Occupational Health Hazard Experiences of Doctors and Nurses at a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh | European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences

The Nugget

Healthcare workers in Bangladesh face significant occupational health hazards, particularly psychological and physical risks, despite having awareness of safety protocols. Only a small fraction received formal safety training, highlighting a critical gap in workplace safety measures.

Make it stick

🏥 69.8% of healthcare workers reported experiencing occupational health hazards.
🧠 56.1% of hazards were psychological in nature, illustrating the mental strain faced by doctors and nurses.
🧑‍⚕️ 7.9% received safety training, which is alarmingly low given the reported hazards.
🔍 The complexity of healthcare environments contributes to increased job-related risks, emphasizing the need for better safety resources.

Overall Hazard Experience: 69.8% of healthcare workers reported encountering occupational health hazards.
Psychological Hazards: 56.1% faced psychological issues, primarily due to high workload and stress.
Physical and Health Hazards: Physical risks, including needle stick injuries and other exposure, were reported by 13.8% of the participants.

Safety Awareness: While 79.0% of participants were aware of safety protocols, only 7.9% received safety training.
Incident Reporting: Just 7.5% reported experiencing an occupational hazard to hospital management, indicating potential underreporting or lack of trust in reporting mechanisms.
Resources: 93.4% felt that hospital management contributed to reducing hazards, yet 40% reported insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE).

Training Requirements: Increased and regular safety training for healthcare professionals is essential to enhance awareness and reporting.
Resource Allocation: Need for adequate PPE, clean water supply, and improved sanitation facilities to safeguard health workers.
Psychological Support: Addressing psychological hazards through better workload management and mental health resources is necessary for staff well-being.

"The complexity of the healthcare environment poses considerable psychological and health hazards."
"Despite good preparedness and procedure awareness, crucial resources and training still need improvement."
"Only 7.9% of participants ever received safety training despite high reported hazard levels."
"Most individuals reported their personal health and safety to be of worse quality compared to other workforce members."
"Strategic actions are needed to improve healthcare professionals’ safety and well-being."

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.