Management, Leadership, Program Development, and Quality Improvement
Leading the OHN function
OHNs often manage programs, staff, and budgets. Know the difference between management (planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling) and leadership (vision, influence, change). Understand program development: needs assessment, goal and objective setting, planning, implementation, and evaluation, with a business case that ties occupational health to productivity, absenteeism, and cost.
Quality improvement
Master the PDSA cycle (plan-do-study-act) and basic QI tools: flowcharts, cause-and-effect (fishbone) diagrams, Pareto charts, and run charts. Know structure, process, and outcome measures and the value of benchmarking. Understand evidence-based practice: formulate the question, search, appraise, apply, and evaluate.
Management essentials
- Staffing and competency: orientation, training, and validation.
- Budgeting: cost-benefit and return on investment.
- Policy and protocol development with legal and clinical review.
- Communication with stakeholders and metrics-driven reporting.
- Change management and staff engagement.
Traps
Questions confuse leadership with management, or present a QI answer that skips measurement. Another trap: choosing a solution without a needs assessment, or claiming a program's value without outcome data. Watch for answers that ignore regulatory or budget constraints.
Rule of thumb
Every program claim needs a measure. Start with a needs assessment, define SMART objectives, and close the loop with PDSA and outcome data.