Occupational health nurses protect and promote the health of people at work. This involves earning your nursing degree or diploma from an accredited nursing school. Occupational health is a field that involves identifying and controlling workplace hazards. They specialise in the care and well-being of people at work. They have direct contact with employees and are often approached with health-related questions and problems. Some occupational health nurses establish their own businesses. Every workplace has its own hazards, regardless of the occupations associated with them. You could be employed by a large organisation or company such as an NHS trust, local authority or major retail chain. A careers resource has been jointly developed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Health Education England (HEE) to help registered nurses and the clinical support workforce plan their health careers effectively. Some advertise on their own websites. You may also carry out certain clinical tasks such as health surveillance, giving vaccinations and taking blood samples. In summary it is a fairly straightforward process to train as an occupational health nurse: Complete general education courses – these will be included in a nursing program and are an essential first step in your training process. All rights reserved. However, many employers and companies will also hire these nursing professionals. In order to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, occupational health nurses assess workplaces in an effort to identify possible hazards. You can find a list of NHS organisations at NHS Choices. They work in all industries and all different types of workplaces. Occupational health nurses work to prevent, investigate, and treat workplace-related illnesses and injuries. There are several routes for occupational health nurses to further their careers. Add your voice to the #EveryNurse community. The last step of this process will be sitting for and passing the certification examination. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. You will also need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Do you have a point of view to share? The American Board for Occupational Health Nurses also offers a voluntary certification for occupational nurses. To work as an occupational health nurse, you must be registered on part 1 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. Communication skills are an absolute must if you’re looking to become an occupational health nurse. An occupational health nurse is a nursing professional that focuses on workplace safety. This may include tending to injuries, administering medication, and performing rehabilitation therapy after certain injuries. Visit the RCN/HEE careers resource for registered band 5 nurses. It is important to check the person specification of the role to fully understand the skills and knowledge required. You’ll usually be employed as an independent practitioner in an organisation or as part of an occupational health service team in an organisation's human resources department. Workplace hazards can include chemicals, obstructions, machinery, or even employee carelessness and computer screens. To secure your first post in occupational health nursing, some knowledge or experience of the following would be helpful: Find out more about the training and development opportunities in occupational health nursing. If you're an exceptional writer or like-minded company, please drop us a line! You may also choose to take an approved programme in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing - Occupational Health Nursing (SCPHN - OHN). You must be able to effectively communicate with employers, employees, medical professionals, and insurance companies. Occupational health nurses also make sure that workplaces are up to standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or OSHA. To become an occupational health nurse, you will first need to become a registered nurse. Occupational health nurse: £21,909 - £28,462pa (Truro, 2017), Occupational health advisor: £35,000 - £39,000pa (Anglian Water Services Ltd, 2017), Specialist nurse advisor occupational health: £31,878 - £42,046pa inc. HCAP (King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust). If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organisation that provides NHS services, you'll be asked to show how you think the values of the NHS Constitution apply in your everyday work. Most NHS organisations advertise their job and apprenticeship vacancies on NHS Jobs, including those who run NHS services. Their additional training in public health enables them to assess the health needs of individuals, families and the wider community to promote good health and prevent illness. Occupational health nurses can often find employment in hospitals and clinics. Finish nursing school – the school must be accredited and prepare you for the necessary examination. You may also choose to take an approved programme in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing - Occupational Health Nursing (SCPHN - OHN). To be eligible to sit for the certification examination, you must have had 3,000 hours of experience as an occupational health nurse within the prior five years, or you must have completed an occupational health nurse certificate program. You may lead or work in a team alongside other occupational health professionals, such as doctors, physiotherapists, counsellors, occupational psychologists, and mental health professionals.