course materials

1. Discussion: Subject of workplace health and safety of concern to nurses
Discussion: Subject of workplace health and safety of concern to nurses ON Discussion:
Subject of workplace health and safety of concern to nurses1. Why is the subject of
workplace health and safety of concern to nurses?How are these concepts related to patient
safety and patient outcomes?2. What action is suggested when you are faced with an angry
or hostile coworker?3. Why is substance misuse among nurses a serious concern? What is
the most appropriate way to handle a suspicion that a coworker may be involved in serious
substance misuse?4. What is the most common physical injury experienced by LPNs and
nursing assistants? How can a nurse manager help staff avoid physical injury at work?5.
Describe several examples of sexual harassment in the workplace. Discuss methods of
dealing with these instances.6. Review the policies and procedures on the following safety
issues in your current clinical rotation. Compare with other students in the class. What are
the similarities and differences? What might this mean in terms of workplace safety?• Latex
allergies• Needlestick injuries• Violence3. Go to the ANA website and explore the sections
on workplace and patient safety under the heading “Professional Nursing Practice.”Which
concepts discussed in these sections are particularly important to the beginning RN?
Why?4. Interview one of the staff nurses on your unit. Explore his or her feelings and
concerns related to the following topics. Based on the comments, develop strategies to
address the concerns.• Substance abuse among nurses• Emergency preparation• Quality of
work life within the organization Discussion: Subject of workplace health and safety of
concern to nursesattachment_1Unformatted Attachment PreviewChapter 11 Promoting a
Healthy Work Environment Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Workplace Safety •
Environmental hazards • Physical safety • Emotional safety Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company Reducing Risk • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) • National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Reducing Risk (cont’d) • American
Nurses Association (ANA) • Joint Commission • Institute of Medicine (IOM) Copyright ©
2015. F.A. Davis Company Reducing Risk (cont’d) • Workplace programs: safety plan – – – –
Consult federal, state, and local governments. Distinguish between real and imagined risk.
Seek administrative . Calculate costs of program. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Workplace Programs • • • • Identify potential hazard. Assess degree of risk. Develop a plan.
Implement the program. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Violence • Social issue •
High rate of assaults on hospital workers – Threats – Physical assaults – Muggings
Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Violence (cont’d) • Situations that increase workers’

2. susceptibility – Routine contact with the public – Working alone or in small numbers –
Working late – Poor security Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Violence (cont’d) •
Situations that increase workers’ susceptibility (cont’d) – Patients and families under stress
who carry weapons – Individuals – Lack of experienced staff members – Units and patients
that need seclusion or restraint activities Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company What
Nurses Should Know • Does violence in the surrounding community affect my workplace? •
Does the layout of the facility invite violence? • Is there a prompt response by
administration to violence? Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company What Nurses Should
Know (cont’d) • Are incidents being reported to and addressed by management? • Would
training that deals with workplace violence be adequate for employees and management? •
Which types of patients are more prone to violence? Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Behaviors • • • • History of violent behavior Delusional or paranoid speech Aggressive and
threatening statements Rapid speech and angry tone of voice Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company Behaviors (cont’d) • • • • Stiff posture, clenched fists, tight jaw Alcohol/drug use
Male gender or a youth Unrealistic policies Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company When
Assault Occurs: Placing Blame on Victims • Victim gender – Women receive more blame
than men. • Subject gender – Female victims receive a greater amount of blame from
women than from men. • Severity – The more severe the assault, the more often the victim
is blamed. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company When Assault Occurs (cont’d) • Beliefs –
The world is a just place; therefore, the person deserves the misfortune. • Age of victim –
The older the victim, the more he or she is held responsible for the assault. Copyright ©
2015. F.A. Davis Company Keep an Eye Out • Look for clues indicating potential violence. •
Call patients, family members, and visitors by their names. • Discussion: Subject of
workplace health and safety of concern to nursesEncourage the patient or the patient’s
family to vent anger. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Keep an Eye Out (cont’d) • If
you feel uncomfortable, trust your intuition. • Know your institution’s policies and
procedures. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Preventing Workplace Violence • Have
an ongoing prevention program. • Report all violent incidents. • Hold all patients, visitors,
staff members, and management accountable for their behavior. • Adopt a zero-tolerance
policy. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Participate in Workplace Safety • • • • •
Assess the workplace regularly. Know your clients. Be alert for suspicious behavior.
Maintain behavior that helps to defuse anger. If situation escalates, remove self and call
security. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Participate in Workplace Safety (cont’d) • •
• • Report situation to supervisor. Call the police. Get medical attention. Contact collective
bargaining or state nurses’ association. • Participate in policymaking. Copyright © 2015.
F.A. Davis Company Sexual Harassment Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Behaviors
Defining Sexual Harassment • Pressuring another to participate in sexual activities • Asking
another person about his or her sexual activities, fantasies, or preferences • Making sexual
innuendos, jokes, comments, or suggestive facial expressions to another person Copyright
© 2015. F.A. Davis Company Behaviors Defining Sexual Harassment (cont’d) • Continuing to
ask for a date after the other person has expressed disinterest • Making sexual gestures
with hands or body movements, or showing sexual graffiti or visuals • Making remarks
about a person’s gender or body Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Sexual Harassment

3. • Two forms of sexual harassment – Quid pro quo – A hostile environment Copyright ©
2015. F.A. Davis Company Sexual Harassment (cont’d) • Recommendations from the
American Nurses Association (ANA) on fighting sexual harassment – Confront – Report –
Document – Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Latex Allergy Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Latex Allergy • • • • • • Contact dermatitis (most common) Generalized
hives Urticaria Rhinitis Wheezing Anaphylaxis Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Decreasing the Potential for Latex Allergy • • • • Reducing unnecessary exposure Using
alternative gloves (nitrile) Employee education programs Identifying workers at risk
Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Needlestick Injuries Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company “Needlestick Act” • Passed in 2001 • Revised blood-borne pathogens standards •
Obligates employers to consider safer needle devices Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company The Nurse’s Responsibilities • • • • • Discussion: Subject of workplace health and
safety of concern to nursesAlways use universal precautions. Use and dispose of sharps
properly. Get immunized against hepatitis B. Report all exposures. Know the human
immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis B virus (HIV/HBV) status of your patient. Copyright ©
2015. F.A. Davis Company The Nurse’s Responsibilities (cont’d) • • • • Comply with post-
exposure follow-up. others who have been exposed. Become active on safety committees.
Educate others. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Ergonomics Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Preventing Back Injuries • • • • Participate in safety committees. Work in
teams; do not be afraid to ask for help. Use transfer and lifting equipment. Do back
exercises. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) • Usually
affects individuals who spend long hours at computers. • The most common injury is carpal
tunnel syndrome. • Another injury is mouse elbow. • Badly designed computer stations
present the highest risk. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Preventing RSI • • • • • • •
Monitor placement Keyboard alignment Mouse position Body alignment Vary tasks. Use
fingertips when typing. Keep fingernails short. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Impaired Workers Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Common Signs of Impairment •
Witnessing an employee consuming alcohol or other substances of concern on the job •
Apparent in employee’s dress, appearance, posture, and gestures • Employee’s use of
slurred speech and abusive/incoherent language Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Common Signs of Impairment (cont’d) • • • • Reports from patients/coworkers Witnessing
unprofessional conduct Employee has significant lack of attention to detail Witnessing an
employee stealing controlled substances Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Impaired
Nurse Programs (INPs) • Most employers and 37 boards of nursing have strict guidelines. •
INPs conducted by boards of nursing work with employers to assist impaired nurses. •
Compassion from coworkers is of utmost importance. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company Professional Responsibilities • Nurses need to uphold the standards of their
profession. • Ignoring substance abuse places clients and other nurses in danger. • It is
important to “help a colleague obtain help.” Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Workload • Rotating shifts • Mandatory overtime • Staffing ratios Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Reporting Questionable Practices • Most employers have policies regarding
reporting behaviors that affect the workplace environment. • Code for Nurses (2001) is
specific regarding this responsibility. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Behaviors •

4. Endangering a client’s health or safety • Abuse of authority • Violation of rules, regulations,
or standards of professional ethics • Gross waste of funds Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Discussion: Subject of workplace health and safety of concern to nursesDavis Company
Whistleblower • Describes an employee who reports employer violations to an outside
agency • Do not assume “doing the right thing” will protect you. Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Whistleblower Guidelines • • • • Gather the facts. Does the practice violate
any actual law? Know the state law requiring mandatory reporting. Type your
documentation and include day, date, time, and circumstances. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis
Company Whistleblower Guidelines (cont’d) • Identify witnesses. • Do not breach
confidentiality in any way. • Send a copy of your complaint to the chief nursing officer or
nursing department or any other department affected. • Utilize the ethics committee of your
institution. • Keep copies of your records. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Nursing
Responsibilities Related to Threats of Terrorism • Know the evacuation procedures and
routes in your facilities. • Develop your knowledge regarding the most likely and most
dangerous biological weapons. • Monitor for unusual disease patterns. • Know the back-up
systems for communication and staffing. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Enhancing
the Quality of Work Life • Social environment – Working relationships – ing your peers and
supervisors • Involvement in decision making Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company
Enhancing the Quality of Work Life (cont’d) • Professional growth and innovation –
Encourage critical thinking. – Seek educational opportunities. – Encourage new ideas. –
Reward professional growth. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Understanding
Cultural Diversity • Communication • Space • Social organization Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Organization Diversity Fitness • Personnel reflect the current and potential
population that the organization serves. • Silence and gestures are respected. Copyright ©
2015. F.A. Davis Company Organization Diversity Fitness (cont’d) • Awareness of special
family and holiday celebrations • Individuals first; culture second Copyright © 2015. F.A.
Davis Company Managing Diversity • Be aware of and sensitive to your own culturebased
preferences. • Explore your own biases and values. • Be knowledgeable about other
cultures. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Managing Diversity (cont’d) • Be respectful
of and sensitive to diversity among individuals. • Be skilled in using and selecting culturally
sensitive intervention strategies. Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Do’s and Don’ts for
Managing Diversity DO DON’T Recognize diversity Pretend everyone is alike Value diversity
Expect everyone to conform to the prevailing culture Develop informal s Seek a quick
solution Ensure fairness Develop different standards of performance Make the preceding
principles an integral part of your philosophy Expect one workshop to solve the problem
Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis Company Conclusion • Workplace safety is a growing concern.
• IOM and Joint Commission will continue to impact workplace safety issues. • the ANA.
Copyright © 2015. F.A. Davis CompanyDiscussion: Subject of workplace health and safety of
concern to nurses