WELCOME NEW & RETURNING MEMBERS
SCAOHN would like to welcome all of our new and returning members!
This Spring in conjunction with Occupational Health Nurses Week, SCAOHN launched a recruitment campaign to grow our organization. We sent post-cards with a free one-year membership to all OHNs registered with the SC Board of Nursing.
If you know someone who has recently joined, please join us in welcoming them! If you know an occupational health nurse that has not joined SCAOHN, invite them to join for free for a year!
As a reminder, all current members receive a free year membership renewal as well!
President's Message
Dear SCAOHN Members,
I hope you are well and thriving in your professional endeavors. As we move into the heart of the year, I’m filled with gratitude and excitement for all that we’ve accomplished together—and all that lies ahead.
First and foremost, I’d like to extend a heartfelt welcome to all our new members! We are thrilled to have you join our vibrant community of occupational health professionals. To help you get better acquainted with our mission, resources, and each other, we will be hosting a New Member Virtual Session later this summer. Stay tuned for more details—we can’t wait to connect with you!
We recently wrapped up another successful Spring One-Day Educational Event, and what a fantastic day it was! A special thank you goes to Beverly Moody, our President-Elect, and her dedicated planning committee for their outstanding work in organizing an engaging and informative program. Your efforts continue to elevate the quality of our professional development offerings.
Mark your calendars! Our Fall Two-Day Educational Event will be held October 2–3, 2025, in North Charleston. This promises to be an enriching experience filled with learning, networking, and inspiration. We’re already hard at work planning a dynamic agenda that will support your growth and success in occupational health nursing.
To each of you—thank you. Your ongoing support, participation, and enthusiasm are what make SCAOHN such a strong and supportive organization. Whether you’re attending events, volunteering, or simply staying connected, your engagement is deeply appreciated.
As we look to the future, I am confident that we are on a path of continued growth and impact. Together, we are shaping the future of occupational health nursing in South Carolina, and I couldn’t be more proud to serve alongside such a dedicated group of professionals.
With appreciation and optimism,
Organization News
SCAOHN received a Chapter Education Award for Best One-Day Educational Event from the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). The award was presented at the AAOHN National Conference held in Pittsburgh, PA.
From AAOHN - "The South Carolina Association of Occupational Health Nurses prioritizes responding to member needs, providing evidence-based education to occupational health nurses in South Carolina and integrating community projects into each conference gathering to support the chapter mission to protect and care for workers.
To accomplish these objectives, the chapter hosted a one-day conference on Friday, April 26, 2024, in West Columbia, South Carolina, focused on two main presentations: Medical Management of Active Shooter and Hostile Events presented by Dominick Pagano, and Occupational Health Related to Biohazardous Agents and Animal Exposure presented by outgoing AAOHN president, Yolanda Lang. Over 95% of the conference attendees agreed or strongly agreed that the presentations met every objective."
SCAOHN 2025 FALL Conference
SCAOHN's 2-day Fall Educational Conference will be held October 2 & 3, 2025 at Trident Technical College's SC Aeronautical Training Center in North Charleston, SC. The conference theme is Trick or Treat: Unmasking the Best Practices in Occupational Health. We have already secured wonderful speakers on a variety of topics including legalities of occupational health nursing, OrthoLazer procedure, OSHA record keeping and more!
For more information and to register, click the link below!
Member News
We want to continue to highlight professional and personal news of our members! Whether you are obtaining a certification, completing a degree, or any other professional related news, please let us know so we can feature your accomplishment! Also, if you have any exciting personal news [engagements, weddings, baby (or grandbaby), etc.], please feel free to share that news with us. We hope that this Member News section helps us learn more about each other and brings us closer together.
Join us in congratulating and celebrating these members accomplishments and news!
Professional Achievements
Debra Lynn Fischer Gibbon Excellence Award: Ashley Atchley
SCAOHN President Ashley Atchley received the Debra Lynn Fischer Gibbon Excellence in Occupational Health Award. Ashley was presented the award on behalf of the American Board of Occupational Health Nursing (ABOHN) at the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) National Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. This award is given annually to the occupational health nurse who receives the highest score on the previous year's Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S) exam.
This award was established to honor Ms. Debra Lynn Fischer Gibbon. Ms. Gibbon was a former COHN-S and Certified Safety Professional (CSP), who lost her life on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center on the morning on September 11th, 2001. Ms. Gibbon was senior vice president for AON Risk Services, INC and coordinated services for the company's top clients.
ABOHN Board: Susan Jordan
SCAOHN member, Susan Jordan, has been selected to serve on the American Board of Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) Board of Directors. Susan will begin her term with ABOHN in June. ABOHN is the sole certifying body for occupational health nurses in the United States. Susan has previously volunteered with ABOHN on various committees. In her new role on the Board of Directors, Susan will be helping with policy making and oversight of ABOHN's functions.
Dr. Betty Sanisidro, ABOHN Executive Director provided the following statement regarding Susan's selection: "We are thrilled to welcome Susan Jordan to the ABOHN Board of Directors. Her work on the Practice Analysis Advisory, Exam Development, and Standard Setting Committees proved to be invaluable. Susan’s vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence will be crucial as we continue to grow and serve our mission. We look forward to the insight and energy she is sure to bring to the table."
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS/ACCOLADES
Mission Work: Ida Crosby
Ida Crosby, Treasurer of the South Carolina Association of Occupational Health Nurses (SCAOHN), recently traveled to Guatemala with her church to serve alongside Adventures in Missions. During their week-long stay, the team worked with the local church, feeding children, digging an irrigation trench on Prayer Mountain, and visiting homes to share the love of Christ.
Reflecting on the experience, Ida noted the lack of running water and sewage systems in Guatemala, which gave her a deeper appreciation for the amenities in the U.S. She encourages anyone with the opportunity to serve, stating, "Serving is part of my DNA, but I always get more from serving than I ever give."
For those interested in mission opportunities, visit Adventures in Missions.
Palmetto Gold Award: Joni Metler
Joni Metler, MSN, RN, C-EFM was recently named a Palmetto Gold Award Recipient. Palmetto Gold Award is presented to registered nurses in South Carolina who exemplify excellence in nursing practice and commitment to the nursing profession. Joni is the daughter of SCAOHN Vendor Coordination Director, Karen Owens.
Joni has been a nurse since December 2007. She currently serves as the Women's & Children's Nurse Manager at Prisma Health Oconee Memorial. Joni has a heart for her community and has always excelled in everything she sets her mind to accomplish. Her dedication to nursing, leadership, and service reflects her deep commitment to making a positive impact both professionally and personally.
In addition to her impressive career, Joni is a devoted mother to well-rounded children who are actively involved in various school activities and events. No matter how busy her schedule, Joni is present at every event, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to her family.
All of this reflects what an extraordinary woman Joni is—balancing a thriving career, devoted motherhood, and heartfelt service to her community with grace and determination.
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Scholarship & Reimbursement Opportunities
SCAOHN Conference Scholarships
Don't forget scholarships are available SCAOHN Conferences! Click the link below for more information.
ABOHN Certification Reimbursement
If you have newly obtained your COHN, COHN-S or CM certification, click the link below for more information on ABOHN Certification Reimbursement! You may be eligible for $250 for COHN/COHN-S or $50 for CM.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety by Writing It Out
This summer we want to continue to highlight self-care. Self-care is taking time for you to improve yourself overall. A relatively quick and easy way to help with self-care is to journal. Journaling has many benefits including improving stress management, reducing anxiety, greater academic success, and improved physical well-being.
There are various styles of journaling and there is no right or wrong way to journal. The most important thing is taking the time to reflect. If you're curious about how to start, some strategies include just writing (e.g. setting a timer for 1 minute and writing the entire time, increase the time every few days), using prompts, maintaining a routine and using habit stacking.
Check out the article below for more information on the benefits of journaling, journaling styles, ways to start and prompts to spark ideas.
Occupational Health News
Monthly Health Awareness Topics
June
July
August
Certification Resources
For more information on obtaining COHN, COHN-S and CM certification, visit the ABOHN website by clicking the button below:
ABOHN offers a Certification Self-Assessment Tests (CSATs) that conform to the current exam blueprints and core contents.
AAOHN offers resources to help prepare for certification. For more information, visit the Online Education center by clicking the button below:
DataChem Software offers a COHN and COHN-S program to help prepare for ABOHN exams.
*ABOHN nor SCAOHN can recommend any specific course(s) or other resources that may prepare you for the examination. Additionally, the purchase of any products is NOT REQUIRED to apply or take ABOHN examinations.
Continuing Education
Looking for continuing education units (CEUs) or continuing nursing education (CNEs)? Check out the resources below!
Want to learn more about our mentor program?
Click the link below to contact us about the Mentor Program. Please be sure to include Mentor Program in your message.
Board of Directors
President: Ashley Atchley (ashley.atchley@milliken.com)
President-Elect: Beverly Moody (beverly.moody@srs.gov)
Secretary: Rebecca Howard (rebecca.howard@magna.com)
Treasurer: Ida Crosby (icrosby@ups.com)
Vendor Coordination Director: Karen Owens (karen.owens@milliken.com)
Membership Director: Melinda Green (melinda.green@milliken.com)
Communications Director: Felicia Delk (felicia.delk@srs.gov)
Nominations Chair: Angela Day (angela.day@magna.com)
Benefits of Membership: Quarterly Newsletters, Local Conferences (discounts for members), Benchmark Information (as requested and shared with members), Access to Members Only content on our website, and amazing networking opportunities with other OHNs.
We would like to thank our Partners and Friends for their sponsorship of SCAOHN!
Partners
Friends
Credits:
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