ABSTRACT
Occupational health (OH) nursing is the branch of nursing that focuses on the care of the working community and certainly fulfils most of the criteria from the International Council of Nurses (ICN) definition. This chapter discusses the historical aspects of OH nursing and the international and national influences on OH and the health and wellbeing of the workers. It also describes the role of statutory bodies and the statutory and mandatory aspects of OH nursing registration, and identifies the legal and ethical aspects of OH nursing practice. It has considered the ongoing work and research in this specialism at a national and professional level as well as the legal and professional aspects of confidentiality and competence in the role of the OH nurse. The chapter further identifies how education and continuing professional development contribute to improving quality of practice.
