Özet:

AIM: There has been some regularity for employee safety in the scope of quality in hospitals in Turkey. Thus, we aimed to investigate the factors affecting employee health in delivery rooms in 4 state hospitals in Izmir. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the questionnaires on employee safety and factors affecting employee safety were filled by 91 midwives and nurses who work in 4 state hospitals in Izmir. After completion the questionnaire, data were statistically analysedfor the type, reasons of the occupational accidents as well as exposed risks according to ages, educational status and the duration of the working years. RESULTS: Among 91 employees, the risk of having an occupational accident was greater as they got older andemployees working for 15 years or more had occupational accidentmore often (63%).There was no difference among the different educational groups in terms of occupational accident rates. Of all 91 employees working in the delivery room, 59 (62.6%) had cuts or needle stick injury as an occupational accident at least once in the last 5 years, however only 30 of them (33%) have regarded these as “occupational accident”. The main reasons of occupational accidents were determined as intensive workload (91.2%), long working hours (89.9%), stress (67%). DISCUSSION: Although it is frequent, cuts and needle stick injuries are not considered as occupational accident by most health workers working in delivery room health workers. This striking fact indicates the certain need for education on occupational health and safety among health care providers. In addition, increasing the number of health care workers in delivery room and decreasing the length of working periods down to acceptable levels will increase the occupational health and safety. This is the first health and safety-study on the employees working in the delivery room

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