Nursing Hazards

Hazards of all types can exist in healthcare facilities and organizations must take steps to identify and control these hazards. Conducting periodic tours, inspections, and surveys can help identify and control hazards. Organizations with established safety cultures can rely on staff vigilance to help identify hazards and prevent accidents. Healthcare supervisors must also focus on correcting unsafe acts and behaviors. Facility personnel at all levels should learn to observe hazards and behaviors that could contribute to accidents. Senior leaders should stress the importance of job safety education and training. Supervisors should communicate the need for personal involvement in safety and hazard control efforts. 

Advise leaders, supervisors, and the safety committee about hazards and safety issues Use good communication and human relations skills to help achieve safety objectives Seek ways to help in the development, implementation, and maintenance of safety plans Promote safety awareness throughout the nursing unit and the organization Get involved with organizational hazard surveys and environmental tour efforts Provide input and suggestions that address the development and evaluation of safety training 

Understand the importance of timely accident reporting, investigations, and hazard 

Ensure compliance with safety and lire regulatory standards and codes Participate in organizational root cause analysis sessions as necessary to identify causal factors 

Attend professional education sessions to stay current with healthcare safety and health issues 

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Ramsay, J., Denny, F., Szirotnyak, K., Thomas, J., Comeliuson, E., Paxton, K. L. (2006). Identifying nursing hazards in the emergency department A new approach to nursing job hazard analysis. Journal of Safety Research, 37, 63-74. 

Controlling legionella m nursing and residential care homes Chemical reaction hazards and the risk of thermal runaway... 

Medical surveillance programs range from support contracts with local hospitals or physicians to full-scale on-site occupational health organizations that include physicians, nurses, and technicians who are employed by prime contractors. The option selected depends on the size of the project, the nature of the hazards involved, the capabilities of local facilities, and the resources available. 

In 2001, the agency released a public health advisory to hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities about the hazards of mix-ups between medical gases, which are prescription drugs. In one case, a nursing home in Ohio reported four deaths after an employee mistakenly connected nitrogen to the oxygen system. 

Welch LW. 1998. Reproductive and developmental hazards - an overview for occupational and environmental health nurses. AAOHN J 46(2) 57-65. 

Driving and hazardous work should not be performed while taking benzodiazepines because they can impair mental alertness and coordination. Persons taking any of the benzodiazepine medications should never drink alcohol. Use during pregnancy and nursing should be avoided as well. 

K. Hemminki, P. Kyyrdnen and M-L. Lindbohm. Spontaneous abortions and malformations in the offspring of nurses exposed to anesthetic gases, cytostatic drugs and other potential health hazards in hospitals based on registered information of outcome. J. Epid. Comm. Health 39, 1985, 141. 

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