How do you become an OHN?

To become an OHN, you'll need to meet the educational and nursing experience requirements required for this role. To begin working as an occupational health nurse (OHN), you will need a nursing degree certificate and a few years of nursing experience. Occupational Health Nurses are Registered Nurses (RNs) with specialized training in occupational health and, as such, require additional certification.

How long does it take to become an occupational health nurse?

It takes six to eight years to become an occupational health nurse. To become a certified occupational health nurse, you will first need to be a fully licensed registered nurse with at least 3,000 hours of work experience in the occupational health field. This will take around 2 to 3 years of RN experience.

What is an occupational health nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Beverly Malone Ph.D.

An occupational health nurse is an individual who specializes in providing healthcare services to employees in a workplace setting. Their primary role is to assess and manage the health and safety risks of the employees in the workplace. Their duties include conducting health assessments, managing workers' compensation claims, and collaborating with management to create a safe and healthy work environment. They play an essential role in promoting the well-being of employees and preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.

What general advice would you give to an occupational health nurse?

Dr. Beverly Malone Ph.D.

President and CEO, National League for Nursing

With the pandemic making health care and nursing more important than ever before, graduates will need to enter the workforce with courage, caring, and commitment. We know that COVID-19 will likely be in their workplaces, so we need to make sure they have the appropriate personal protective equipment they need to care for those in need. New nurses also need to make sure they have the appropriate training to handle a pandemic, and they should have the courage to have conversations with their employers about the protection they need. This will be new and not part of the conversation you would have had prior to the pandemic.

You also need to talk to your employer about flexibility around taking time away from your work to recharge and refresh. New graduates should also consider their work-life balance to maintain their well-being. Those looking for new jobs will need to consider their well-being as a priority as they compare positions and opportunities.

ScoreOccupational Health NurseUS Average

Salary

5.3

Avg. Salary $67,887

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.86%

Black or African American 12.09%

Hispanic or Latino 9.09%

Unknown 4.27%

White 65.26%

Gender

female 89.03%

male 10.97%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an occupational health nurse?

Pros

Opportunity to work in a variety of settings (e.g. corporate, industrial, government)
High demand for occupational health nurses, leading to job security
Opportunity to educate and train employees on safety practices
Chance to develop specialized knowledge in specific industries or hazards
Opportunity to conduct research and analysis on workplace health issues

Cons

Exposure to a variety of workplace hazards (e.g. chemical, biological, physical)
Possibility of encountering difficult or uncooperative employees or management
Potential for long hours or being on call during emergencies
Possibility of witnessing traumatic events in the workplace
May need to address sensitive or confidential employee health information

Key steps to become an occupational health nurse

Explore occupational health nurse education requirements

Most common occupational health nurse degrees

Bachelor's

43.8 %

Associate

35.7 %

Master's

9.3 %

Start to develop specific occupational health nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	10.18%
OSHA	9.39%
CPR	8.15%
Patient Care	5.34%
Spirometry	4.75%

Complete relevant occupational health nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New occupational health nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an occupational health nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real occupational health nurse resumes.

Gain additional occupational health nurse certifications

Occupational health nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific occupational health nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for occupational health nurses include Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN) and Certified Occupational Health Nurse - Specialist (COHN-S).

More About Certifications

Research occupational health nurse duties and responsibilities

Participate in manage care activities to produce health change, specifically providing diabetes education and lifestyle counseling in chronic disease areas.
Facilitate rehabilitation of injure employees, utilizing case management to ensure coordination of care, FMLA and return-to-work program.
Provide emergency triage care as appropriate, dispense medications and treatments, and assist physicians with physical exams and/or psychiatric evaluations.
Exercise compassion and respect for all cultures.

Prepare your occupational health nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your occupational health nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an occupational health nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable occupational health nurse resume templates

Build a professional occupational health nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your occupational health nurse resume.