Occupational health nursing involves the application of nursing theory and practice to the health of people in the workplace and community. This practice has evolved into a very important subspecialty; after all, the workplace is where adults spend the majority of their days, making it an ideal location for promoting adult health. In addition, the workforce experiences a significant amount of exposure to potential illness and injury while on the job. Helping workers and management practice illness and disability prevention, as well as health promotion, at their places of work promises great rewards.

The Occupational Health Nursing (OHN) Master's Degree option is a track in the Community Health Nursing Program. This program is offered in conjunction with the NIOSH-supported Educational Resource Center and the University of Michigan Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering. Nursing students participate in courses and other interdisciplinary learning experiences with occupational health students in programs offered through the Center, including

• Occupational Medicine,
• Industrial Hygiene, and
• Safety Engineering.

The OHN Curriculum

The curriculum is designed to prepare nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate programs and services provided in work settings. Required courses are taught through several schools: the School of Nursing, the School of Public Health and the College of Engineering

The MS degree is offered in an "On-job/On-campus" (OJOC) program format (one long weekend per month for two years).

Clinical practica are arranged in the geographic areas where students live.

Occupational Health Nursing and Community Health Nursing Component

• Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
• Assessment of Health Needs of Aggregates
• Program Planning and Evaluation
• Management of Health Services
• Occupational Health Nursing Trends and Issues

Nursing Core

• Nursing Theory
• Research Utilization
• Strategy for Nursing and Health Care
• Completion of Scholarly Project

Public Health Component

• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics

Occupational Health Nursing and Saftey Component

• Toxicology
• Industrial Hygiene
• Occupational Diseases
• Safety Engineering
• Ergonomics

OHN Admission Requirements*

• Baccalaureate degree from a National League for Nursing accredited nursing program
• A "B" or better grade-point average in the baccalaureate program
• Licensure to practice nursing in a political jurisdiction
• Personal goal statement
• Three satisfactory recommendations
• Satisfactory score on Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Personal interview (a telephone interview may be arranged when distance or scheduling is a factor)

*Applicants who do not meet all of the requirements may apply for exceptional admission.

Financial Aid

Financial assistance is available from several sources. Awards of scholarships and grants may range from partial to full tuition and/or stipend. The awards are made on the basis of scholastic merit and financial need. Action on consideration for financial aid is made after admission, if requested, and during each term in attendance. NIOSH traineeships may be available for full-time students. Availability and level of funding will be determined during the summer of each year.

Other Education Information Resources

For information on related programs at the University of Michigan, you may wish to explore the following resources.

The University of Michigan
The School of Nursing
The School of Public Health
Industrial and Operations Engineering at the College of Engineering
The Center for Ergonomics
The Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering