Could it be that this will depend to some extent on the organisation itself and perhaps on the organisation’s culture?

 

I remember a conversation with a manager whilst carrying out an audit for the company where he commented that: “We don’t have a real occupational health nurse any more.” Knowing how well qualified the new OHN was I asked him why he felt that. To which the answer was: “The old one wore a uniform”!

 

With my tongue in my cheek, may I suggest that a uniform tends to limit the OHN to the clinical environment whereas in my opinion occupational health nursing should be much more than that, being really concerned with preventing occupational ill health, not managing it once it has developed.

 

Chris

 

EnviroDerm Services

Unit 10, Building 11

The Mews

Mitcheldean

GL17 0SN

Tel: +44 1386 832 311/831 777

www.enviroderm.co.uk

 

The specialists in the prevention of avoidable damage to health due to environmental skin exposure