Organizational Factors Associated with Health Worker Protection: A Participatory Mixed-Method Cross-Sectional Analysis in Four Provinces of South Africa

Background: Health workers, in short supply in many low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during their employment. This study aimed to assess how South Africa, an LMIC, prepared to protect its health workers from SARS-CoV-2. Methods: This was a participatory mixed method study conducted in four provinces of South Africa. We used a semi-structured questionnaire and a walkthrough survey to collect data on occupational safety and health (OSH) systems in 45 hospitals across four provinces to identify factors associated with health worker protection. Adapting the International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO) HealthWISE tool, we compiled compliance scores through walkthrough surveys. For the questionnaire, the participants were provincial OSH managers. For the walkthrough survey, they were frontline health workers, facility managers, and OSH and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) professionals. We used logistic regression to analyze the relationship between readiness indicators and the actual implementation of protective measures. We also evaluated the association between OSH compliance and hospital infection rates.Results: We found that health facilities in all four provinces had SARS-CoV-2 plans for the general population but no comprehensive OHS plan for health workers. Province A and D Provincial Department of Health (PDoH) had an OSH SARS-CoV-2 provincial coordinating team and a dedicated budget for occupational health. Province A had an occupational health doctor and an occupational health nurse, while Province B had an occupational health nurse. Province A and D PDoHs had functional OSH committees, and Province D had conducted some health risk assessments specific to SARS-CoV-2. However, none of the assessed health facilities had an acceptable HealthWISE compliance score (≥ 75%) due to poor ventilation and inadequate administrative control measures. While the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) was adequate, PPE was often not worn properly. Our study found that having an OSH SARS-CoV-2 policy was significantly associated with higher PPE and ventilation scores. In addition, our analysis showed that hospitals with higher compliance scores had significantly lower infection rates (IRR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97, 0.98).Conclusions: Despite some initial preparedness, greater effort to protect health workers is still warranted. LMICs may need to pay more attention to OSH systems and consider using tools, such as ILO/WHO HealthWISE tool, to protect health workers' health.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a vaccine preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The occupational health nurse should be aware of the signs and symptoms of the virus, educate workers about the infection, and recommend immunization for workers traveling or working in high-risk areas for hepatitis A.

Visual Performance and Occupational Safety Among Aging Workers

With the rapid growth of the aging workforce, age-related conditions may negatively influence overall workplace safety and health among these workers and their employers. In this summary, we have outlined details about visual acuity, glare sensitivity, and contrast sensitivity, which are common age-related vision changes that can potentially affect their occupational safety. The occupational health nurse is well positioned to address these concerns by instructing aging workers about potential development of vision change and ensuring they receive the appropriate vision screening. By assisting employers to modify work environments to accommodate this population, the occupational health nurse can reduce the risk of injury, as well as positively impact the health of their aging workforce.

Effects of Obesity Management Program Provided by Occupational Health Nurse in Worksite

This study was conducted on 60 male adult technicians in the worksite to examine the impact of the obesity management program on their eating habits, exercise self-efficacy, quality of life, and body components. This was a nonrandomized pretest and posttest intervention study. The obesity management program was applied for 16 weeks on diet education, exercise, and counseling provided by the occupational health nurse in the worksite. The questionnaire for measure included the general characteristics, eating habits, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life. Body components were measured by using the InBody 720 device. The participants who received the obesity management program showed better eating habits, a higher level of exercise self-efficacy, a higher level of quality of life, lower levels of body weight and body mass index (BMI), a smaller waist and hip circumference, and a higher level of muscle mass as compared with the preapplication.

The Opioid Epidemic and the Role of the Occupational Health Nurse

The opioid epidemic is a national public health crisis. It began with the misuse of commonly used prescription opioid pain relievers and has led to the increased use of heroin and illicit fentanyl. Large-scale initiatives have begun on the federal and state level and place an emphasis on improved opioid prescribing, which have important implications for the workplace. Treatment of work injury may initiate the use of prescription opioids and result in misuse and possible overdose. Prescription drug abuse affects all aspects of society so potentially any workplace could be affected. A multifaceted approach is needed to reduce opioid morbidity and mortality and the occupational health nurse should be actively involved. The intent of this article is to provide an overview of the epidemic and its impact on health, the challenges for the workplace, and recommended strategies for the occupational health nurse to impact the problem.

Comprehensive Review of Nutrition Components for Occupational Health Nurses—Part 2

This article, the second in a two-part series, reviews and examines the components of clinical nutrition. In Part 2, the authors discuss nutritional components of fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. A resource guide is provided for the occupational health nurse to assist in the implementation of employee education in the area of healthy nutrition. The intent of the articles is to acquaint and inform the occupational health nurse on the current guidelines for healthy eating so she or he can better appraise their employee population, thus creating a healthier workforce. The information provided is not all-inclusive on the topics discussed but it provides a foundation for a better understanding of the requirements for healthy eating.