MacEwan connects occupational health nurses across Canada through online learning

The field of occupational health nursing is immensely broad. Any employer that has a large population of employees may have a significant need for occupational health nurses.

Simply put, these nurses work to ensure employees are safe at work. They can be responsible for health and wellness programs, preventing illness and injury, program development, emergency and disaster planning, disability management and health surveillance activities, among many other important responsibilities.

The breadth of opportunity coupled with a high demand for the program led Grant MacEwan University (GMU) to offer its Occupational Health Nursing certificate online through eCampusAlberta in 2006. The program itself has been available for well over a decade.

“To be accepted into the program you must be a registered nurse and have completed a health assessment and an English course,” says Gail Couch, MacEwan’s Program Chair of Occupational Health Nursing.

Approximately 100 students per term from across Canada enrol in a variety of the program’s nine courses, of which two are practicum placements. Students have four years to complete the certificate.

“Currently, occupational health nurses have stronger numbers in Alberta and Ontario but we have a lot of people in these roles in different provinces and territories who need the education because there isn’t that structure in their area. They look to a program that’s been around for a while and has a great reputation,” says Lisa Stevens-Myles, Instructor, Occupational Health Nursing, MacEwan.

“Fortunately, MacEwan has a great reputation for having nurses that can get to work right away, set up programs and help with keeping health care costs down because that’s the bottom line for businesses. They want their workers to be safe and they want to comply with legislation. Having an occupational nurse takes care of all of the health and legislation issues and that’s why they’re so desirable to hire,” Stevens-Myles says.

Students typically complete their practicum placements in areas such as government offices, educational and health care institutions, petrochemical and mining facilities, food processing or manufacturing plants and construction areas.

“In occupational health you can’t know everything in the specialty areas but there’s always someone who might know. After a while, you build up a knowledge of ‘who’s who’ and ‘who knows what’ and you become part of such an intertwined web of nurses that you really are part of a team,” she says.

“The learning community that the students develop online is just invaluable to them.”

Learn more about MacEwan’s Occupational Health Nursing certificate program.