Health Care : Current Reviews

Risks and exposures encountered by nurses in their working environment

10^th Asia Pacific Global Summit on Healthcare

March 12-14, 2018 Singapore

Ayse Beser, Bahar Z, Cal A, Cavusoglu F and Topcu S

Koc University School of Nursing, Turkey
Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey
Ege University, Turkey

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Health Care Current Reviews

Abstract:

Healthy and safe working environment and safe employment are important for all people, especially for health professionals. They can be exposed to various occupational risks while offering health care. It is essential to diagnose these risks on time and to take necessary measures against them. This study was directed towards evaluating risks and exposures which nurses face in their working environment. The study has a descriptive design and was conducted in Ondokuz Mayıs University Hospital between September and October in 2015. 309 nurses not on a work leave at the time of data collection and volunteering to participate in the study formed the study sample. Data were collected with a questionnaire developed by the researchers in light of the literature and composed of 26 questions about socio-demographic features, features of working environment and risks, the nurses likely to face. Data were analyzed with SPSS 21 and evaluated with percentages, mean and Chi-square test. The mean age of the nurses was 35±7.83 years and duration of work experience was 13.9±8.6 years. Most of the nurses were working in the surgical units (43.6%) and were registered nurses (60.5%). The most frequent risk threatening health is infectious diseases, followed by ergonomic problems and physical and verbal violence. 35% of the nurses had a medical report in the last one year due to work related conditions. 43.20% of the nurses did not know whether there was a worker safety unit and 24.5% did not have vaccinations against occupational risks and diseases. aysebeser@ku.edu.tr