Occupational Health Nursing Course Descriptions | UNB

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College of Extended Learning

Occupational Health Nursing (OHN)

We are no longer accepting applications for the OHN program.

Current students can contact us at customerservice@unb.ca.

Course descriptions

COHN 5110 - Occupational Health Nursing Practice

This online course will provide an abundance of information and resources for participants to understand and enhance their role of the occupational health nurse and occupational health services. This course introduces the student to occupational health nursing practice, OHN competencies, evidence-based practice and documentation standards, and configurations of occupational health service models.
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COHN 5120 - Occupational Health Screening & Analysis

In this course you will learn about physical assessment in the occupational health setting, including audiometric testing, vision testing, and spirometry and biological monitoring.
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COHN 5130 - Health Surveillance in Injury & Disease Prevention
This course will highlight the roles and responsibilities of the Occupational Health Nurse in the prevention of occupational injury and disease within an integrated health surveillance strategy. The student will learn appropriate clinical decision-making regarding a health surveillance program and the activities necessary to implement this program in the workplace. Students will also understand the processes to identify and address workplace hazards and subsequent prevention strategies to implement in the workplace.
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COHN 5140 - Health and Wellness Promotion Strategies in the Workplace

This online course will provide opportunity for participants to understand the theoretical framework for wellness and health promotion in the workplace - addressing the rationale for healthy employees in healthy organizations. It will focus on strategies to prepare and market a health and wellness program in a corporate environment, program design, development, implementation and evaluation. It will look at partners with the occupational health nurse in wellness programs. Tools to assist the occupational health nurse will be introduced.
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COHN 5150 - Health & Safety Systems in Occupational Health

Occupational Health Nurses are close colleagues with Health and Safety Professionals in the workplace. While Safety professionals and Industrial hygienists focus on safety in the workplace environment, the OHN’s focus on workplace safety is with regard to the workers. It is important that OHNs understand and participate in health and safety systems within the workplace. This online course will provide OHNs with an overview of what health and safety systems incorporate and how these systems contribute to, and form the basis of a safety culture, which will protect workers in the workplace. The participants will learn best practice as well as legislative requirements in the area of workplace safety and how to proactively evaluate and audit risk. Also included is the post-incident process for investigation.
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COHN 5160 - Disability Case Management

A core function of occupational health nurses (OHN) is the management of disability in the workplace. This course provides the student with knowledge of disability management practices, the role of the occupational health nurse in the provision of disability management services, specific legislation relevant to the OHN profession, and the process involved with returning injured or disabled employees to work. The course also provides the student with knowledge of the various disability benefit plans and benefits, rehabilitation strategies and an overview of strategies related to the prevention of mental illness in the workplace. Working with medical and rehabilitation practitioners and managing confidentiality and records management is also included in the course.
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COHN 5170 - Complex Case Management in Occupational Health
This online course will provide opportunity for participants to understand some of the more challenging aspects of occupational health as it relates to complex or compound medical diagnoses, and workplace issues and the role of the occupational health nurse in managing a complex disability case and facilitating a successful return to work for individuals while balancing each stakeholder’s needs and interests. The course will look at principles of disability management, labour relations and return to work that apply to every individual as well as examining some of the specific medical complications which provide unique opportunities for creative planning. Tools to assist the occupational health nurse will be introduced to help in some of the more complex situations.
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COHN 5180 - Industrial Hygiene & Toxicology in Occupational Health
This course provides an overview of toxicology and its application to occupational health and hygiene. It introduces the student to organ system toxicity and diseases associated with occupational exposure. It also provides an introduction to the fundamentals of occupational hygiene and the role of the occupational hygienist in preventing occupational diseases/disorders through the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of chemical, physical, biological and musculoskeletal hazards, It focuses on concepts, terminology, and methodology in the practice of occupational hygiene.
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COHN 5190 - Legal and Ethical Implications in Occupational Health Nursing

The course highlights jurisdictional in nursing practice standards, ethical considerations for occupational health nursing, confidentiality, understanding due diligence in the corporate environment, communicating legislative requirements, reporting, records management and measurement standards. The course will look at case studies affecting OH nursing practice including acts governing occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, employment and labour relations, protection of personal health information, and privacy.
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COHN 5200 - Business Perspectives in Occupational Health Practice
The student will learn strategies to enhance their overall success delivering occupational health service by developing business competencies. Topics include budget planning, return on investment calculation, developing service goals and objectives, communication, presentation and leadership skill development, and negotiating successful outcomes in an occupational health setting. The intent of the course is to help OHNs develop business acumen in their roles. Typically OHNs are not so prepared and sometimes unconfident when they have to present, measure, sell and negotiate for occupational health programs in the workplace. This course is meant to prepare the OHN to lead and influence others to be able to convince workplaces the value of implementing occupational health services and programs.
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COHN 5210 - Final Occupational Health Nursing Project
This course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to combine the accumulative knowledge gained through completing the first 10 COHN courses with practical experience. The student will apply acquired knowledge in a real time occupational health environment. Students will be required to seek and secure placement working with an occupational health nurse for a total of 30 hours. The student will also be required to complete three assignments to constitute a total of 20 hours. The course instructor will review and approve all student placement arrangements to ensure the setting is conducive to the student receiving an optional learning experience.
Download the course syllabus (PDF)

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