Overview
Occupational and environmental health nurses play a pivotal role in preventing work-related injuries and illnesses, as well as promoting the health of workers and communities. The Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner — Occupational and Environmental Health (AGPCNP-OEH) specialty prepares advanced OEH nurses, leaders and researchers. The AGPCNP-OEH specialty focuses on direct patient care, the theory and practice of adult health maintenance, the diagnosis and management of chronic health problems, and the assessment and management of common health conditions. Detailed information about certification is available on the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) web page. In addition to the education for adult-gerontology primary care, the OEHN specialty curriculum prepares students to work with working adults to prevent and, if necessary, identify and treat occupational injuries and illnesses.
OEHN graduates develop careers in a variety of settings including on-site employee health clinics in various industries, hospital-based primary care or specialty clinics, direct care or management in occupational health services, or consultation with companies, government agencies, academia, and communities. The OEHN specialty is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and provides full or partial financial support to eligible students.
Watch the video below for an overview of the OEHN specialty.
Certifications
Graduates are eligible to apply for national certification for NP through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) for certification for occupational health nurses.
Application Requirements and Deadlines
| For Master of Science and Post Master's Students | |
| Is RN experience required? | No, but you must be a registered nurse licensed in California |
| Other admissions requirements specific to this specialty | None |
| Application deadline | May 1, 2023 |
Curriculum
All OEHN students take courses that explore research in occupational and environmental health, health and safety hazard assessment, program planning, OEHN roles, ergonomics, and the clinical diagnosis and management of occupational health problems. This study is in addition to the AGPCNP curriculum. Clinical residencies in specialty clinics and occupational health settings provide a range of experiences with experts in the field. Students also complete development projects at businesses, medical centers, community based organizations, or government organizations. Topics for these projects have included worker education and training, ergonomics, protection from toxic hazards, medical surveillance systems, regulatory compliance systems, emergency response teams, and international travel, and disease prevention. Students complete a written comprehensive examination (or, in some instances, a thesis) for graduation. OEHN faculty members also work with students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.
View the curriculum for this specialty. Please note that courses are subject to change.
Post Master's Certificate Program
Post-Master's study pursuing NP education is generally required for up to two years. Contact the specialty coordinator for consultation on an individualized post-master's curriculum.
Learn more about our Post-Master's Certificate Program, including how to apply. (Please note that post-master's applicants do not need to fulfill a statistics requirement.)
Faculty
Oi Saeng Hong, PHD, RN, FAAN, FAAOHN
Soo-Jeong Lee, PhD, RN, ANP
Nicole Collman, RN, ANP-BC, CNS
Sandra Domeracki, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, COHN-S, FAAOHN
Contact Us
Specialty Coordinator: Oi Saeng Hong, PhD, RN, FAAN
[email protected]
415-502-5581
Staff Contact: Michele Keating, program analyst
[email protected]
415-476-1381