Occupational Health & Safety

Relationship Experiences of Professional Nurses with Nurse Mangers

This qualitative study was undertaken to explore and describe the experiences of professional nurses in their relationships with nurse managers. [from abstract]

National Impact: Local Ownership of Health Workforce Initiatives in Uganda

This document discusses the in-country ownership of health initiatives from the Health Sector Strategic Plan focusing on critical areas such as retention, recruitment and occupational safety.

Psychosocial Health Risk Factors and Resources of Medical Students and Physicians: a Cross-Sectional Study

Epidemiological data indicate elevated psychosocial health risks for physicians, e. g., burnout, depression, marital disturbances, alcohol and substance abuse, and suicide. The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial health resources and risk factors in profession-related behaviour and experience patterns of medical students and physicians that may serve as a basis for appropriate health promoting interventions. [from abstract]

Caring for Caregivers: an HIV/AIDS Workplace Intervention for Hospital Staff in Zambia, Evaluation Results

There has been little research on HIV incidence or prevalence among hospital staff worldwide, and even less on modes of transmission among those infected. Recent evidence from South Africa suggests that HIV prevalence among health care personnel may not differ greatly from the general population. This evaluation study describes the significant effect of HIV morbidity and mortality among the workers in Zambia’s health care system. [adapted from introduction]

Swaziland Nurses the Wellbeing of Its Health Workers

Swaziland has taken the lead in caring for overburdened health workers with the opening of the first Wellness Centre in Manzini for them and their families. This article reports on this innovative response to the deepening crisis in human resources for health in sub-Saharan Africa. [adapted from author]

Role of the Physical and Social Environment in Promoting Health, Safety, and Effectiveness in the Healthcare Workplace

The objective of this study was to examine how the physical environment, along with other factors such as culture and social support, impact the health and safety of the care team, effectiveness of the healthcare team in providing care and preventing medical errors, and patient and practitioner satisfaction with the experience of giving and receiving care. [adapted from abstract]

Within Our Grasp: Healthy Workplace Action Strategy for Success and Sustainability in Canada's Healthcare System

The health and well-being of the health workforce and the quality of the healthcare work environment has a profound impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare services. This resource identifies priority actions that are known to improve the workplace and that can be implemented quickly and efficiently. The actions focus on both system wide and organizational performance improvement on specific areas relating to quality work life. [from executive summary]

Creating an Enabling Working Environment for Good Management in the District

This presentation was given at the First Forum on Human Resources for Health in Kampala. It outlines the internal and external environmental issues for district medical officers and describes what these officers need in terms of support.

Positive Practice Environments

Positive practice environments are settings that support excellence and decent work. In particular, they strive to ensure the health, safety and personal well-being of staff, support quality patient care and improve the motivation, productivity and performance of individuals and organisations. [from author]

Caring for Healthcare Workers: a Global Perspective

This article reflects on the state of the art in providing a safe working environment for HCWs and to consider a future path towards equitable access to its basic elements. [author’s description]

Positive Practice Environments: Quality Workplaces, Quality Patient Care: Information and Action Tool Kit

This toolkit explores the nurse/workplace interface, overlapping factors that shape nurses’ work environments, the cost of unhealthy workplaces, and the characteristics and benefits of positive practice environments. A list of recommended actions and tools to help nurses negotiate for improved environments is also included. [from introduction]

Lone Working Survey

The National Health Service published guidance to help protect staff who work alone and who do not have access to immediate support from colleagues or others. This guidance provides a template from which local employers can develop procedures and systems to protect lone workers. It contains information on how technology can be used to help provide a safer environment and to help nurses feel more confident about their personal safety. The RCN wanted to find out if the situation for nurses working in the community has improved since 2005, their perception of risk, their experiences of assault and abuse, whether technology has been provided, and how incidents are handled.

Creating High-Quality Health Care Workplaces

The question guiding the paper is: “What are the key ingredients of a high-quality work environment in Canada’s health care sector and how can this goal be achieved?” Synthesizing insights from a variety of research streams, the paper identifies many ingredients needed to create a high-quality workplace. We take a multidisciplinary and holistic approach, which complements other research initiatives on health human resources. [from abstract]

Occupational Health and Safety Management Programme for Nurses

Nurses are falling ill, incurring workplace injuries, and suffering disabilities from exposure to workplace hazards. As a result, the global community is losing critical members of the health care team, compounding the already existing nurse staffing crisis and adversely affecting the health and well-being of the world’s population. Yet, despite the evidence of broad support for health and safety programmes, nurses worldwide continue to be exposed to serious and preventable work place hazards. [from introduction]

At Breaking Point: a Survey of the Wellbeing and Working Lives of Nurses in 2005

The RCN commissioned a survey of 6,000 members in 2000 to explore nurses’ wellbeing and working lives. The results subsequently helped shape RCN policy and materials for members on topics such as bullying and harassment, violence, needlestick injury and employee-friendly working practices. Five years later, the RCN has commissioned a second survey looking at a similar range of issues. This report documents the findings of that survey, and describes differences between the 2000 and 2005 survey findings. [introduction]

Creating Healthy Health Care Workplaces in British Columbia: Evidence for Action

The intent of the report is to stimulate creative discussions among [British Colubia’s] health system stakeholders about opportunities for coordinated action on employee and workplace health. The best available evidence suggests that the scope and depth of workplace health challenges today require solutions that go beyond traditional workplace health promotion programs.

Positive Practice Environments: Key Considerations for the Development of a Framework to Support the Integration of International Nurses

This paper focuses on nurses who have migrated and are registered/licensed/authorized to practice, post-adaptation/orientation, and are working as a nurse in a given country. The term international nurse is used for nurses who have been educated abroad and have either been recruited or have chosen to migrate.

Qualitative Study on the Relationship Between Doctors and Nurses Offering Primary Health at KwaNobuhle (Uitenhage)

Historically, the doctor-nurse relationship is an unequal one characterised by the dominance of the doctor, with nurses assuming a position of lower status and dependence on physicians. Both professions have however demonstrated a willingness to promote teamwork in hospitals. This was a descriptive qualitative study in which the experiences of Kwa-Nobuhle general practitioners and professional nurses were explored. [from author’s description]

Terms of Employment and Working Conditions in Health Sector Reforms

This report has been prepared by the International Labour Office as the basis for discussions at the Joint Meeting on Terms of Employment and Working Conditions in Health Sector Reforms. It reviews the impact of health sector reforms on health workers and the implications of changes in employment and pay, labour relations, working conditions and terms of employment on the general performance of health systems in the light of the links between health policy, human health and the economy. [preface]

Gender Issues in Safety and Health at Work: Summary of an Agency Report

There are substantial differences in the working lives of women and men and this affects their occupational safety and health (OSH). The Community strategy on health and safety at work has mainstreaming, or integrating, gender into occupational safety and health activities as an objective. To support this, the Agency has produced a report examining gender differences in workplace injury and illness, gaps in knowledge and the implications for improving risk prevention. This factsheet summarizes the main findings. [adapted from publisher’s description]

Gender Issues in Safety and Health at Work: A Review

The aim of this report is not only to give a clear overview of gender differences in safety and health at work and how they arise, but also to provide information about what this means for prevention and how a gender-sensitive approach can be taken in occupational safety and health. [from preface]

Mainstreaming Gender into Occupational Safety and Health

This report is the outcome of a seminar held in Brussels on 15th June 2004. The aims of the seminar were firstly to share information on gender and occupational safety and health (OSH) issues, including a gender-sensitive approach in OSH and how gender can be mainstreamed into OSH, and secondly to facilitate discussion and debate among EU and national authorities, social partners and experts on how to take forward gender issues in OSH. It includes proposals for taking forward gender issues in OSH. [Publisher’s description]

Creating a Work Climate that Motivates Staff and Improves Performance

This issue outlines the connections between work climate, employee motivation, and performance. It describes how managers can assess the climate in their work group and shows how they can use the results to make changes in leadership and management practices that will motivate their group to do the best work possible and improve results. [editor’s description]

Doctors' Views of Working Conditions in Rural Hospitals in the Western Cape

There has been a lively debate in the media about working conditions in rural South African Hospitals, with a particular focus on staffing and quality of care. From a medical perspective, it has been stated that poorly equipped and managed hospitals, inappropriate training and an excessive workload are significant contributors to the problem. This study was conducted to investigate the experiences of medical practitioners in performing their professional duties in rural district hospitals in the Western Cape. [from abstract]