I did not set out to become an occupational health nurse. In fact, when my careers adviser suggested nursing, I chose it almost by accident. Yet that unexpected decision eventually led to a career filled with variety, independence, lifelong learning and the privilege of helping people stay well at work.

However, I did not find my particular niche in nursing until I spent some time working for a nursing agency. I was assigned to an occupational health company and later to the occupational health department of a famous oil company. I loved it: Monday-to-Friday office hours, mainly fit and healthy people, and a role that involved medical assessments, support with health issues and travel immunisations.

My days began with routine medicals for offshore personnel, including deep-sea divers, alongside travel-health services. As I gained further training and experience, I began working within organisations as an occupational health nurse. I created services that included pre-employment assessments and health surveillance, such as hearing tests and lung-function assessments. I also developed bespoke health-promotion campaigns—some wildly successful, such as those raising awareness of the effects of alcohol, and some less successful!

I have been fortunate to work in many different industries, including engineering, sausage and pie manufacturing, and paper production. My role was always varied and busy. It involved building relationships with employees and managers and creating occupational health services that met organisational needs while allowing me to use my nursing training and experience effectively.

People in full-time employment who are fit and well do not often have the opportunity to spend time with a healthcare professional. In occupational health, I could provide them with specialist support and expertise when they needed it.

The pen holder on my desk today is a steel cylinder made by a lovely young man who had concealed his epilepsy during his pre-employment assessment because his family had advised him that he would otherwise not be employed. He subsequently had a very public seizure at work. We supported his rehabilitation and helped him move into a more suitable role on the shop floor, working in quality control. We also helped him manage his condition more effectively.

He made the pen holder as a thank-you for helping him. It is a lasting reminder of the privilege of supporting people at work.

Occupational health offers genuine job satisfaction. It allows you to help individuals stay well, return to work and manage health conditions in a practical and supportive way.

I have always enjoyed being part of the workplace community. My work has involved collaborating with managers and supervisors, liaising regularly with human resources and participating actively in health and safety meetings.

I have also welcomed occupational health students from near and far, giving them the opportunity to visit different working environments and see how raw materials are transformed into finished products.

Occupational health practitioners can make a positive difference across the working community. This may include providing first-aid training, organising wellbeing events and sharing health knowledge and expertise.

More recently, while working as a lecturer at a local university, I engaged with students studying nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other disciplines. I was also able to provide wellbeing initiatives for people across the campus.

We organised special events offering advice on good sleep hygiene. On one occasion, a local company provided a bed with beautiful linen so that people could experience the benefits of a comfortable sleep environment. On another, we worked with public health colleagues to offer fingertip blood tests for blood-borne viruses. Anyone with a positive result was offered appropriate follow-up and treatment.

We also ran blood-pressure clinics. These regularly identified at least one person with previously undiagnosed high blood pressure who required urgent medical attention.

It is difficult to describe the satisfaction that comes from seeing people regain their confidence, improve their wellbeing or remain in employment. In short, that is what occupational health can achieve.

An occupational health practitioner may work independently or as part of a larger team. Regardless of the setting, there are always times when autonomous practice is required.

For example, a young man once self-referred to me because he had severe varicose veins in both legs. They made him extremely fatigued and had stopped him participating in sport because he felt embarrassed. He had not realised that the bulging veins could represent a serious impairment, particularly if they were knocked.

Following assessment and referral, he received effective surgical treatment. Seeing the improvement in his health and confidence was extremely rewarding.

Although our work involves scheduled appointments and structured diaries, occupational health also provides the opportunity to manage your workload, use your professional judgement and tailor your approach to each individual’s needs.

Beyond the industries already mentioned, I have worked in some of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries and in fish-processing plants where fish were smoked and canned. The work has never felt dull or routine, and I still look forward to each day.

One particularly memorable experience involved teaching a health and safety course at the University of Algiers. I made five or six week-long visits, learning about a very different culture. The university was built in the Russian style, with coffee and tea dispensers at the back of the classrooms. I also travelled between the airport and my hotel with an armed police escort.

Occupational health brings you into contact with a wide range of people, workplaces, health concerns and situations. The variety of settings—and the many wonderful people I have met as colleagues and as patients—has kept my career interesting and prevented it from becoming repetitive.

In occupational health, we often say that every day is a school day. It is true: every day brings an opportunity to learn something new.

Ongoing education and attending professional events—as both a learner and an educator—have been deeply fulfilling. Opportunities for training in our speciality continue to develop, and there are now many routes into the profession.

I am always happy to discuss these opportunities in my role as a mentor. Further information is available at OH Careers.

Throughout my career, I have worked as a senior manager, entrepreneur and educator. Today, I enjoy a combination of roles as a practitioner, educator and charity director, working across different sectors.

Collaboration is something we often talk about, but it is not always evident in practice. I see much of my role as collaborative. I work with many different people, without whom I could not function as effectively as I do.

I can genuinely say that I continue to enjoy my work.

I am nearing the end of my working life as an occupational health practitioner. The profession has brought me immense satisfaction, independence, variety and professional growth.

When I speak to people who are unhappy or distressed by their occupation, I count myself fortunate to have had such a rewarding career. I have worked with brilliant people and have had the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

I encourage anyone considering a career in healthcare to explore occupational health. It offers variety, professional autonomy, opportunities for learning and the chance to support people in practical ways throughout their working lives.

Occupational health has given me far more than a career: it has given me the opportunity to support people, build lasting relationships and make a practical difference every working day.

Lynda Bruce
RN, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Occupational Health)
Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy