UNIT-IX CHN M.

SC II YR
ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
NURSING

DR.ANJALATCHI MUTHUKUMARAN
VICE PRINCIPAL
ERA COLLEGE OF NURSING
ERA UNIVERSITY
INTRODUCTION
 In general, the term – occupational health –
refers to.it is practice of preventive and
curative nursing care for workers in their
workplace .
 This broad definition integrates traditional
occupational safety and health protection
efforts with health promotion and other
workplace activities to prevent illness and
injury, regardless of cause, so that all workers
have opportunities to achieve optimal levels of
health and well-being.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSES
 HISTORY
 The occupational health nursing field has a long
history but started an evolutionary change in the
1970’s when the United States Congress passed the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH
Act).
 1988- nursing care for worker began and it was called
“industrial nursing” & first occupational nurse was
hired by (OSHA)Occupationl safety and health
administration .
 1993- office of occupational health nursing was
established .
Definition

According to American association

occupational health nurse :
 Occupational health nursing is the
specialty practice that focus on
promotion, prevention, and restoration
of health within the context of safe
and healthy environment.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Aims of occupational health
nursing
Scope of occupational health
nursing

1 occupational health nurse

for upto 300 employess in
an industriak setting & upto
750 in a nonindustrial
setting recommended .
Cont….

Admini
stration
Legal &mana
ethical gement Assessm
ent &
& surveill
researc ance
h
Couns Case
managem
eling ent
FUNCTION OF OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH SERVICES
Standard of occupational health
nursing
 Standard 1-assessment: OHN
systematically assess the health status of
individual ,client, population.
 Standard 2- diagnosis: the OHN
analyzes assessment data to formulate
diagnosis.
 Standard 3- outcome identification : the
OHN specific to the client
 Standard 4- planning : OHN develop
goal directed plan the is comprehensive &
 Cont…..
 Standard 5- Implementation: OHN implent
intervention to attain desired outcome identified in
plan
 Standard 6- evaluation : OHN systematically
contineously evaluates response & progress.
 Standard 7- resource managemnt
 Standard 8- professional development
 Standard 9- collaboration
 Standard 10 – research
 Standard 11- ethics
Top Ten Tasks Reported by Currently Practicing
Occupational Health Nurses
1. Evaluate the interactions between employees work
and health in the workplace.
2. Assure confidentiality of personal health
information and comply with established codes of
ethics and legal or regulatory requirements.
3. Provide treatment of work related injuries or
illnesses.
4. Maintain OSHA-required logs and documents.
5. Use and maintain employee health record keeping
system.
Cont…
6. Manage workers’ compensation cases.
7. Assess employees with work restrictions or
limitations and make appropriate job
placement recommendations (i.e. fitness for
duty).
8. Perform Audiometry.
9. Implement policies and procedures for
maintenance of confidentiality.
10. Conduct health surveillance of
individuals/groups for specific hazards .
Bibliography

 R.P Saxena “text book of community health nursing . 2 nd edition.

Lotus publishers .jalandhar city new delhi . 2018.page no. 187-
199.
 Park. k, Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23 rd
edition,Prem nagar Nagpur road jabalpul india 2015,
 Suryakantha. AH, Community Medicine with Recent Advances,
3rd edition, Chp 2, P 8-10
 Gulani KK community health Nursing 2nd edition Kumar
publisher home New Delhi 2014