Workplace-related injuries are extremely common, especially in industrial and occupational settings.
With over 153 million industrial/occupational employees throughout the country in fields such as mining, construction, agriculture, and so much more, it is evident that injuries can and will occur.
According to the Survey of Occupation Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), there were 2.7 million employer-reported nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2020.
In these environments, it is essential to have a healthcare professional on-site, and in most cases, this would be an occupational or industrial nurse (these titles are used interchangeably).
Additionally, this field of nursing is expecting to see major job growth within the next seven years; with 371,500 more jobs, equating to about a 12% growth rate!
Interested yet? Keep reading!
Job recruiting resource, Indeed, defines the role of an industrial nurse as, “treating employees who experience accidents or illnesses at work and finding ways to improve health and safety practices in a workplace.”
From hospitals and manufacturing facilities to any government-operated workplace, occupational/industrial nurses have an opportunity for employment.
However, we are sure you’re wondering, “This sounds like there are tons of places that I could work, but what would I be doing?”
Not only will occupational/industrial nurses respond to medical emergencies that occur within the workplace, but they will also play an active role in improving processes to ensure employee safety.
On top of this, they will work alongside management to execute various health-related training initiatives (i.e. first aid, CPR, etc.).
Additionally, the occupational/industrial nurse will oversee managing accident and workers’ compensation reports.
While a nurse is typically a patient’s health advocate, a nurse in the workplace also advocates for the safety, betterment, and well-being of its employees.
Does this field of nursing sound interesting to you? Curious about how you can get involved? We’ve got you covered!
The path to becoming an occupational/industrial nurse is not as long and complex as you might think. You might even be halfway there already!
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) outlines the job requirements anyone looking to pursue a career in occupational/industrial nursing should meet, these include:
Of course, each individual employer may have varied or additional requirements, however, the three listed above are the standard for most nursing jobs.
As we mentioned earlier, the opportunities for a role as an occupational/industrial nurse are continuing to grow; and so is the salary!
Employment resource, Glassdoor, claims the average national salary for this nursing role is $71,464!
If this is a field you are interested in learning more about, we recommend you check out the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN)!
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