• Level 1 – Registered Nurse with up to 5 years Occupational Health experience
The main role of a level one OHN is to provide Occupational Health services to all employees, which includes education, promotion of positive health models, and treatment of illness and injury. This level of OHN has participated in courses and/or workshops relating to the specialty.
  • Level 2 – Registered Nurse with a minimum of 5 years Occupational Health experience
This level of OHN may have supervisory and/or administrative responsibility. This level of OHN has obtained, or is actively working toward, completion of a Certificate or Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing and is eligible to pursue the CNA certification process in Occupational Health Nursing.
  • Level 3 – Registered Nurse with a minimum of 5-7 years Occupational Health experience
This level of OHN supervises and is responsible for multi-nurse unit in the development, administration, co-ordination and implementation of activities within an Occupational Health service. The level of OHN may have held recent positions with increasing levels of supervisory/managerial responsibility. This group holds a Certificate or Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing and a CNA certification in Occupational Health Nursing, COHN(C). An additional safety professional designation, for example, CRSP is desirable. Management, business and program planning skills would augment nursing qualifications.
  • Level 4 – Registered Nurse with a minimum of 7 years Occupational Health experience.
This OHN will have held recent positions with advanced levels of supervisory/managerial responsibility. Holds a Certificate or Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing and a CNA Certificate in Occupational Health Nursing, and an COHN(C). At this level, an additional safety professional designation, for exmaple CRSP is desirable. Management, business and program skills would augment nursing qualifications.
  • Level 5 Consultant – Registered Nurse with a minimum of 7-10 years Occupational Health experience
This level of OHN will have held recent positions with supervisory or managerial responsibility. This group holds a Certificate or Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing and CNA certification, COHN(C). At this level it is strongly recommended the OHN has graduate school preparation as Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Advisor or Nurse Practitioner in progress or considered. The Masters degree may also be considered in education, business administration, health sciences or occupational and environmental health (Dyck, D. 1996. Career Streaming: A model of career development. AAOHN Journal, 44 (4), 177-182). This level of OHN can be either an employee in a senior capacity or act as an advisor (consultant) for evaluating and developing employee health services. The OHN Level 5 Consultant can provide services in administration or education as well as co-ordinate and implement pertinent and relevant Health and Safety programs.

The OHN Level 5/Consultant may be:

  • Self-employed
  • Employed by a company
  • A representative of a private or public agency.