Regarding the N61 - I agree with the previous comments as I did it back
in 1994 when it had just started. However, I did use it to apply for a
job that required a 'qualified' OHN and used it to persuade them to pay
for me to top up to a degree! It gave me a very good intro to OH at a
time when I was unsure whether to specialize or not and definitely gave
me the skills and confidence to apply for 'bigger and better' jobs.

Cathy Howells
Independent Practitioner


-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Harriss [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 13 May 2004 10:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ENB N61

on 13/5/04 9:27 am, Sam Davies at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Christine,
> Having started an ENB N61 course at Lincoln University (but as the ENB
had
> folded by the end been awarded a diploma from the University)
> I was very disappointed to find that at the end of all my hard work
that
> the qualification was essentially worthless in the eyes of recruitment
> consultants and employers as it is not a registerable qualification.
> I find this particularly frustrating when I was looking for a new job
> through.  I was informed by a recruitment consultant that I would not
be
> considered for roles where a qualification was required, but someone
who
> had done an Occupational Health Certificate 20yrs ago would be.
> My friend who has an MSc in Occupational Health is also in the same
> situation.
> However the good news is that most employers do not discriminate
against
> those with a registerable qualification and those with a qualification
that
> demonstrates professional development particularly if you have some
> experience.
> I can't help feeling that the goal posts keep moving in nurse
education,
> its no wonder so many choose to leave the profession.
> (Yes it is a sore point for me !!)
>
> Regards
>
> Samantha Davies
> Occupational Health Adviser
>
>
>
>
>
> Christine Hamlet
> <[log in to unmask]        To:       [log in to unmask]
> NET.CO.UK>               cc:
> Subject:  ENB N61
> 12/05/2004 21:58
> Please respond to
> Occupational
> Health mailing
> list
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Can anybody clarify what recognition this course gets on job
applications
> as regards qualifications?  When I completed the course in 2002 the
ENB had
> ceased to exist and I was awarded a University Diploma (72 credits at
Level
> 2) in Occupational Health Nursing.  I am confused when completing
> application forms as to exactly what it stands for and how much does
the
> prospective employer know about the course content?
> Any views or advice would be most welcome.
>
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>
>
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Hello Samantha

I can understand your frustration and disappointment that your ENB N61
does
not give you specialist practitioner status, neither does an MSc in
Occupational Health if it has not been validated by the NMC or
equivalent.
The reason being that the statutory bodies have very strict validation
rules
which institutions have to follow and these can pose real difficulties
for
the course leaders. If a university chooses not to follow those rules
then
they cannot award a specialist practitioner qualification. An example of
such a course is the MSc offered at Birmingham. That programme is an
excellent course but is  focussed on occupational health and not
occupational health nursing and is therefore not NMC validated - you pay
your money and take your choice. The MSc offered at Surrey Uni has a
number
of pathways through it. Those that wish to get the specialist
practitioner
status have to take a number of OH nursing units. A number of us who
took
that degree already held the OHNC/D and chose to take the non-nursing
units
and therefore our degree was not an ENB validated course.

I was the course director at the RCN and we offered the N61  as part of
the
BSc OH Nursing programme. However,  we made it clear to those that
enrolled
on that course that they would not get specialist practitioner status
without completion of the degree. My rationale for offering it was that
it
formed the compulsory level 2 study for the degree programme but it also
allowed a recognized exit point for those who either decided against a
career in OH, had family commitments which made study difficult or
impossible (eg a move overseas)  or found study at level 3 difficult.
Very
few people decided to exit with the N61. The goal posts aren't really
moving, each time they do move measures are put in place so as not to
disadvantage people who have other specialist qualifications eg DOHN,
OHNC
but it emphasizes the need to check exactly what a course gives you when
you
enroll on it. I would suggest that people with the N61 consider
registering
on a degree programme as part of their continuing professional
development.

Anne Harriss

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