Occupational Health (as ANP) Career
What Do You Do In This Career?
Fifty-six thousand workers die in the U.S. every year due to injuries in the workplace or work-related illnesses, and over three million become disabled from these injuries. Adult Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) can specialize in helping to prevent these injuries and deaths. These ANPs assess, manage, and treat illnesses and injuries that happen in the workplace or because of working environments.
Occupational health nurses also create and implement programs to prevent these situations in the workplace and help manage disability. They consult with employers and employees as well as train and educate workers on how to stay safe and healthy on the job. Some nurses may opt for jobs that do not involve direct patient care, preferring to focus on training and prevention.
Salary and Career Information
- Salary: Average salaries for this field can range from $58,112 and $100,562 depending on the position you hold, education, experience, and location. This can also depend on if you work in the private or public sector.
- ANP Requirements: NPs must be registered nurses (RNs), hold a master’s degree or higher, and pass any necessary certification exams. These exams can vary by specialty and by state.
- Work Environment: Many ANPs in this field work on the job site for the company they represent. They offer education, prevention techniques, and sometimes emergency care and treatment. Some ANPs are hired by health care facilities or other companies to create programs to prevent workplace illnesses and injuries from happening.
What Kind of Coursework Can You Expect in This Program?
Occupational and environmental health is usually offered as a specialty within the ANP program. The best programs offer interdisciplinary training with courses like research in occupational health, hazard assessment, program planning, OEH nursing roles, and management of occupational health problems. Other topics may include ergonomics, toxic hazards, emergency response, and disease prevention. Students should look for programs in which they will have the opportunity to learn in clinical residencies in specialty clinics with experts in occupational health. Most programs last two years, and graduates often work for large businesses, medical centers and government offices.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
Online nurse practitioner programs have grown in popularity in recent years as more accredited schools have begun offering online alternatives to these degrees. Combining flexibility with the lack of campus visitation required these programs are ideal for working professionals. By clicking on links below, you can request information from each school about its tuition, classes, and programs.
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Georgetown University — Stationed out of Washington DC, Georgetown University is a cultural and social hub and is one of the oldest schools in the nation. The school has two online nursing programs available, an MSN in Family Nursing and an MSN in Midwifery and Women's Health. Georgetown is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. |
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Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online presence is almost unmatched, offering over 170 online degrees and programs, including MSN in Nurse Administration, MSN in Nurse Education, and MSN in Nurse Informatics. However, there are also 70 campuses across the country for those interested in a more traditional education. Kaplan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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University of Phoenix — While it may not be surprising that the University of Phoenix is based in Phoenix, AZ, the school does have over 200 additional locations around the country. Phoenix has more than 200 online programs available, with nursing degrees in Health Education, Health Informatics, and a general track. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University is an online college focused on technology, business, and healthcare. The school offers several nursing programs like the RN to MSN bridge programs or the MSN in Nursing Informatics. All of these programs require no campus visitation and can be completed online entirely. ASU has an accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council. |
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Capella University — Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University is an online school with over 37000 current students across the nation. Its online programs like MSN in Nurse Educator (Bridge option also available) have one-to-one tutoring, accelerated study, and low student to teacher ratios. Capella holds several accreditations, including The Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. |
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