Download JOB PROFILE TITLE: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSE (OHN

JOB PROFILE
TITLE: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSE (OHN) PRACTICE LEAD
CLASSIFICATION: NURSE 9
CONTEXT
The Workplace Health and Safety Branch (WHS) provides the BC Public Service with Health Planning and Promotion,
Occupational Safety, Occupational Health and Rehabilitation, and Disability Benefits Administration services, through
regional offices in Vancouver, Victoria, and Kamloops. The mandate of WHS is to build workforce safety and health by
delivering services and information to public service managers and employees supporting them to manage their health
and improve workforce productivity. Within WHS, Occupational Health and Rehabilitation (OHR) delivers specialized
services to manage health issues at work; to assist ill and injured employees to return to work in a timely, safe, and
sustainable manner; and to improve accountability for and management of health-related absences in the public service.
OHR works with all ministries, agencies, and participating outside employers and is staffed with Occupational Health
Nurses, Occupational Health Physicians, Medical Case Analysts and Early-Intervention Return to Work Specialists.
JOB OVERVIEW
Under the direction of the Manager, Occupational Health & Rehabilitation and the Medical Director of workplace
health and safety, the Occupational Health Nurse Practice Lead (OHN-PL) oversees the delivery of high-quality,
reliable, and responsive occupational health nursing services.
The OHN-PL supervises the Occupational Health Nurses team with a focus on the WHS principles of early intervention,
evidence-based decision-making, health as a shared responsibility and customer service. Working within the
integrated OHR team of Return to Work Specialists and Administrative Professionals, the OHN-PL contributes a
leadership perspective regarding occupational health nursing and clinical case management and fosters a
collaborative, consistent and responsive approach to achieving OHR objectives. The OHN team works directly with
employees, managers, occupational health physicians, community care providers and return-to-work specialists to
provide clinical case management services consistent with current Occupational Health nursing ethics and practice
guidelines.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
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Leads an occupational nursing practice that integrates professional practice standards and program
accountabilities to deliver occupational health nursing services in alignment with Agency, WHS, and OHR
program objectives.
Leads the delivery of collaborative, reliable OHN clinical practice activities to maximize program benefits,
employee engagement, and customer service
Represents and advocates for the occupational health nursing team and OHR programs by building strong
relationships with stakeholder networks (i.e. WHS, GWL, Labour Relations, Union, legal, EFAP, community
physicians) and participating in WH&S and client services leadership teams.
Manages all staffing related responsibilities including hiring, performance management, evaluation, coaching,
training, discipline, leave approval, and education requests. Takes a responsive and flexible approach to
assignment of work based upon internal capacity as well as client needs.
Coauthors program procedures and protocols; coaches on consistent nursing practice towards self- awareness,
individual skill sets and differences , in order to build personal confidence , team trust, accountability and
respect which in turn result in optimum performance outcomes, EE retention and job satisfaction.
Career Group:
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Professional
Draft - Updated June 18, 2015
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Fosters a culture of “owning your practice”; of working within defined roles and following OHR clinical
guidelines and protocols.
Evaluates portfolio trends based on case specific information and historical data, coaches on tools to assist with
specific client groups, team structure and training.
Reports quarterly on performance measures and outcomes, as assigned.
Manages all requests for OHN-related work; oversees and coordinates OHN staffing, including portfolio
assignment, project work and professional development opportunities.
Seeks advice from experts within or external to Government on issues related to occupational health nursing.
Provides leadership consultation to staff and customers related to program delivery and facilitates an outcomesbased approach to managing complex cases.
Participates in special projects or assignments.
Provides leave coverage, only as required.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education
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Current registration with the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) or another Canadian
jurisdiction. Employment is contingent on satisfactory evidence of registration with CRNBC.
Certification in Occupational Health Nursing {COHN(C)} or Degree in Nursing, plus 5 years Occupational Health
Nursing experience; OR
Certificate in Occupational Health Nursing {COHN(C)}, plus 7 years OHN experience.
Experience
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Minimum 3 years’ experience in all of the following areas:
o Disability case management and participation in continuing education activities (e.g. seminars,
professional journals, professional practice association affiliations) to maintain and increase knowledge
and clinical competence in disability case management.
o Working with electronic case management systems.
o Leading and resolving customer/client and staff issues.
o Co-ordinating resources.
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Experience leading a team.
Preference may be given to applicants who have active membership in an occupational health nurses
professional practice group.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
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Advanced communication skills, both oral and written.
Active membership in an occupational health nurses professional practice group preferred.
Subject to satisfactory reference check and criminal records check.
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Role:
Professional
Draft - Updated June 18, 2015
Willingness Statement:
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Ability to travel within to WH&S (Workplace Health and Safety Branch) offices in Vancouver, Kamloops and
Victoria.
COMPETENCIES
Leadership - implies a desire to lead others, including diverse teams. Leadership is generally, but not always,
demonstrated from a position of formal authority. The "team" here should be understood broadly as any group with
which the person interacts regularly.
Business Acumen - is the ability to understand the business implications of decisions and the ability to strive to improve
organizational performance. It requires an awareness of business issues, processes and outcomes as they impact the
client’s and the organization’s business needs.
Organizational Commitment - is the ability and willingness to align one’s own behaviour with the needs, priorities and
goals of the organization, and to promote organizational goals to meet organizational needs. It also includes acting in
accordance with organizational decisions and behaving with integrity.
Teamwork and Cooperation - is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the
organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond
effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.
Developing Others - involves a genuine intent to foster the long-term learning or development of others through
coaching, managing performance and mentoring. Its focus is on developmental intent and effect rather than on a formal
role of training. For this competency to be considered, the individual’s actions should be driven by a genuine desire to
develop others, rather than by a need to transfer adequate skills to complete tasks.
Analytical Thinking - is the ability to comprehend a situation by breaking it down into its components and identifying
key or underlying complex issues. It implies the ability to systematically organize and compare the various aspects of a
problem or situation, and determine cause-and-effect relationships ("if...then…") to resolve problems in a sound,
decisive manner. Checks to ensure the validity or accuracy of all information.
Service Orientation - implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the public, co-workers,
other branches/divisions, other ministries/agencies, other government organizations, and non-government
organizations. It means focusing one’s efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of the customer/client.
Results Orientation - is a concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s own past
performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (achievement orientation); challenging goals that one has
set; or even improving or surpassing what has already been done (continuous improvement). Thus, a unique
accomplishment also indicates a Results Orientation.
Career Group:
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Job Stream:
Role:
Professional
Draft - Updated June 18, 2015