Exploring the Role of Occupational Nursing
- Article by:Health Career Center
What is Occupational Nursing?
Occupational Nursing focuses on workplace safety, where Occupational Nurses work with employers to guarantee that employees are safe in their given workplace and help employees that suffer a work-related injury or illness receive the care and services they need.
The Occupational Nursing practice centers around health promotion, illness and injury prevention, and the protection of employees from occupational dangers. Individuals in this practice act as advocates for employee safety and adequate healthcare services.
What Does an Occupational Nurse Role Entail?
Occupational Nurses perform duties that Clinicians, Case Managers, Educators, Consultants, and Directors typically provide. Individuals in this role are expected to work with employers to ensure health and safety standards are being met. They work to prevent, investigate, and diagnose or treat workplace-related injuries and illnesses. Their primary concern is the health and well-being of the employees they are responsible for. In addition, Occupational Nurse responsibilities include the following:
- Identifying, evaluating, and managing workplace hazards
- Offering counseling and support to employees under their care
- Educating employers and employees on accident and injury prevention in the workplace
- Developing procedures and methods to improve workplace safety
- Verifying that workplaces comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards
- Managing occupational health services
- Performing research related to occupational health and safety trends, as well as on-site research on the effects of specific workplace exposures
- Promoting a healthy lifestyle and educating employees on what that entails
- Monitoring the health of employees
- Tending to injuries or illnesses sustained at the workplace
- Administering medicine to injured or ill employees
- Performing rehabilitation therapy for work-related injuries
Occupational Nurses work in hospitals or clinics, however, many also work for a variety of businesses and companies across industries, like health, education, construction, and commerce. Individuals interested in pursuing this career must earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited school. Then, they must pass the National Council Licensure Exam before becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). After passing the exam and earning the RN title, prospective Occupational Nurses must get 3,000 hours of experience in Occupational Health Nursing. Finally, they must pass the Occupational Health Nurse certification exam (COHN) before becoming a Certified Occupational Nurse.
The Job Outlook for Occupational Nurses:
The job outlook for Occupational Nurses is bright due to demand for the role to verify legal compliance with OSHA standards and care for employee’s well-being and safety in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of RNs, which the Occupational Nursing role falls under, is projected to grow 16 percent from 2014 to 2024.
The median annual salary for this role is $57,963, according to PayScale. However, experienced medical professionals in this role can earn up to $77,963 annually.
If you are interested in pursuing a career in Occupational Nursing, click here to browse Occupational Nurse positions currently available throughout the U.S.