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172 unit 3 | Professional Issues CikguOnline
Almost half our waking hours are spent in the
workplace. For this reason alone, the quality of the Threats to Safety
workplace environment is a major concern. Yet, it is Working in a health-care facility is reported to be
neglected to a surprising extent in many health-care one of the most dangerous jobs in the United
organizations. It is neglected by administrators who States. The Department of Labor reports that a
would never allow peeling paint or poorly main- health-care worker in a nursing facility is more likely
tained equipment but who leave their staff, their to be injured on the job than a coal miner. Health
most costly and valuable resource, unmaintained and safety threats in the nursing workplace include
and unrefreshed. The “do more with less” thinking infectious diseases, physical violence, ergonomic
that has predominated many organizations places injuries related to the movement and repositioning
considerable pressure on staff and management of patients, exposure to hazardous chemicals and
alike (Chisholm, 1992). Improvement of the work- radiation, and sharps injuries (ANA, 2007).
place environment is more difficult to accomplish Health care is the second-fastest-growing sector
under these circumstances, but it is more important of the U.S.economy,employing more than 12 million
than ever. workers. Women represent nearly 80% of the
Much of the responsibility for enhancing the health-care workforce. Health-care workers face a
workplace rests with upper-level management, wide range of hazards on the job, including needle-
people who have the authority and resources to stick injuries, back injuries, latex allergy, violence,
encourage organization-wide growth and change. and stress. Although it is possible to prevent or
Nurses, however, have begun to take more respon- reduce health-care worker exposure to these haz-
sibility for identification of and problem solving for ards, health-care workers are experiencing increas-
workplace issues. This chapter focuses on these ing numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses;
issues, in addition to sexual harassment, impaired rates of occupational injury have risen over the past
workers, enhancement of work-life quality, diversity, decade. By contrast, two of the most hazardous
and disabled workers. industries, agriculture and construction, are safer
today than they were a decade ago. NIOSH-TIC-2
Workplace Safety is a searchable bibliographical database of occupa-
tional safety and health publications, documents,
Safety is not a new concept in the workplace. The grant reports, and journal articles supported in
modern movement began during the Industrial whole or in part by the NIOSH (cdc.gov/niosh/
Revolution. In 1913, the National Council for topics/healthcare/).
Industrial Safety (now the National Safety In spring 2001, a Florida nurse with 20 years’
Council) was formed.The Occupational Safety and psychiatric nursing experience died of head and
Health Act of 1970 created both the National face trauma. Her assailant, a former wrestler, had
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health been admitted involuntarily in the early morning to
(NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health the private mental health–care facility. An investi-
Administration (OSHA). The OSHA, part of the gation found that the facility did not have a policy
U.S. Department of Labor, is responsible for devel- on workplace violence and no method of summon-
oping and enforcing workplace safety and health ing help in an emergency (Arbury, 2002).
regulations. The NIOSH, part of the U.S. Six hundred thousand to one million needlestick
Department of Health and Human Services, pro- injuries occur annually to U.S. health-care workers.
vides research, information, education, and training Percutaneous exposure is the principal route for
in occupational safety and health. The National human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis
Safety Council (NSC) partners with the OSHA to B and C virus transmission. Additionally, infections
provide training in a variety of safety initiatives. such as tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, and herpes
The NSC maintains that safety in the workplace is can be transmitted through needlesticks.
the responsibility of both the employer and the Threats to safety in the workplace vary from one
employee.The employer must ensure a safe, health- setting to another and from one individual to
ful work environment, and employees are account- another. A pregnant staff member may be more
able for knowing and following safety guidelines vulnerable to risks from radiation; staff members
and standards (National Safety Council, 1992). working in the emergency room of a large urban