Occupational

Health Nurses
 Occupational Health Nurses (OHN)s

Are registered nurses who independently observe and

assess the worker's health status with respect to job
tasks and hazards. Using their specialized
experience and education, these registered nurses
recognize and prevent health effects from
hazardous exposures and treat workers'
injuries/illnesses.
 Role of occupational
health nurse
1.  Workplace Surveillance and Health Risk
Identification:

The Occupational Health Nurse in collaboration with the

members of the Safety Office conducts workplace
surveillance, a term used to describe activities which
determine whether groups of workers may be
suffering actual or potential work related injury or
illness.  Occupational Health Nurse conducts
workplace surveillance utilizing methods to detect,
appraise, identify and manage health hazards and
exposures to physical and chemical hazards at work.
 Comprehensive interventions or programs to control all
actual and potential health risks to employees and
provide the worker with education of potential health
risks and strategies to prevent injury and illness
 Intervention measures designed to prevent occurrences,
monitor exposure and eliminate the problems
 Early detection of workplace hazards
 Health education for employees to reduce the likelihood
of injury/illness
 Documentation of health and safety potential risks for
each job activity .
 2.  Health
Surveillance:
 As part of health surveillance, the Occupational Health Nurse
conducts activities which determine whether groups of workers
may be suffering an occupational illness as a result of exposure to
a particular hazard or group of hazards.  Health surveillance is
always based on environmental assessments with exposures
evaluated and documented. Examples of health risk assessment
and medical surveillance include immunization for employees who
are exposed to infectious biological agents.  This includes those
who come into contact with: animals, human blood or body fluids,
certain bacteria and viruses used in research, communicable
diseases etc
 Reduction of workplace injuries/illnesses
due to early detection of workplace
hazards
 Reduction of financial costs associated
with exposure to workplace hazards
 Increased knowledge of the workplace
environment by the worker and employer
 Develop statistics to identify significant
trends in occupational illness or injuries
 3.  Health Promotion
and Protection:
The Occupational Health nurse is responsible for employee health
promotion and protection.  This programming focuses on the prevention of
illness/injury by promotion of health and well-being using  strategies directed
towards modifying the behaviour of individuals/groups and encouraging
them to accept responsibility, in matters which affect their health and over
which they have control, towards achieving a healthy lifestyle.  Anticipatory
interventions include strategies for protection from agents causing disease
and /or hazards in the work environment and /or university community.
 Enhancement of employee well-being by gaining knowledge of risk factors in
the workplace
 Reduction of health risks by programs targeted to meet goals determined by
needs assessment of individual workplace.
 Familiarity with community resources and skill in utilizing community
resources such as posters, pamphlets, brochures, fact sheets, newsletters,
health programs where applicable
 Individual knowledge of risk factors and preventative measures as a
foundation for development and provision of health building programs such as
smoking cessation, nutrition, hypertension, fitness, which in turn will provide a
reduction of financial costs to  both the employer and the health care system
 Reduction of financial, psychological cost to the individual by timely referrals
to the Employee Assistance Program when applicable
 4.  Primary Care:
Primary care is the set of nursing actions that
are provided to manage illness or functional
challenges in the workplace.  The goal is to prevent
complications, promote recovery and facilitate
rehabilitation of both occupational and non-
occupational illness and injury.  Primary care is based
on the nursing process, on a theoretical base
consistent with occupational health nursing practice,
on knowledge of the health/illness continuum and on
norms and deviations of the continuum.
 Appropriate treatment, referral and follow-up so
that an early return to work process, where
indicated, can be initiated
 Reporting and recording: confidentiality ensured
by utilizing the nursing process
 After obtaining an informed consent,
investigating and addressing factors which
influence progress to optimal functioning
 Promoting worker responsibility for self care
which includes: health education in treatment
(where appropriate), collaboration with other
health disciplines (where indicated), maintain
competence in emergency/primary care
 5.  Counseling:
 Counseling is the process of helping employees to clarify
problems and make informed decisions and choices while
giving positive reinforcement.  It provides strategic
interventions and appropriate referrals to deal with a crisis
situation and time for the employee to reflect on impending
decisions and evaluate actions taken.  Counseling is a broad
area that ranges from simple encouragement of clients who
are motivated to make positive changes to health behaviour
to providing direct care for clients in a crisis situation.  The
type of counseling offered is determined by the level of
additional preparation and expertise of the nurse.
 Safety of client and others in the situation is
ensured
 Confidentiality is ensured
 Legal obligation to report criminal or dangerous
situations (e.g. child abuse, harm to self or
others)
 Client returns to optimal functioning
 Appropriate referral and follow-up are made
 Collaborate with internal and external resources
 Use contracting and mutual goal setting to
promote client’s responsibility for self care
 Pursue continuous improvement of counseling
ability through education
 6.  Rehabilitation/Case
Management:
 Rehabilitation/Case Management is the process/provision of
services necessary to restore an individual to the fullest
physical, mental, emotional, social, vocational and economical
independence of which they are capable.  Rehabilitation
cases may be either work or non-work related.  Rehabilitation
includes preventative processes whereby the Occupational
Health Nurse implements knowledge gained from research
studies/epidemiological studies within the workplace and work
culture.
 Return of individual to maximum ability to
function in physical, mental, emotional, social,
vocational and economical areas by utilizing
community resources, referral agencies
 Increased individual self-esteem and morale,
especially with the modified return to work
program when applicable
 Reduced insurance premiums
 Improved corporate culture and morale (good
corporate citizens)
 Well established modified work programs by
coordinating the return to work to the pre-
illness level of the individual through positive
communication with all parties involved
 Maintain/document statistics to support
programs