What is an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner? (Duties, Steps to Become & Salary)


Written By: Pattie TrumblePattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. Read Full Bio »»
, MPP, MPH

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, nearly 30 percent of the injuries that happen every year in the U.S. occur on the job. Many of these injuries are treated by the healthcare professionals known as occupational health nurse practitioners. What is an occupational health nurse practitioner? An occupational health NP is an advanced practice RN who specializes in workplace safety. An OHNP may act as a first responder, providing first aid to employees who fall ill or become injured on the job, but they also play a significant role in injury and illness prevention by providing health screenings for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as general health and disaster preparedness education. This article will give you a comprehensive look at the role of the occupational health nurse practitioner – what do they do, steps-to-become, and salary.


What Does an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner Do? – 6 Main Duties And Responsibilities


Occupational health nurse practitioners wear many different hats as they work with employers and employees to promote and maintain healthy, safe, and productive workplaces. Here are six of the tasks OHNPs may be responsible for performing:

1. Pre-employment physicals and health screenings

Companies often require pre-employment health screenings as part of the comprehensive background check that new hires undergo before they are cleared for employment. Companies large enough to employ their own occupational health departments will assign staff like occupational health nurse practitioners to perform these exams.

2. First aid

OHNPs are trained in emergency care that complies with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for sudden workplace injuries and illnesses. Such first aid is designed to manage incapacitated employees until emergency medical services arrive at the scene to implement the next level of medical care.


3. Follow-up for work-related injuries and illnesses

OHNPs will follow up on work-related accidents and sicknesses on behalf of employers. They may also manage workers’ compensation and complex disability cases, acting as a conduit between an affected employee, an employer, and the healthcare system.

4. Occupational health screenings

Medical assessments for common conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure are two of the most widespread occupational health screenings. Occupational health screenings are often associated with educational campaigns intended to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles. This will increase employee productivity and help manage the costs of employer-provided health insurance more effectively.

5. Developing and implementing employee health and safety protocols

Under occupational health and safety laws, employers are responsible for providing safe working conditions. Although workplace health and safety guidelines aren’t mandated by law, OSHA encourages all employers to have health and safety protocols in place with an emphasis on identifying and managing all potential on-the-job hazards.

6. Paperwork!

Occupational health nurse practitioners must keep lots of records, maintaining a balance between patient confidentiality and the types of employee documentation that meet employers’ needs. This paperwork may include everything from incident reports, processing workers’ comp claims, and exposure surveillance for illnesses like Group A strep and tuberculosis to documenting employees’ physicals and vaccinations.


Where Do Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners Mostly Work? – Top 3 Work Settings


Well-being, as measured by quantitative health indicators such as low rates of smoking and drinking and high rates of exercise, good nutrition, and restful sleep, is linked to higher workplace productivity. Hence, hiring occupational health staff is a good investment for any company large enough to afford associated salary costs as part of its operational expenses. Occupational health NPs can be found working in:

1. Hospitals

Some of the highest rates of occupational injuries and illnesses are found among healthcare workers, so it’s not surprising that hospitals and medical centers employ many occupational health nurse practitioners.

2. Factories

Manufacturing and production facilities are usually outfitted with industrial equipment of various sorts that carry an elevated risk of injury. OHNPs working in these facilities respond to medical emergencies and assist in developing guidelines that help protect workers from accidents.

3. The government

Occupational health nurse practitioners employed by the U.S. government focus less on the clinical aspects of the job and more on formulating policy initiatives, such as workplace health and safety programs, lifestyle modification campaigns, and disaster preparedness protocols.


What is The Typical Work Schedule and Work Hours of an Occupational Health NP?


Regardless of their practice setting, occupational health nurse practitioners tend to keep conventional business hours, working Mondays through Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They do not work weekends or holidays, and for the most part, they do not have to be on call.


What Education is Required to Become an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner After High School?


If you want to become an occupational health nurse practitioner, plan on spending six to 10 years to achieve your goal. All healthcare professionals who wish to become advanced practice RNs must begin as registered nurses, so you’ll have to graduate from either an associate nursing degree program (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. If you opt to graduate from an ADN program, though, you’ll have to take an ADN-to-BSN bridge program at some point because a BSN degree is a prerequisite for enrolling in any nurse practitioner program.

A number of nursing programs, including ones associated with the University of Southern Florida, the University of Michigan, and the Los Angeles and San Francisco campuses of the University of California, offer occupational health specialties, typically as part of an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner program. Some of these schools provide occupational health NP programs in conjunction with the one-to-two-year Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, while others offer them in tandem with the three-to-four-year Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pathway.

The preeminent credential in the occupational health nursing field is the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses’ Occupational Health Nurse/Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist certification, whose eligibility requirements include a minimum of 3,000 hours of professional experience, so it’s best to acquire two or three years of practical experience in the field before you apply to your NP program.


How Long Does It Take to Become an Occupational Health NP After High School?


Program TypeProgram Length
BSN36 to 48 Months
BSN-to-MSN (NP)12 to 24 Months
BSN-to-DNP (NP)36 to 48 Months


How Much Does It Cost to Become an Occupational Health NP After High School?


Program TypeProgram Cost
BSN$8,990 - $226,030
BSN-to-MSN (NP)$21,360 - $208,040
BSN-to-DNP (NP)$29,240 - $285,640


What is The Step-By-Step Process Of Becoming an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner After High School?

(The following is a step-by-step process to become an Occupational Health NP after high school.)


STEP #1: Graduate from a nursing program

Attaining RN licensure is a prerequisite for becoming an occupational health NP, and you cannot qualify for RN licensure without first graduating from either an ADN or a BSN program.


STEP #2: Attain RN licensure

States may vary in the requirements they impose for RN licensure, but one requirement they all share is passing the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s NCLEX-RN exam. Passing this exam signifies that you know how to use critical thinking to make nursing judgments and that it’s safe for you to practice as a registered nurse.


STEP #3: Attain professional experience

When it’s time to find your first registered nursing job, look for positions in occupational health settings outside of clinical nursing. These may involve employment in government organizations, corporations, manufacturing and industrial settings, and even construction sites. While home care agencies are not occupational health settings per se, working in home healthcare will give you opportunities to assess health status outside the clinical setting, which is good practice for a professional who wants to go into workplace medicine.


STEP #4: ABOHN certification

Nurses with active RN licensure and 3,000 or more hours of professional experience in a field related to occupational health nursing may be eligible to sit for the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses’ (ABOHN) Occupational Health Nurse certification (COHN.) This certification will signal to prospective employers that you are a specialist in occupational health and make you more competitive when it comes to landing your dream job.


STEP #5: Graduate from NP program

To become an occupational health nurse practitioner, you must first become a nurse practitioner, which you can only do by graduating from an appropriate MSN or DNP program. As noted above, several NP programs focus on occupational health.


STEP #6: Join professional organizations

Professional organizations like the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, and the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare offer many benefits. In addition to professional development opportunities like conferences and certification pathways, they also offer discounts on continuing education. But perhaps their most valuable advantage is that they help you build connections with other professionals in your field, which can lead to employment opportunities, professional collaborations, and friendships.


STEP #7: Pursue AANP certificate of practice

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, in collaboration with the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, recently introduced a new program certificate: Certificate of Advanced Practice Education in Occupational Health. You can earn it by completing seven continuing education modules that explore different aspects of occupational health practice. You can earn 30 hours of continuing education credits by completing all seven modules.


STEP #8: Pursue ABOHN specialty certification

ABOHN also offers a second occupational health certification, Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist, specifically designed for registered nurses who have completed a graduate program with a concentration in occupational health.


STEP #9: Get a job as an occupational health nurse practitioner

If you’ve worked in an occupational health capacity before your graduate nursing program or graduated from a nurse practitioner program that allowed you to specialize in occupational health, it will be comparatively easy to find employment in this field.


What are the Required or Recommended Certifications For Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners?


While occupational health NPs are not required to have certifications, either of ABOHN’s two certifications—Certified Occupational Health Nurse and Certified Occupational Health Nurse–Specialist—will demonstrate to prospective employers, professional colleagues, and others your expertise in providing employee education, disease management, hazard identification and control, screening, and surveillance in the workplace.

The Certificate of Advanced Practice Education in Occupational Health offered by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners is also a useful credential.


Are There Any Fellowship or Residency Programs Available For Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners?


There are no fellowship or residency programs for nurse practitioners completely devoted to occupational health. However, some NP fellowships, such as the one offered by Atrium Health Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, do offer short-term specialty rotations in occupational medicine.


What is the Starting Salary of a New Grad Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner?


An occupational health nurse practitioner fresh out of a graduate nursing program can expect to earn $90,130 a year. This is $43.33 an hour, $1,733 a week, or $7,510 a month.

Hourly$43.33
Weekly$1,733
Monthly$7,510
Annual$90,130


What is the Average Salary of an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner?


The average occupational health nurse practitioner salary is $122,510 annually, which equates to $58.90 hourly, $2,356 weekly, and $10,210 monthly. Most occupational health nurse practitioners achieve this milestone in their 10th year of practice.

Hourly$58.90
Weekly$2,356
Monthly$10,210
Annual$122,510


What is the Salary By Level of Experience of an Occupational Health NP?


Proficiency increases with practice—and this is why experienced occupational health NPs make higher salaries than those who are just entering the employment market. OHNPs with one to four years of experience earn $101,980 a year, which is 13 percent higher than the $90,130 salaries that entry-level OHNPs make. Occupational health NPs with five to nine years of experience earn 33 percent more ($120,380), while occupational health NPs with 10 to 19 years of experience earn 49 percent more ($134,070.) With two decades or more of experience, you’ll make a salary of 78 percent more ($160,210) than occupational health NPs just starting.

Level of ExperienceHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Entry-Level$43.33$1,733$7,510$90,130
1-4 Years of Experience$49.03$1,961$8,500$101,980
5-9 Years of Experience$57.88$2,315$10,030$120,380
10-19 Years of Experience$64.46$2,578$11,170$134,070
20 Years or More Experience$77.02$3,081$13,350$160,210


What is the Average Salary of an Occupational Health NP By State?


StateHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Alabama$50.43$2,017$8,740$104,900
Alaska$57.84$2,313$10,030$120,300
Arizona$60.76$2,431$10,530$126,390
Arkansas$51.99$2,079$9,010$108,130
California$74.05$2,962$12,840$154,020
Colorado$55.92$2,237$9,690$116,310
Connecticut$62.79$2,512$10,880$130,600
Delaware$60.10$2,404$10,420$125,010
Florida$54.88$2,195$9,510$114,140
Georgia$55.53$2,221$9,630$115,510
Hawaii$60.79$2,432$10,540$126,440
Idaho$57.09$2,284$9,900$118,750
Illinois$58.17$2,327$10,080$120,990
Indiana$56.53$2,261$9,800$117,580
Iowa$59.97$2,399$10,390$124,730
Kansas$54.67$2,187$9,480$113,720
Kentucky$50.59$2,024$8,770$105,230
Louisiana$54.40$2,176$9,430$113,150
Maine$56.36$2,254$9,770$117,220
Maryland$58.67$2,347$10,170$122,030
Massachusetts$66.01$2,641$11,440$137,310
Michigan$55.32$2,213$9,590$115,060
Minnesota$61.89$2,476$10,730$128,730
Mississippi$53.86$2,154$9,340$112,020
Missouri$53.49$2,139$9,270$111,250
Montana$57.13$2,285$9,900$118,840
Nebraska$55.78$2,231$9,670$116,020
Nevada$68.15$2,726$11,810$141,750
New Hampshire$59.93$2,397$10,390$124,660
New Jersey$66.48$2,659$11,520$138,280
New Mexico$62.69$2,508$10,870$130,400
New York$65.47$2,619$11,350$136,180
North Carolina$55.74$2,229$9,660$115,930
North Dakota$58.56$2,343$10,150$121,810
Ohio$56.32$2,253$9,760$117,150
Oklahoma$56.99$2,280$9,880$118,540
Oregon$66.44$2,658$11,520$138,200
Pennsylvania$58.42$2,337$10,130$121,520
Rhode Island$61.18$2,447$10,600$127,250
South Carolina$53.61$2,144$9,290$111,500
South Dakota$55.46$2,218$9,610$115,350
Tennessee$47.54$1,902$8,240$98,890
Texas$59.60$2,384$10,330$123,960
Utah$58.59$2,344$10,160$121,870
Vermont$57.80$2,312$10,020$120,230
Virginia$55.40$2,216$9,600$115,240
Washington$66.65$2,666$11,550$138,630
West Virginia$52.00$2,080$9,010$108,170
Wisconsin$58.83$2,353$10,200$122,360
Wyoming$56.64$2,266$9,820$117,810


What is the Job Outlook Like For This Career?


The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of occupational health surveillance, and employment prospects for occupational health nurse practitioners are excellent. The demand for these professionals is expected to increase by 44.5 percent between 2022 and 2032.

2022-32
+44.54%


Useful Organizations And Associations

1. American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN)

2. American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.

3. Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP)



My Final Thoughts


According to experts, working-age individuals spend approximately one-third of their lives at their jobs, making health and safety in the workplace extremely important. What is an occupational health nurse practitioner? The medical professional charged with preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. This article has explored the role of the occupational health nurse practitioner – what do they do, steps-to-become, and salary. Occupational health NPs make comfortable salaries and work traditional hours, making it much easier to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Could this be the job for you? Try volunteering with the Red Cross for a blood drive or disaster preparedness event to see if occupational health fits your skills and personality.


Frequently Asked Questions Answered


1. On Average, How Much Does An Occupational Health NP Make Per Hour?

The average salary of an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner per hour is $58.90.

$58.90


2. On Average, How Much Does An Occupational Health NP Make Per Week?

The average salary of an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner per week is $2,356.

$2,356


3. On Average, How Much Does An Occupational Health NP Make Per Month?

The average salary of an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner per month is $10,210.

$10,210


4. On Average, How Much Does An Occupational Health NP Make Per Year?

The average salary of an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner per year is $122,510.

$122,510


List Of Sources Used For This Article


1. EHS Today: Is Time Running Out on Workplace Safety?: https://www.ehstoday.com/safety-leadership/article/21258409/is-time-running-out-on-workplace-safety
2. American Journal of public Health: Injuries at Work in the US Adult Population: Contributions to the Total Injury Burden: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449342/#:~:text=Results.,injuries%20in%20some%20age%20groups.
3. OSHA: Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf
4. Fast Company: The business case for investing in employee well-being: https://www.fastcompany.com/90899166/the-business-case-for-investing-in-employee-well-being
5. Centers for Disease Control: Workplace Health Promotion: https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/model/control-costs/benefits/productivity.html
6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Hospital workers: an assessment of occupational injuries and illnesses: https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2017/article/hospital-workers-an-assessment-of-occupational-injuries-and-illnesses.htm
7. University of Southern Florida: https://health.usf.edu/nursing/graduate/programs/masters/occ-health
8. University of California, Los Angeles: https://nursing.ucla.edu/admissions-programs/academic-programs/msn-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn/curriculum/adult-gerontology
9. University of California, San Francisco: https://nursing.ucsf.edu/academics/programs/occupational-environmental-health-nursing
10. University of Michigan: https://allnurses.com/programs/best-occupational-health-nurse-practitioner-r283/
11. American Association of Nurse Practitioners: Introducing Occupational and Environmental Medicine Fundamentals for Advanced Practice Clinicians:
https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/introducing-occupational-and-environmental-medicine-foundations-for-advanced-practice-clinicians
12. American Board for Occupational Health Nurses: Occupational Health Nursing Profession Career Guide: https://www.abohn.org/sites/default/files/ABOHNCarGde_032714WEB.pdf
13. Atrium Health: Center for Advanced Practice Fellowship: https://atriumhealth.org/education/center-for-advanced-practice/fellowships/primary-care


Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.