Occupational Health Nurse Job Description
The Occupational Health Nurse job description focuses on preventing illness and injury by protecting workers from environmental hazards. When a person thinks about becoming a nurse, he or she may imagine working in a hospital one day or another medical facility one day.
Maybe, they see nurses who help employees or aren’t quite sure what they would like to do as a nurse. One option is an occupational nurse. However, before committing to this type of nursing, it’s important to understand the role of an occupational nurse. How do you become an occupational nurse, what an occupational nurse does, and what is the average occupational health nurse’s salary?
What Is an Occupational Nurse?
First and foremost, a person should understand what is an occupational nurse, which is best done by explaining where an occupational nurse works. For instance, a person may take on a role in a hospital or medical facility. He or she may work in a manufacturing or production facility. Some occupational nurses are needed in other places as well, including government-operated facilities.
To further answer this question, a person should understand what is the role of an occupational health nurse. To answer what is the role of an occupational nurse, a person should understand that this is the person’s responsibility. For instance, an occupational nurse focuses on providing health and safety programs and services to workers. He or she is necessary to keep workers safe.
What Does an Occupational Health Nurse Do?
So, to answer what does an occupational health nurse do, a person should understand that this person is the one who creates programs and services that keep workers safe. Part of the occupational nurse job description includes making sure employees adhere to the guidelines created. The occupational nursing job description also includes improving current practices to ensure the staff remains safe.
To further answer what does an occupational nurse do, a person should understand that an occupational nurse is a person who sees an employee if he or she should happen to get hurt or sick on the job, so the nurse can help identify the problem and create a solution to reduce this type of incident.
Additionally, a person should understand that part of the occupational health nurse job description includes identifying issues that are causing mental health problems in the workplace. Then, the next part of the occupational health nursing job description includes addressing the problem with the employee. Another aspect of the occupational health nursing job description may include implementing problems that would reduce the mental stress on an employee.
How Do You Become an Occupational Health Nurse?
Whether a person got her by searching how to become an occupational nurse, occupational health nurse job description, what does an occupational health nurse do, occupational nurse job description, or any other related term, it’s important to know how a person takes on a role as this particular type of nurse.
First and foremost when it comes to home to become an occupational health nurse, a person has to gain his or her basic level of nursing education. Therefore, the first step of how to become an occupational nurse consists of earning either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Then, the next step of how to become an occupational health nurse consists of taking the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses, also known as the NCLEX-RN.
Additionally, how to become an occupational nurse also includes experience in certain types of nursing once he or she completes his or her degree. For instance, how do you become an occupational health nurse may include a person practicing in critical care, emergency, ambulatory care, or community health. Sometimes, a person wants to earn a master’s degree in advanced practice, business, or public health. Once he or she has at 3,000 hours or more experience with occupational health, he or she will be qualified to take the certification exam to become an occupational nurse.
What Is the Average Occupational Health Nurses Salary?
If the job description of an occupational nurse sounds appealing and a person is willing to put in the time to become an occupational nurse, a person may wonder what the average occupational nurse salary is. Fortunately, a registered nurse without a specialty earns an average of $75,510 as of 2018. The average occupational health nurse salary is higher because a person has a specialty.
In fact, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) found that the average salary of occupational nurses was $82,070 per year. Keep in mind that is just a figure of the average occupational health nurse salary. A person may get paid more or less depending on his or her location, the type of facility, and the employer. Additionally, a person may get more if he or she has a master’s degree.
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