|
 The
American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.
Are you an occupational or
employee health nurse? If you answered "Yes",
you should give strong consideration to becoming certified!
Why?
What's in it for me?
Read on for the Top 10 reasons to become a certified
occupational health nurse.
Certification is a mark of prestige.
Certification is a significant personal and professional
accomplishment.
Certification can advance your career.
Certified OHNs earn significantly more.
Employers regard certification as a mark of quality and
rely on certification when making employment decisions.
The certified OHN provides knowledgeable management of
occupational injuries and illnesses and facilitates early return to work processes.
The certified OHN can reduce the employer's legal exposure
through management of regulatory requirements such as OSHA, FMLA, ADA, DOT, HIPAA, etc.
Certification enhances your disease management and health
promotion skills.
Certified OHNs make a positive impact on the employer's
financial bottom line.
Certification augments competence and on-the-job
productivity.
The American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) was established as an
independent nursing specialty certification board in 1972. ABOHN was formed to
develop and conduct a program of certification for qualified occupational health
nurses. ABOHN is a charter member of the American Board of Nursing Specialties
(ABNS), a national approval body for nursing specialty certification programs.
ABOHN's Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN), Certified Occupational Health
Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S) and Case Management (CM) programs are accredited by ABNS.
ABOHN is also an active member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance
(NOCA) and ABOHN's examination that are listed above are accredited by NOCA's National
Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA).
Certification is a process by which a non-governmental agency or association
validates, based on predetermined standards of nursing practice, an individual registered
nurse's qualifications, knowledge and practice in a defined functional or clinical area of
nursing. ABOHN's certifications are voluntary programs designed to inform and
protect consumers by identifying those nurses who have demonstrated mastery in
occupational health nursing through education, experience and knowledge. ABOHN does
not offer an entry level certification.
ABOHN is the sole certifying body for occupational health nurses in the United
States and awards four credentials:Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN), Certified
Occupational Health Nurse - Specialist (COHN-S), Case Management (CM), and Safety
Management (SM). Over 12,000 occupational health nurses have been certified by ABOHN.
VISION: ABOHN certification is recognized and valued by
employers and the public as the standard to maximize the health and safety of workers
worldwide.
MISSION: To promote a standard of excellence in
occupational health nursing through credentialing.
Principles and Values:
To accomplish its mission and vision, ABOHN commits its resources to
achieving the following principles and values:
Establish and promote credentialing standards for professional
occupational health nurses
Publicly recognize individuals who demonstrate that they meet these
standards
Elevate the quality of occupational health nursing practice
Stimulate the development of improved educational standards and
programs in the field of occupational health nursing
Encourage occupational health nurses to continue their professional
education
Perform the above unrestricted by consideration of national origin,
race, creed, disability, color, age or gender
Create value for employers, their employees and the occupational
health professional
Seek inclusively by partnering with organizations that share
ABOHN's mission and values
ABOHN's purposes are to:
• establish standards and examinations for professional nurses in
occupational health;
• elevate and maintain the quality of occupational health nursing services;
• stimulate the development of improved educational standards and programs in
the field of occupational health nursing; and
• encourage occupational health nurses to continue their professional
education.
|
