Careers in OH (members)

Are you thinking about a career in Occupational Health and Medicine?
We’ve listed popular jobs in the New Zealand Occupational Health sector.

Occupational health physicians diagnose and treat work-related injuries and illnesses, as well as conduct health screenings and evaluations for employees. They play a key role in case management and health risk assessments.

They assist employees in maintaining health, managing work-related conditions, and returning to work after injury or illness.

Occupational Medicine

What Is Occupational Medicine?

Occupational medicine focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and managing work-related injuries and illnesses. Practitioners work closely with employers, employees, and regulatory bodies to promote health and safety in the workplace. Key responsibilities include conducting health assessments, advising on workplace hazards, and developing health policies. Effective communication and a broad clinical knowledge base are essential in this field. 

You will help people stay at work or return to work after an accident or illness. You’ll also have a key role in helping to prevent illness and injuries caused by work.  Your work can be very varied, combining your medical practice with influencing and shaping the behaviour of individuals and organisations. You will enhance your clinical knowledge and skills with a detailed understanding of environmental and health and safety, employment and anti-discrimination legislation.

Your typical day will depend on the role and setting. Still, it will often involve a mixture of clinical work with individuals, undertaking fitness for work assessments for insurers and employers, medicolegal work, workplace assessments, and developing policies regarding employees’ health, safety and well-being.  You may be dealing with a range of clinical issues, such as:

  • Physical factors could include injuries, work-related gradual process injuries, infectious agents, respiratory sensitisers, carcinogenic substance exposures, and noise-induced hearing loss.
  • Psychological-behavioural issues could include work-related stress, occupational burnout, depression, neurodiversity factors or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Your non-clinical work may include working with a range of professionals to develop policies to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of employees. This could include issues like tackling substance misuse in safety-critical roles, health and social care professional regulation issues, rehabilitation, redeployment, risk assessment, or medical retirement decisions.

There are also opportunities in leadership and management, teaching, supervision and mentoring, and academic and research work.

Benefits of Working in Occupational Medicine

  • opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives
  • flexible and part-time working across your career lifespan
  • opportunities for good work-life balance
  • roles rarely involve out of hours commitments 
  • good income from early in your career   
  • work anywhere in the world with transferable skills that are in demand 

Training and Qualifications

The only doctors who may use the titles Occupational Medicine Specialist/Consultant or Occupational & Environmental Specialist/Consultant are those doctors who have”

  1. Completed formal higher specialist training in occupational medicine and
  2. Been awarded Fellowship of AFOEM and
  3. Are included on the MCNZ Register as holding the Vocational Scope of Practice in Occupational Medicine.
  4. Hold an Annual Practicing Certificate 

Further details on the Advanced Training Programme in Occupational And Environmental Medicine can be found here –  Occupational and Environmental Medicine | RACP Advanced Training

Doctors with other MCNZ Vocational Scope Registrations working in occupational medicine should:

  1. Have a relevant higher postgraduate qualification in occupational medicine recognised by the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
  2. Be able to demonstrate that they have achieved the desired competencies in occupational medicine through training and experience, and
  3. Maintain these competencies through continuing professional development (CPD) and
  4. Have a collegial relationship with an Occupational Medicine Specialist and
  5. Complete an annual peer review/discussion or appraisal relevant to their practice in occupational medicine and
  6. Hold an Annual Practicing Certificate 

A doctor appointed to provide occupational medicine services to a business must have appropriate medical qualifications and clinical competence to fulfil that business’s needs and ensure the optimum health of all employees.

Doctors must ensure that they do not use titles that might confuse their level of specialist status. 

Key Professional Organisations

Employment Opportunities

Occ Med doctors in NZ often work independently in the private sector or as part of a multi-disciplinary team for an Occ Health provider organisation. There are a small number of employment opportunities with large organisations in New Zealand, which include the following:

  • Health New Zealand
  • ACC
  • NZ Defence Force
  • Air NZ

There are academic and research opportunities within Otago University. 

 

Occupational Health Nursing

What is Occupational Health Nursing

Occupational Health Nursing is a specialised field of nursing focused on the health of workers in various industries.

The role of the occupational health nurse has evolved over the years from that of an industrial nurse dealing with accidents and illnesses at work, providing treatment and first aid services, to a role that encompasses all aspects of preventive healthcare.

Occupational Health is preventative rather than curative and proactive rather than reactive.

The role of the specialist occupational health nurse incorporates:

  • Implementing comprehensive pro-active occupational health and safety strategy to prevent occupational injury and disease
  • Promotion of health and work ability by focusing on non-occupational, workplace-preventable conditions that, whilst not caused directly by work, may affect the employee’s ability to maintain attendance or performance at work through a comprehensive workplace health promotion strategy
  • Improving environmental health management by reducing risk to the working population
  • Contributing to the broader public health agenda

 

Benefits of Working in Occupational Health Nursing

Diverse Work Environments

OHNs can work in various settings, including corporate offices, industrial plants, construction sites, and government agencies. This diversity allows for a wide range of experiences and opportunities.

Focus on Prevention

Unlike traditional nursing roles, which often involve acute care, occupational health nurses (OHNs) primarily focus on health promotion and injury prevention. This can be a refreshing shift, emphasising proactive rather than reactive care.

Work-Life Balance

Many OHNs work regular business hours, which can be appealing for those seeking a more predictable schedule compared to shift-based hospital work.

High Demand and Job Security

As workplaces increasingly prioritise employee health and safety, the demand for occupational health nurses (OHNs) continues to grow. This offers a level of job security, especially in industries with high health and safety risks.

Professional Development

OHNs have opportunities for continuous professional development and leadership roles. They can engage in ongoing education and training to stay updated with the latest practices and regulations.

Rewarding Collaborations

OHNs often collaborate with other healthcare professionals, health and safety specialists, and business managers to create safe and hazard-free work environments. This teamwork can be highly rewarding.

Competitive Salary

OHNs typically earn competitive salaries, with opportunities for higher earnings based on experience, education, and certification.

Training and Qualifications

To work in occupational health nursing in New Zealand, you need to:

  • Registered Nurse (RN) Qualification: Obtain a nursing degree (Bachelor of Nursing) and become a registered nurse by passing the Nursing Council of NZ State exam and obtaining registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
  • Clinical Experience: This is advised but not critical in occupational health nursing. Because it’s one of the last nursing areas that requires nurses to have a broad general knowledge across various health areas, gaining at least two years of clinical nursing experience is an advantage.
  • Specialised Education: Pursue occupational health certificate and/or postgraduate studies in occupational health nursing. The University of Otago offers relevant programs. Options are currently being reviewed for Nurse Practitioners working in occupational health.
  • Membership: Join ANZSOM New Zealand to gain access to occupational health specialists and international occupational health learning.
  • Continuous Professional Development: Engage in ongoing education and training to stay updated with the latest practices and regulations in occupational health nursing.

 

Key Professional Organisations
  • Nursing Council
  • Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM NZ): A multidisciplinary professional body offering education, advocacy, and collaboration opportunities for occupational health professionals.
  • WorkSafe New Zealand: The primary regulator for workplace health and safety, providing guidelines and enforcing health and safety laws.

 

Employment Opportunities

Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) in New Zealand have a variety of opportunities across different sectors. Here are some key areas where OHNs can find employment:

  • Corporate and Industrial Settings: Many large companies, such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Fonterra, and Air New Zealand, employ occupational health nurses (OHNs) to manage employee health and safety programs. These roles often involve conducting health assessments, managing workplace injuries, and promoting wellness initiatives.
  • Healthcare Facilities: OHNs can work in hospitals and clinics, providing specialised care for healthcare workers and managing occupational health programs.
  • Government Agencies: Government bodies, including local councils and national health organisations, hire OHNs to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and to promote public health.
  • Consulting Firms: Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) can work for consulting firms that provide occupational health services to various industries. These roles may involve conducting risk assessments, conducting health audits, and implementing training programs.
  • Educational Institutions: Universities and colleges may employ occupational health nurses (OHNs) to manage health services for staff and students, as well as to conduct research in occupational health.
  • Remote and Part-Time Roles: Opportunities are available for part-time and remote work, offering flexibility in work hours and locations.

What Is Occupational Physiotherapy?

Benefits of Working in Occupational Physiotherapy

  • opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives
  • flexible and part-time working across your career lifespan
  • opportunities for good work-life balance
  • roles rarely involve out of hours commitments 

Key Professional Organisations

  • Physio NZ
  • Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM NZ): A multidisciplinary professional body offering education, advocacy, and collaboration opportunities for occupational health professionals.  
  • WorkSafe New Zealand: The primary regulator for workplace health and safety, providing guidelines and enforcing health and safety laws.  

Employment Opportunities

Occupational physiotherapists in NZ often work independently in the private sector or as part of a multidisciplinary team for an occupational Health provider organisation.

What Is Occupational Therapy?

Benefits of Working in Occupational Therapy

  • opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives
  • flexible and part-time working across your career lifespan
  • opportunities for good work-life balance
  • roles rarely involve out of hours commitments 

Key Professional Organisations

  • Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM NZ): A multidisciplinary professional body offering education, advocacy, and collaboration opportunities for occupational health professionals.  
  • WorkSafe New Zealand: The primary regulator for workplace health and safety, providing guidelines and enforcing health and safety laws.  

Employment Opportunities

Occupational therapists in NZ often work independently in the private sector or as part of a multidisciplinary team for an Occupational Health provider organisation.

 

What Is Occupational Psychology?

Benefits of Working in Occupational Psychology

  • opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives
  • flexible and part-time working across your career lifespan
  • opportunities for good work-life balance
  • roles rarely involve out of hours commitments 

Key Professional Organisations

  • Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM NZ): A multidisciplinary professional body offering education, advocacy, and collaboration opportunities for occupational health professionals.  
  • WorkSafe New Zealand: The primary regulator for workplace health and safety, providing guidelines and enforcing health and safety laws.  

Employment Opportunities

Occupational psychologists in NZ often work independently in the private sector or as part of a multi-disciplinary team for an Occupational Health provider organisation.

What Is an Occupational Health Technician?

Benefits of Working in Occupational Health

  • opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives
  • flexible and part-time working across your career lifespan
  • opportunities for good work-life balance
  • roles rarely involve out of hours commitments 

Key Professional Organisations

  • Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM NZ): A multidisciplinary professional body offering education, advocacy, and collaboration opportunities for occupational health professionals.  
  • WorkSafe New Zealand: The primary regulator for workplace health and safety, providing guidelines and enforcing health and safety laws.  

Employment Opportunities

Occupational health technicians in NZ often work independently in the private sector or as part of a multidisciplinary team for an occupational Health provider organisation.

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