ABSTRACT
This study aims at examining the occupational health hazards
associated with nursing care and its prevention. This descriptive survey was
carried out to investigate the level of awareness of the occupational health
hazards associated with nursing care. The study population consisted of twenty
five (25) nurses of varying categories working in sixteen public health
facilities in Esan West Local Government Area, Edo state. A validated
structured questionnaire developed with reliability of 0.72 was used to collect
information. Data collected were analyzed using the SPSS package version 21.0.
The results revealed that 32.0% of the respondents were males, 68.0% were
females, and 32.0% were single while 68.0% were married. Among the respondents,
40.0% were between 21-25 years of age, 24.0% between 26-30 years, 12.0% between
31-35years, 20.0% between 36-40 years and 4.0% between 41 years and above. The
respondents were drawn from different work units with various professional
statuses. It was found that 96.0% of the respondents knew that the profession
is prone to occupational hazards, and as expressed by 92.0% of the respondents,
blood borne infection, needle prick, attack by patients and back injury are the
commonest hazard, followed by neck and back pain as attested to by 76.0% of the
nurses. Use of protective gadgets, following simple hygiene and provision of
protective aids and equipments among others, are the most notable way of
avoiding occupational hazards as attested to by 100.0% respondents. From the
findings, it was observed that there is a significant relationship between
nurses’ level of awareness of health hazards and the implementation of measures
to prevent occupational health hazards. Nursing professionals should therefore
make conscious and concerted efforts to minimize avoidable occupational hazards
in the course of discharging their duties, so that their health would not be
jeopardized.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study and
Definition of Terms
In many hospitals in the world, there
seem to be no form of organized occupational health program for health workers
and many of the workers may not be so conscious of the magnitude of their
professional hazards and risk to their health and survival (Georgia, 2010).
Occupational health has been defined as all activities aimed at maintaining the
highest level of health and safety for people who are engaged in any type of
work (Asuzu et al., 2004). This
definition was further elaborated on at the first session of the joint
International Labour Organization (ILO) World Health organization (WHO) expert
committee on occupational health and safety which gave the aims and objectives
of occupational health as promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of
physical, mental, and social in well-being of workers in all occupational;
prevention among workers of departure from health caused by their working
condition and protection of workers from risk resulting from factors adverse to
health as well as planning and maintenance of workers in an occupational
environment adapted to his physiological well-being (Asuzu et al., 2004).
Hazard is defined as anything that poses
a threat (Asogwa, 2006). Therefore occupational health hazards simply put is
any form of work, materials, substance or process arising from employment which
poses threat or risk to the health and well-being of a person (Ajayi, 2010). Occupational
hazards could be physical, chemical, biological, mechanical and psychosocial
(Bolanle et al., 2010). Specific
occupational hazards for health workers include infection, back injuries,
repetitive strain injuries, shift work, violence, radiation, chemicals and
noise (Shimizu, 2007). There are universal safety precautions that serve as
time appropriate forestalling tools for occupational health hazards. Ultimately
the nurse has specific roles to play in ensuring occupational health safety.
Importantly, this study was motivated by the need to examine the specific roles
played by the nurses in preventing occupational health hazards.
Statement of Problem
Every year throughout the world,
millions of occupational accidents and illnesses occur causing death, permanent
disability, waste of time and money. The hospital is not exempted from these
work related hazards. According to ILO report in 2001, about 6,000 workers died
due to occupational accidents and disease. Out of 270 million accidents, each
year, 350,000 are fatal. People generally think of occupational hazards as
occurring only in heavy industries. However health care facilities present
workers with a myriad of potential health and safety hazards. Analysis by Gun
(2009) which compares the rate of acute and chronic conditions for hospital
workers had a significantly greater incidence of acute conditional compared
with workers in all other occupation, the risk of hospital workers was about
1.5 times greater than for all workers. He also noted that hospital workers
have a greater percentage of compensation claims. The situation is the same if
not worse in the developing countries. In the light of the above facts the
researcher has decided to examine the occupational health hazards associated
with nursing care at selected Primary Health Care Center, Ekpoma, Edo State.
Aim and Objectives of the Study
This
study aims at examining the occupational health hazards associated with nursing
care and its prevention with the following specific objectives:
i.
To assess the nurse’s level of awareness
of occupational health hazards associated with nursing care.
ii. To
access the nurses level of awareness of measures in the prevention of
occupational health hazard.
iii. To
access nurses level of implementation of the preventive measures.
Significance of the
Study
Occupational hazards of health workers
are only beginning to attract attention in this part of the world especially,
Edo State, Nigeria. Even in the developed countries such as the United State of
America, it was in 1997 that the center for disease control and prevention,
National institute for occupational safety and health first published the
criteria for effective hospital health program and in 2002, published
guidelines for infection control in the hospital (Oha, 2002). In many of the
hospital in Nigeria there seem to be no form of organized occupational health
program for health workers and many of the health workers may not be conscious
of the magnitude of professional health hazards and risk to their health and
survival. The policy makers and various hospital managements do not seem to
give any meaningful attention to this. The seemingly noticeable evidence of
government concerns is seen in the paltry hazard allowance incorporated in the
worker’s salary, which is not commensurate with the magnitude of hazards to
which workers are exposed with immense consequences on their health. There is
then the necessity to educate health workers. It is hoped that the finding of
this work will assist and encourage nurses and other health workers to know the
common occupational hazards and how to prevent them. Furthermore, it will
encourage government and other agencies to inculcate educational health
programs for health workers in Edo state and Nigeria in general.
Research Questions
The following research questions have
been proposed to guide the study:
i.
What is the level of nurse’s awareness
of occupational health hazards associated with nursing care?
ii.
What is the degree of nurses’ knowledge
of the preventive measures of occupational health hazards?
iii.
Do nurses implement the known preventive
measures of occupational health hazards?
Research Hypothesis
There is no relationship between nurse’s
knowledge of health hazards and the implementation of measures to prevent
occupational health hazards.
Scope of the Study
This research work was limited to nurses
of all rank at the time of conducting this research. The researcher in this
work studied occupational health hazards associated with nursing care in some
Primary Health Care Center in Ekpoma. In addition the study attempted to
explore nurses’ level of awareness of occupational health hazard, the
preventives strategies as well as examining the extent to which nurses
implement these preventive strategies.
Operational Definition
of Terms
Occupation:
A term described by the oxford advance dictionary as relating to a particular
job or employment.
Hazards: the
oxford advance dictionary defines a hazard as a danger or risk
Nursing care:
The assistance of an individual by a nurse to prevent injury, illness or
death.
Health:
The level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living organism i.e. a
state of complete physical, mental and social well-being of an individual.
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