Occupational Health & Safety

Know Workplace Violence: Developing Programs for Managing the Risk of Aggression in the Health Care Setting

Strategies to prevent and manage violence and aggression in the health care setting have become a primary health and safety issue. A series of vignettes are provided to highlight key elements in developing a program for preventing behavioural violence and aggression in a tertiary hospital. Key components of the program include staff education and training, risk assessment and management practices, the use of patient contracts and policy development. The program aims to integrate and balance occupational health and safety obligations to staff with the duty of care owed to patients. [abstract]

Draft National Infection Prevention and Control Policy for TB, MDRTB and XDRTB

The goal of this policy is to help management and staff minimize the risk of TB transmission in health care facilities and other facilities where the risk of transmission of TB may be high due to high prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed TB such as prisons.

Needlestick Injuries in an Era of HIV: Technical and Personal Aspects

Hospitals are workplaces in which HIV has double significance. Needlestick accidents link patients, healthcare workers and cleaning staff through the risk of occupational exposure to HIV. Additionally, concern over needlestick injuries may embody HIV stigma, discrimination and fear. This paper draws on qualitative research from a one-year case study at a large, private South African healthcare company that runs a number of hospitals across the country. Issues surrounding needlestick injuries were discussed with hospital managers, union members, infection-control nurses, health and safety representatives, HIV/AIDS counsellors, and general nursing staff. [from abstract]

ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work

The objective of this code is to provide a set of guidelines to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world of work and within the framework of the promotion of decent work. The guidelines cover the following key areas of action: prevention of HIV/AIDS; management and mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work; care and support of workers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; elimination of stigma and discrimination on the basis of real or perceived HIV status. [from preface]

Tuberculosis among Health-Care Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: a Systematic Review

The risk of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patients to health-care workers is a neglected problem in many low- and middle-income countries. Most health-care facilities in these countries lack resources to prevent nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis. [author’s description]

Training Curriculum in Interpersonal Communication, Referral and Follow-up Process, and Selected Practices in Infection Prevention and Control

This training curriculum is a guide to assist trainers in improving health care by training health professionals in: interpersonal communication in information, education, and counseling; referral and follow up processes; and infection prevention and control practices. Materials in this document are designed for training service providers who work at a variety of health facilities in Iraq. The curriculum can be used to train health professionals including physicians, nurses, midwives and other health workers in group training or, with adaptation, as a basis for individualized or self-directed learning. [author’s description]

Bullying and Harassment at Work: a Good Practice Guide for RCN Negotiators and Health Care Managers

Many health care organisations recognise the importance of taking a proactive approach to dealing with workplace harassment and bullying. Its effects are harmful to all concerned – the people directly involved in a complaint, team members and the whole organisation…This document provides guidance for managers and RCN negotiators on good practice in dealing with workplace bullying and harassment. [from introduction]

Dealing with Bullying and Harassment: a Guide for Nursing Students

This guide is aimed mainly at nursing students. It should help you to: recognize if you or a collegue are being bullied or harassed; take action against bullying or harassment; raise awareness of the problem with employers, educators and students; encourage nursing educators and employers to carry through anti-harassment policies. [from introduction]

Reducing the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Nursing & Midwifery Personnel

These revised and expanded guidelines aim to help [national nursing associations], nursing and midwifery personnel, nurse managers, employers and others to address the educational needs and ethical responsibilities of nursing and midwifery personnel in reducing transmission of HIV/AIDS, HBV, HCV and tuberculosis; develop strategies for a safer work environment and increased protection for nursing and midwifery personnel; and address the socioeconomic welfare issues related to the health care needs, compensation and financial security of HIV-positive nursing and midwifery personnel.

Guidelines on Coping with Violence in the Workplace

The objectives of these guidelines are: to review the prevalence, incidence and impact of abuse and violence against nursing personnel, to recognise nurses’ responses to incidents of violence, to determine the major security factors acting on the workplace, and to present strategies that aim to confront and reduce/eliminate violence in the workplace. [adapted from introduction]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study: South Africa

The purpose of the study is to obtain information on the level of workplace violence in the health sector in South Africa. In particular this study examines the extent of workplace violence, factors that may contribute to violence and explore the most suitable strategies and appropriate policies to prevent and address violence in the workplace. [introduction]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: a Case Study in Thailand

This research report has been published to illustrate the situation of workplace violence in the health sector in Thailand as well as contributing factors to, the consequences, and management of that violence. [from preface]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: Portuguese Case Studies

These studies measure and characterize the problem of violence against health professionals in the workplace in selected settings in Portugal. They answer questions such as: Who are the most affected health professionals? What types of violence are most frequent? In what circumstances do episodes of violence happen? What are the institutional procedures? What are the consequences for the victims, the Institutions and the perpetrators? What is the positioning of the NHS managers, the professional councils the unions and the professional associations about this problem? [author’s description]

Violence Against Health Personnel in Some Health Care Units in Maputo City

This report results from a research project on violence against health care providers in selected health care units in Maputo city. The main objective of this work was to analyse the level of violence which existed in the hospitals of Maputo city, identifying the factors and forms of struggle or prevention of these events. [from introduction]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: Lebanon Country Case Study

This case study evaluates workplace violence in the health sector of Lebanon. Information for the study came from focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and a questionnaire.

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study: Bulgaria

This case study examines the problem of workplace violence in the health sector of Bulgaria through consulting, examination and content analysis of the information and research available as well as conducting 6 focus groups and a confidential sociological survey. [adapted from author]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study: Brazil

The objective of the country case studies consists in showing country-specific evidence and practical solutions concerning workplace violence in the health sector. By summarising existing information and analysing newly obtained information the study aims to identify risk factors as well as best practices of anti-violence interventions in the given socio-cultural context. This work will serve as a basis for the formulation of guidelines for prevention and coping strategies targeting issues of workplace violence in the health sector. [author’s description]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: a Case Study in Australia

This research study gathered baseline information about occupational violence in the health care industry in Australia, to identify the contexts in which violence most commonly occurs, and to provide guidance on high-risk sites and commonly reported patterns of violent incidents. [adapted from author]

Guidelines on Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: Comparison of Major Known National Guidelines and Strategies: United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, USA (OSHA and California)

The present study reviews and analyses major known national guidelines and strategies for prevention and management of workplace violence. The purpose is to get a detailed picture of strategies recommended, a better knowledge on existing guidance for employers and employees. Another objective is to obtain information on the implementation processes and the impact of the reviewed guidelines. Identification of good practices as well as gaps shall serve as a basis for lessons learnt for the development of future guidance materials.

Management of Workplace Violence Victims

This study aims to summarise information, research and practice relating to the management of workplace violence victims under a set outline. The objectives are to confirm the importance of victim management to minimise the consequences of workplace violence in the health sector; to present the range of measures being used to meet the needs of victims, management and policy-makers; and where possible, provide data suggesting effectiveness and sustainability of the various measures. [from introduction]

Relationship of Work Stress and Workplace Violence in the Health Sector

Based on extensive literature analysis, this study tackles, for the first time in an extensive way, the topical issues of stress and violence at work in the health sector. The study highlights the magnitude of the problem; the key-factors at stake; the way such factors inter-relate with each other; their impact on working conditions and employment; the cost to the individual, the enterprise and the community, and offers innovative approaches to cope in an effective way with such problems. [from summary]

Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: the Training Manual

This training manual is a complement to the Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector. It is a practical, user-friendly tool that builds on the policy approach of the guidelines. Representatives of governments, employers and workers would be well served to use the manual in training situations, so as to encourage social dialogue among health sector stakeholders and develop, in consultation, approaches to address violence in the workplace. [adapted from introduction]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: State of the Art

This State of the Art paper explores the literature and issues associated with violence in the health sector. It draws on the expertise of leading international experts in the field of violence at work, getting them to focus on the health sector. We assess in this paper the scope, definition and global context of workplace violence, information and reporting of violence, existing evidence of the prevalence of violence, the origins of violence, the impact of violence, and prevention and interventions to minimize workplace violence in the health sector.

Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector

The objective of these guidelines is to provide general guidance in addressing workplace violence in the health sector. Far from being in any way prescriptive, the guidelines should be considered a basic reference tool for stimulating the autonomous development of similar instruments specifically targeted at and adapted to different cultures, situations and needs. The guidelines cover prevention, management and mitigation of the impact of workplace violence, care and support of workers affected and sustainability of initiatives. [adapted from author]

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.

Taking Stock: Health Worker Shortages and the Response to AIDS

The response to AIDS depends largely on people who are themselves getting sick and dying. This is why there is now a need for more targeted interventions to support these health workers, enable them to deliver good care and keep them in their positions. [author’s description]

Reducing AIDS-Related Stigma and Discrimination in Indian Hospitals

AIDS-related stigma and discrimination is a pervasive problem worldwide. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in India, as elsewhere, face stigma and discrimination in a variety of contexts, including the household, community, workplace, and health care setting. Research in India has shown that stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people and those perceived to be infected are common in hospitals and act as barriers to seeking and receiving critical treatment and care services (UNAIDS 2001). Recognizing the need to move beyond documentation of the problem, three New Delhi hospitals; SHARAN, an Indian NGO; and the Horizons Program, with support from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), carried out an operations research project to develop and test responses to hospital-based stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

Infection Prevention Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities with Limited Resources

A key purpose of the manual is to enable hospital administrators, clinic managers and healthcare professionals working in limited resource settings to develop their own uniform infection prevention policies and service delivery guidelines. It is recognized, however, that the strategies, priorities and proven methods of infection risk reduction described in this manual will need to be adapted to reflect the existing conditions in each country. Only through this process can much needed changes be implemented and patient care in hospitals and clinics improved. [from preface]

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]

Workplace Violence Policy

This document contains suggestions for creating a workplace violence policy, a sample corporate policy and a sample workplace violence policy statement.