Organizational Factors and Health Care Workers' Physical Safety

The purpose of this study was to determine what factors within a health care organization relate to the occurrence of needlestick injuries (NSIs) among Health care workers (HCW). To do this a systems approach was taken. The overall hypothesis was that factors external to the HCWs were related to the occurrence of NSIs and, therefore, the focus of NSI prevention should be taken off the individual. A mail-out questionnaire was completed by 209 Alberta nurses. From the data generated, a structural equation model was tested which examined factors at many levels of a health care organization as well as those associated with HCWs which may be predictive of the occurrence of NSIs. There was support for the hypothesis that organizational factors, not individual ones, account for the most variance in unsafe needle handling behaviours and NSIs. Discussion centers on the specific factors found to be most related to NSIs and possible human factors interventions.

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Trapped in the COVID-19 pandemic: The effect of risk concern and emotions on burnout among health care workers

Psicologia ◽

10.17575/psicologia.v35i1.1697 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 163-173

Author(s):

Inês Carneiro Sousa ◽

Teresa Almeida ◽

Catarina Correia Leal

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Risk Group ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Well Being ◽

High Risk Group ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Care Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic poses critical challenges for the health care workers (HCWs) around the world due to the increasing demands imposed on health care systems. This study aims to investigate how risk concern impacts burnout via positive and negative affect. Further, the moderating role of risk exposure (low, medium, and high) in this parallel mediation model is examined. A sample of 257 Portuguese HCWs answered a questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was applied. Results showed that risk concern positively influences negative affect – but not positive affect – and, consequently, burnout. Contrary to our expectations, this indirect effect was not greater for individuals in the high-risk group (vs. low-risk group), which can be explained by individual and organizational factors' buffering role. These findings draw healthcare organizations' attention to the hazardous effects of risk concern on HCWs' well-being.

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Use of hand-held computers to determine the relative contribution of different cognitive, attitudinal, social, and organizational factors on health care workers' decision to decontaminate hands

American Journal of Infection Control ◽

10.1016/j.ajic.2013.08.010 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 133-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Karen Lee ◽

Emma Burnett ◽

Kenny Morrison ◽

Ian Ricketts

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Care Workers

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Occupational Health and Infection Control Practices Related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Health Care Worker Perceptions

AAOHN Journal ◽

10.1177/216507990505300606 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 257-266 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

David M. Moore ◽

Mark Gilbert ◽

Sharon Saunders ◽

Elizabeth Bryce ◽

Annalee Yassi

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Occupational Health ◽

Infection Control ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Individual Factors ◽

Care Workers ◽

Canadian Provinces ◽

Tract Infections

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 was largely driven by hospital-associated transmission where health care workers experienced the largest burden of disease. In attempting to improve occupational health and infection control procedures to prevent occupationally acquired infections in health care workers, it is important to examine the perceptions of those workers who are expected to adhere to specific policies. The authors conducted 15 focus groups of health care workers representing seven different job classifications in two Canadian provinces where SARS outbreaks occurred in 2003 using a theoretical framework which divided factors associated with self-protective behaviour at work into organizational, environmental, and individual factors. Content analysis of these discussions revealed that workers placed more importance on organizational factors than environmental and individual factors. The results are similar to those of a recently completed literature review of this subject, and should be considered when developing new occupational health initiatives to protect health care workers from existing or emerging respiratory tract infections.

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