Assessment of Occupational Hazards Among Students of Nursing And Midwifery in Clinical Practice, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2009
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Date
2009-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: In their every day clinical practice, Nurses and Midwife students are at risk
of occupational hazards especially risk of exposure to blood born pathogens potentially
resulting to infections. The Nurse and Midwife students are prone to occupational health
hazards and they are unrecognized group of health care providers. High levels of
occupational hazards are believed to affect students’ health and academic functions. If the
occupational hazards are not dealt with effectively, feeling of loneliness, sleeplessness
and worrying may result. Effective coping strategies facilitate the return to a balanced
state, reducing the negative effects of occupational hazards.
Therefore, it is better to identify the occupational hazards that the Nurses and Midwife
students face during their clinical practice and mechanisms of coping or preventing the
occupational hazards. In order to have healthy and productive Nurses and Midwife
graduates for the country, assessing the occupational hazards they face in their clinical
practice and prompt intervention is very necessary.
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the occupational hazards faced by the
Nurses and Midwife students during their clinical practice in all Degree program Nursing
and Midwifery Schools in Addis Ababa.
Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted from November 2008 to
June 2009. 422 self administered questionnaire was distributed to 6 Health College Nurse
and Midwife students who were systematically sampled and all have been filled and
returned with much effort. The study populations were all of the systematically sampled
of the regular Nurses and Midwifery day Degree program students of the six Nursing and
Midwifery Schools excluding evening and 1st year students. Data was coded and
analyzed using SPSS version 11 for computing frequency distributions. Greater number
of responses and percentages were calculated.
Result: The majority of the respondents (51.1%) knowledge of occupational hazards was
gained from Nursing and Midwifery Schools, followed by books (16.6%) and Journals,
(9. 2%). Majority of the study population (93.1%) indicated that they have got needle
prick, blood splash and skin cuts during their clinical practice. The result confirms that all
the factors mentioned in the work plan such as physical, biological, psychosocial and
mechanical factors cause occupational hazards in the clinical practice.
Conclusion and recommendation
The study showed high rate of occupational hazards and the strongest predictor of needle
prick injury, blood splash, and skin cuts, Nurse and Midwife students at risk for blood
born pathogens. A safe and healthy practical area for Nurse and Midwife students is
necessary for safe patient care and implementing control measures as well as preventive
measures such as using universal precautions and managing shortage of preventive
materials in clinical practical areas are recommended
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Keywords
Nursing, Clinical practice