Wellness Coordinator

When it comes to working wellness into your workforce, you want someone who knows the ins and outs of wellness, and who can counsel staff members and provide main care - all within the context of the current regulatory and legal environment.

AAOHN’s survey stated that more than half of staff members (61 percent) want to receive wellness information from a healthcare specialist, like a consultant or an onsite occupational health nurse (OHN), compared to flyers or flyers (18 percent) or human resources (HR) staff (15 percent).

OHNs can develop, implement and evaluate components of work site wellness programs like screening programs, exercise/fitness courses, stress management, use of tobacco cessation, nutrition and weight control programs, as well as chronic illness management programs.

Plus, OHNs can help staff navigate through complicated health care plans and might even serve as a triage point between staff and their personal health care providers.

Employees might refrain from seeing their health care provider when it means time away from work, inconvenient parking, waiting time in the office and co-pays.

In situations where personnel are under treatment for chronic illnesss like heart disease, onsite nurses can routinely monitor risk factors like blood pressure or cholesterol on a regular basis.

It is often easier for an staff member to ask an on-site nurse for information about symptoms or prescription medication than it’s to schedule a follow-up visit to a personal healthcare provider.

Benefits realized by corporations include enhanced worker morale and retention, a recruitment advantage, increased productivity and reduced time away from work.

In companies with a safety department, the OHN can evaluate and address work-related health issues, including participation in workstation examinations to correct potential ergonomic problems, and proactively addressing muscle strains by developing stretching programs and involving staff members in leading stretches.