development of the profession. Federal funding of doctoral programs in occupational health is needed to increase these numbers. Occupational health nursing has established research priorities. Acting on these priorities will help develop scientifically based nursing practice.