If you have an advanced level of knowledge, experience and skills in occupational health nursing, you could become an Advanced Specialist, and get all the benefits of membership.
If you have an advanced level of knowledge, experience and skills in occupational health nursing, you could become an Advanced Specialist, and get all the benefits of membership. You could be an academic, independent consultant, researcher or occupational health practitioner.
You need to meet the requirements of a Specialist Practitioner with evidence of lifelong learning and professional development.
You must submit supporting evidence of your NMC Revalidation CPD and Practice Hours.
You need to have carried out occupational health work for at least 200 days over a period of at least 4 years since graduation., including an annual Reflective Discussion.
You should have carried out at least 5 significant activities or projects during that time
See the Checklist and guidance
What competence you need and how to link it to your work.
The checklist now forms part of the application for Advanced Specialist accreditation to help demonstrate breadth (through the number) and depth (through levels of proficiency) of claimed competencies.
If you are planning to upgrade to an Advanced Specialist, it might help you to complete the checklist as soon as you can.
This will allow you to see any areas where you are particularly strong which might guide your logbook entries or where you might need to fill any gaps.
This is probably the most complicated part of the application, and if you need advice email nurseaccrediation@som.org.uk
Your logbook is a key part of your application as it demonstrates to the assessors the occupational health work that you’ve undertaken over your minimum 4-year period.
You will need at least 1 documented example from each year of your of four, or if you have worked more than four years, chose any four years. of your experience as evidence of your competence.
It should contain separate records of between 5 and 8 significant activities over the period.
This information can then be used as part of your NMC revalidation records and vice versa.
Your evidence could include final reports from the work you described.
These should show in detail the occupational health work you undertook during that project.
Note that a multi-authored report can be difficult to assess as evidence, so you must be explicit about your contribution to such a report.
You must submit supporting evidence for some of your logbook entries. The minimum number of pieces of evidence is 5 for all applicants.
This information can then be used as part of your NMC revalidation Reflection records and vice versa. keeping your NMC Portfolio evidence up to date, avoiding duplication.
Each logbook record should not exceed 500 words which is about 1 page single-spaced or 2 pages double-spaced in font 12.
You will need 2 referees who are occupational health nurse specialists, and at least 1 of whom works outside your organisation.
You referees must know you well enough to form a robust opinion of your professional work and status.
Their report is an important part of your application and must show strong support for it.
For referee report example and template (here)
If you have any questions please email nurseaccreditation@som.org.uk
You can remain in this level or If you are an Advanced Specialist Member and have made significant contributions to occupational health over a period of at least ten years, you could be nominated to become a Fellow.
You could be an academic, consultant or occupational health practitioner.
Accreditation fees cover the first 3 years.
Please follow this link to understand what will happen to your portfolio and the initial and ongoing fees for accreditation and ongoing Directory membership
Once you have your evidence gathered you will find a button on the assessment page which will take you to payment and the application form for all levels of entry.