Occupational and Employee
Health Nursing Profession

Occupational and environmental health nursing is the specialty practice that provides for and delivers health and safety programs and services to workers, worker populations and community groups.

The practice focuses on promotion and restoration of health, prevention of illness and injury and protection from work related and environmental hazards.



Case management

In addition to providing treatment, follow-up and referrals and emergency care for job related injuries and illnesses, OHNs act as gatekeepers for:
• health services,
• rehabilitation,
• return-to-work and case management issues,
• and are key to employers' health care quality and cost containment strategies.

Counseling and crisis intervention

Besides counseling workers about work related illness and injuries, OHNs often counsel for issues such as:
• substance abuse and emotional and/or family problems.
• referrals to employee assistance programs and/or other community resources and coordinate follow-up care.

Health promotion

OHNs teach skills and develop health education programs that encourage workers to take responsibility for their own health. Some of these are:
• Smoking cessation,
• exercise/fitness,
• nutrition and weight control,
• stress management,
• control of chronic illnesses
• and effective use of medical services.


Legal and regulatory compliance

Occupational Health Nurses deal with an  array of regulations put forward by:
• the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),
OHNs work with employers on compliance with regulations and laws affecting the workplace.

Worker and workplace hazard detection

OHNs monitor the health status of worker populations by conducting research on the effects of:
• workplace exposures,
• gathering health and hazard data,
• and using the data to prevent injury and illness. Examples include an analysis of the effects of toxic chemical exposures and development of plans to prevent work-related accidents.

Business Leadership Role

Poor employee health costs business about $1 trillion annually, so business executives look to OHNs to maximize employee productivity and reduce costs through lowered disability claims, fewer on-the-job injuries and improved absentee rates. 
Through their recognized value as business partners, OHNs are both managers (implement occupational health service programs, provide budgetary input for programs and staffing) and leaders (develop policy/procedures in alignment with corporate vision/mission, supervise and direct employees, and mentor co-workers) in the effort to impact corporate improvement and employee health and safety, thus contributing positively to the financial bottom line.