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Anne
Interested in your view that it is not necessary to have a nursing qualification to work in occupational health. Occupational health is an extremely broad field, covering many different potentially specialised areas. I take the view that for much of my time I am effectively working in occupational health, as is my daughter. Neither of us have nursing or medical qualifications. Helen’s PhD is in new techniques for occupational health surveillance and she runs courses training OH practitioners in this specialised field. (As you know she did her PhD at LSBU!)
Many of our clients call us in first when they have a skin problem that they believe is occupational in origin. We then work with the OH practitioner (if there is one) to investigate workplace conditions and then with the dermatologist (if necessary) to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Once we have the facts then – and only then – can we develop a long term plan to manage the condition. This does not need nursing skills, but an understanding of how the skin interacts with the working environment and of the processes that are taking place in that workplace. Since this is about keeping one or more workers at work without skin problems I would contend that this falls within the definition of occupational health.
May I suggest that if a new Faculty is created that it is sufficient broad that it can benefit from those who, if not qualified nurses, have skills that are relevant to maintaining a healthy workforce?
Regards
Chris
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CONFERENCES AND STUDY DAYS: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH JOBS http://OHJobs.drmaze.net
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING EDUCATION http://www.aohne.org.uk