Occupational health nursing focuses on the promotion, prevention, and restoration of health in the workplace, integrating traditional safety efforts with health promotion. Its practice has evolved since the 1970s and includes various standards and tasks such as assessing health status, managing workers' compensation, and maintaining confidentiality. Key components of the field include responsibilities for employee health, case management, and collaboration with regulatory bodies.

1. OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH NURSING
DR.ANJALATCHI MUTHUKUMARAN
VICE PRINCIPAL
ERA COLLEGE OF NURSING

2. 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.

3. 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 .

4. 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.

5. Aims of occupational health nursing

6. Scope of occupational health nursing
1 occupational health nurse for
upto 300 employess in an
industriak setting & upto 750 in
a nonindustrial setting
recommended .

7. Cont….
Administr
ation
&manage
ment
Assessmen
t &
surveillanc
e
Case
management
Counseli
ng
Legal
ethical &
research

8. 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 & formulation of
intervention to attain the expected outcome

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Bibliography
• R.P Saxena “text book of community health nursing . 2nd
edition. Lotus publishers .jalandhar city new delhi . 2018.page
no. 187-199.
• Park. k, Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23rd
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