Remote Occupational Health Nurse - RN

Job Summary

The Remote Occupational Health Nurse (OHN) provides dedicated, comprehensive case management and clinical oversight for employee health programs across the organization, focusing primarily on disability, leave of absence, and medical surveillance compliance. This role serves as the central clinical liaison, ensuring safe return-to-work, regulatory compliance, and seamless coordination between employees, management, and external healthcare providers while operating entirely from a remote setting.

The remote OHN’s primary role is to facilitate appropriate and timely health care with the focus on safe employee return-to-work and the return to maximum functionality. This is accomplished by providing the communication, coordination and education required to optimize outcomes across the continuum of health, disability, workers’ compensation, and work-life issues.

The remote OHN employs best practices that require early intervention and the setting of realistic expectations for disability duration, return-to-work, and return to functionality. Care Coordination is a collaborative process that promotes quality of health care, client empowerment, and cost containment by supporting proactive intervention and reducing redundancies.

Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm EST.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Function as the dedicated Occupational Health Nurse, providing clinical leadership in the management, coordination, and oversight of all medical and disability services, and medical surveillance programs.
• Manage the full spectrum of disability and absence cases from initiation to closure, including Workers’ Compensation, Short-Term Disability (STD), and cases involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Lead the nurse case management process, which involves obtaining, interpreting, and tracking medical records and restrictions, communicating with healthcare providers for treatment clarification, and evaluating care against evidence-based guidelines.
• Coordinate, schedule, and manage the end-to-end process for all Return to Work (RTW) and Fit for Duty (FFD) medical evaluations, ensuring seamless collaboration among the employee, supervisor, HR, and external healthcare providers for both occupational and non-occupational cases.
• Develop and execute comprehensive case action plans based on data collection, clinical analysis, and formulation of a nursing diagnosis, setting realistic expectations for disability duration and return to work outcomes.
• Act as the central clinical liaison, interfacing with internal teams, external medical providers, and clients to coordinate claim activities and ensure seamless continuity of care.
• Oversee and manage documentation for medical surveillance programs required by federal regulations (e.g., OSHA), including respirator clearance, Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) exams, Emergency Response Team (ERT) physicals, and Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals.
• Review, interpret, and issue final medical clearances or guidance based on surveillance exam results and established company health policies.
• Ensure appropriate FMLA notification for employees with lost time due to Workers’ Compensation claims and track all medical restrictions for timely communication to the client/management for both occupational and non-occupational conditions.
• Provide dedicated clinical support and advocacy to employees, strictly maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI) while ensuring their physical safety and legal rights are upheld throughout the case management process.
• Provide support, information, and education to employees to enhance their engagement in self-care and improve their understanding of their health condition and the prescribed healthcare treatment plan.
• Prepare and manage the timely preparation and distribution of case reports to internal management, external providers, and regulatory bodies as required.
• Obtains medical history, diagnosis and treatment plan. Evaluates treatment against evidence-based guidelines for appropriateness and effectiveness of care and sets realistic expectations for disability duration and return to work.
• Must work productively and independently with minimal supervision, maintaining established standards and procedures.

Education and Experience

• Diploma/Associates Degree in Nursing required.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• Must have a compact/multistate RN license.
• Case Management Certification preferred.
• Minimum 5 years occupational health with 2-3 years’ experience as a telephonic nurse case manager

Skills and Competencies

• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Must be able to demonstrate the ability to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Make independent decisions in accordance to company policy and procedures; and take initiative on issues that arise daily.
• Accepts personal responsibility for maintaining and improving knowledge and skills.

Computer Skills

• Must be competent in the Windows operating system environment, Adobe Professional, Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and learn other software as needed. Must be able to multi-task between multiple software programs. Must have excellent typing skills.

Physical Demands

• Requires sitting for long periods of time, working at a desk.
• Some bending and stretching could be required.
• Working under stress and use of computer/phone required.
• Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard and mouse.
• Occasionally may be required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel and/or crouch.
• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.

Work Environment

• Work Environment must be free from background noise and distraction, noise level is acceptable, temperature is controlled.
• At home set up must meet all Company IT, privacy and safety requirements.

This position has an hourly pay range of $35 - $42 per hour. Final compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications. 

Benefits for this position include paid time off; medical, dental, vision, and critical illness insurance; HSA, HRA, and FSA; life and disability insurance; EAP; 401K; legal and identity theft coverage; pet insurance and more. 

The preceding statements describe the general job responsibilities and individual’s qualifications inherent to this position. These are not intended to be construed as exhaustive lists. To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily, accurately, and safely. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. This job description may be reevaluated and/or modified at any time without notice.

Every qualified individual has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.