1) Exposure to psychological hazards was the highest (56.6%)
followed by accidental hazards (44%), chemical hazards (43.9%), and
biological hazards(39.8%), while the lowest was the physical
hazards(39.3%). Needle-stick injuries when using sharp devices were
reported by 45.5% of the students.The wide range of risks of health
professionals can be needle injury, backache problems, latex
allergy, violence, and stress. The hazards and risks
which affect the health status of the health professionals can be
grouped as biological, physical, ergonomic, chemical, and psycho
social.
2) The vast majority of nurses experience persistent job-related
pain. In a study in Iran, on average, the nurses reported
musculoskeletal pain in 3.33 regions and 89% had musculoskeletal
pain, mainly in lower back (74%) and knees (48.5%). In a study in
the Netherlands, 57% of nurses had musculoskeletal pain in at least
one region. In another study in Brazil, 80.7% of nurses complained
of musculoskeletal pain.Upper extremity, shoulder, and neck
injuries are also common among nurses. It seems that work-related
musculoskeletal pain and injuries are common among nurses all over
the world. Most of these pain and injuries are due to lifting and
moving patients manually.
Work overload and stress are other factors that threaten the health of nurses and can cause burnout and fatigue. Working in three shifts, in difficult settings such as oncology or emergency wards, and caring of incurable patients puts a considerable psychologic, spiritual, and physical pressures on nurses. As a result, fatigue is a common feeling among nurses. In a study, 43.4% of nurses reported excessive fatigue. Raftopoulos et al. also reported that 91.9% of Cypriot nurses had fatigue.
Communicable and contagious diseases and exposure to blood-borne pathogens (e.g., HIV, HCV, HBV, etc) due to needle-stick injuries also threaten the health of nurses. It is estimated that 600000 to 800000 needle-stick injuries occur each year in all healthcare settings. Injections (21%), suturing (17%), and drawing blood (16%) are the main causes of exposures. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), tuberculosis, and methicillin resistant staphylococcus infection are other infectious diseases that can afflict nurses.
Chemical materials are other hazardous sources to nurses. Disinfectants and sterility products such as glutaraldehyde and ethylene oxide, hazardous drugs such as drugs that are used during chemotherapy, and latex exposure are among other occupational hazards for nurses.
Nurses, especially in emergency department, continue to experience high rates of on-the-job violence. According to a 2011 study by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), the 53.4% of nurses reported experiencing verbal abuse and more than one in 10 (12.9%) reported experiencing physical violence.
These occupational hazards along with many other problems such as night shifts and sleep deprivation have changed nursing to a dangerous occupation that may explain the high rate of stopping the work in nursing. Some interventions including greater access to patient lifting and transfer devices and more use of safe needle devices can improve the situation. Every healthcare setting should address this important issue and give priority to the safety of nurses.
3) To change these types of incentives, all stakeholders
including accreditors, academics, and practitioners must be present
at the table and committed to making change.There needs to be equal
focus on working interprofessionally across education and
practice.The weak reliance on faculty as an educational resource
was likely a manifestation of the relationship not yet being
embedded and not yet being strong enough between the faculty and
the emerging clinical leaders.To move forward on retooling the
existing workforce, it is critical that the employers see the
urgency of doing so, and the potential return on
investment.
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