Any number of serious safety and health hazards may be faced by a healthcare worker during their work each day. This could include exposure to biological hazards and bloodborne pathogens, waste anesthetic gas exposures, potential drug and chemical exposures, laser hazards, workplace violence, radioactive and xray hazards and so much more. It is a dangerous profession but there are many ways to protect yourself.
Healthcare is one of the fastest growing segments of the US economy and now employs over 18 million workers. Eighty percent of this work force are women. Occupational Injury and Illness is at an all time high within the healthcare industry.
Chemical Hazards faced in healthcare environments can include drugs, medications, gases, chemicals used to sterilize and even chemicals used for tissue specimens. Lasers and electrosurgical devices generate surgical smoke which contains many substances including viruses and bacteria and the chemicals used.
Needless to say, healthcare workers also have a high risk if contact with infectious agents including fungi, viruses, parasites and, of course, bacteria.Possibility for contamination can be a daily part of the healthcare workers' job.
And of course physical injury happens in this industry as well. Musculoskeletal injuries are a major concern in the healthcare field. These can be caused by handling of patients which is heavy manual lifting and patients must be transferred or repositioned and the nurse may be in awkward positions to do these jobs. Lifting has become even more difficult recently due to the explosion of obesity in America's population.
The most important thing to do is to follow all safety procedures and protocols as you were taught. These are based on lessons learned by countless workers in the past. Pay attention and listen and follow instructions. The standards and procedures are there for your protection. And of course, it goes without saying we would hope, do your best to keep yourself and your immune system in tip top shape. Drink plenty of water, exercise regularly and listen to your body. Your health, as the healthcare worker, is of the utmost importance so that you can provide the care your patients deserve. You must take care of yourself in order to be able to take care of others.
Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network
