Nursing Students’ Occupational Health and Safety Problems in Surgical Clinical Practice

Semra Eyi,İbrahim Eyi

doi:10.1177/2158244020901801

Abstract

Student nurses are exposed to hazards in terms of occupational health and safety (OHS) problems in Turkey. Researching these problems in the clinical setting, improving the health and safety of student nurses is an issue that needs to be investigated. The aim of this study is to present OHS-related impressions and OHS experiences of nursing students in relation to the risk assessment process and from an educational perspective. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 140 students at a nursing school. The study indicated that almost all of the students’ OHS knowledge and awareness level were low, were exposed to contact with blood and body fluids as most dangerous situations, have difficulties in the provision of personnel protective equipment (PPE), were subjected to verbal assault, and experienced anxiety and irritability. They encountered dangerous situations applying treatment in the clinic, preparing drugs, following vital signs, giving general care, and during the intervention in the emergency room, and experienced back pain, headache, increased tendency to sleep, fatigue, and forearm, wrist, hand, and finger injuries. Because of contact with hand antiseptic/latex, skin irritation, and burning eyes, nose, and throat, allergy symptoms were detected. Carelessness and intensive work tempo were the most common causes of workplace accidents. The clinical practice areas are limited in terms of OHS; students are exposed to physical, psychological, and chemical risks with respect to OHS, and they are most psychologically affected by experiencing anxiety and irritability, as well as physiologically, and have symptoms similar to burnout syndrome; they are at risk of getting burnout syndrome.

Highlights

As the health sector is one of the most risky groups in terms of occupational accidents and diseases, the World Health Organization emphasizes that hospitals are the primary priority in preventing workplace hazards (Cheah et al, 2012; Elewa & Sahar Banan, 2016)
The findings were handled within the framework of risk assessment, identifying threats, detection of occupational health and safety (OHS) situation nursing students, risk control assessment, and evaluation subheadings
This study has demonstrated that the conditions of OHS in clinical practice areas are very limited for students

Summary

Introduction

As the health sector is one of the most risky groups in terms of occupational accidents and diseases, the World Health Organization emphasizes that hospitals are the primary priority in preventing workplace hazards (Cheah et al, 2012; Elewa & Sahar Banan, 2016). Nurses, who are the most important members of the health care team, who provide direct care to the patient in surgical units, are exposed to numerous occupational hazards, such as drugs, chemicals, infectious agents, lack of materials and ergonomic conditions, heavy working, and excessive workload, and they have physical (needle stinging, penetrating stab injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and pain, cancer resulting from night work, hearing loss, and varicose veins), chemical (skin problems, latex allergies), biological (infectious diseases), and psychological (stress, burnout syndrome, mental health problems, sleep disorders) problems

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion