Competency Standards for Occupational Health Nurses
The Australian New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM) is committed to supporting OHNs in their chosen career path and to maintaining the practice, knowledge, and competence of occupational health nurses.
ANZSOM has therefore established a framework in which competency, recognition and continuing education are combined to help build a vibrant profession that contributes to our Vision for a society where the highest value is placed on good work, safe workplaces, and healthy workers
ANZSOM recognises that the competency of an occupational health nurse is built through their education and training, as well as through their work experience and their collaboration and connections, such as made through their memberships to professional societies such as ANZOM
The ANZSOM Occupational Health Nurse Competency Standards have been established to:
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Contribute to the maintenance of professional standards and promote safe occupational health nursing practice
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Form the basis for recognition of OHN under the ANZSOM OHN Recognition Program
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Inform curriculum requirements for training courses relevant to occupational health nursing
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Inform the development of continuing education activities for occupational health nurses by ANZSOM and other organisations
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Inform development of position descriptions for employment purposes
Competencies
The ANZSOM OHN Competency Standards are presented in seven domains (click on each to expand):
Domain 1: Legislation, standards, codes of practice and guidelines
1.1 The OHN demonstrates a broad and current knowledge of the Acts, regulations, standards, codes of practice, and guidelines relevant to their practice and practice setting.
1.2 The OHN demonstrates application of relevant Acts, regulations, standards codes of practice, and guidelines to their practice and practice setting.
Domain 2: Principles of occupational health nursing
2.1 The OHN demonstrates an understanding of the concept of whole person health and how their role as an OHN contributes to the achievement of this within their practice setting.
2.2 The OHN demonstrates an understanding of the principles of occupational health nurse practice and the application within their work setting.
Domain 3: Collaboration and communication
3.1 The OHN demonstrates an understanding of the internal and external collaborative partnerships that contribute to optimal outcomes for worker health and safety in their practice setting.
3.2 The OHN demonstrates the application of the collaborative process within their practice setting.
Domain 4: Prevention of work-related illness and injury
4.1 The OHN demonstrates understanding of a risk management approach to workplace injury and illness prevention.
4.2 The OHN demonstrates an understanding and application of the hierarchy of controls to the management of workplace hazards as relevant to their practice setting.
4.3 The OHN demonstrates understanding of the systems that support hazard identification and management in their practice setting
Domain 5: Managing injury and illness and return to work
5.1 The OHN demonstrates understanding of the principles and practice of injury management and return to work, including the concept of early intervention.
5.2 The OHN demonstrates application of these principles as relevant to their practice setting.
Domain 6: Promoting worker health and wellbeing
6.1 The OHN demonstrates understanding of the principles of workplace health promotion.
6.2 The OHN demonstrates application of these principles through the planning, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs or activities in their practice setting
Domain 7: Quality and continuous improvement
7.1 The OHN demonstrates an understanding of the quality and continuous improvement principles and processes.
7.2 The OHN demonstrates application of these principles and processes throughout the scope of their practice.
Click to download Competency Standards
