Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN) positions vary with the type of employer and the applicant’s experience, education, and interests. Occupational and Environmental Health Nurses work in global corporations, hospitals and health care systems, federal and state public health agencies, insurance carriers, universities, and consulting firms. Professional roles include developing, managing and evaluating programs and health services in illness and injury prevention and management, conducting injury and illness surveillance and applied research, designing policies and programs in health protection and promotion, case management, and OEHN workforce education.
The field of Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing is constantly evolving to meet the health and safety needs of the nation’s workforce. Current trends shaping occupational and environmental health include an increasing number of workplace hazards (including chemical, physical, psychosocial, and biological agents), decreasing governmental regulations, escalating health care costs, an increased prevalence of chronic disease and injury in an aging workforce, public demands for health insurance reform, environmental protection and sustainability, and an increasing emphasis on global health. These factors have all converged into a greater need for employers to protect and promote the well-being of workers and to minimize adverse consequences from the work environment. Occupational and environmental health nurses are uniquely prepared to address these concerns.
Read “What is an Occupational and Environmental Health Nurse” to learn more about working in the field of OEHN.
