Company Nurse Job Description

A company nurse, more commonly known as an occupational health nurse, works with an employer to establish a healthy and productive work environment. She engages workers in planned programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and good work-home balance.

Types

• A company nurse may be hired to deliver direct care to ill or injured employees. He may also serve as a researcher and analyst to identify risk factors in the workplace.

Settings

• Company nurses can be found in virtually any setting where people work. Some are employed in service industries such as hospitals, while others deliver care in factories or at construction sites.

Functions

• The nurse and his employer will identify high priority job functions. These range from primary prevention strategies like diabetes education to presence at workplace emergencies.

Standards of Practice

• The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses has established eleven standards of practice for company nurses to assess and diagnose issues in the workplace, to plan and implement interventions to address those issues, and to evaluate the success of those interventions. (See References 1)

Skills

• A company nurse needs sound clinical knowledge, good critical thinking skills, and outstanding interpersonal communication abilities.