Occupational accidents among nursing professionals working in critical units of an emergency service

Abstract

Objective: Identify the prevalence of occupational accidents among nursing professionals working in critical units of an emergency service and understand the professional experience among the injured professionals. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 professionals, in two consecutive stages. A quantitative analysis was performed by descriptive statistics, and the participants' statements were processed in the IRaMuTeQ software, and analyzed according to the hierarchical descending classification. The findings were based on the collective subject discourse method. Results: The overall prevalence of accidents was 26.7%. Of these, 72.2% involved sharp materials and blood was the main biological agent involved in 84.2% of the accidents. Three classes were defined: "Experiencing an occupational accident"; "Post-exposure conduct" and "Occupational accident prevention". Conclusion: A high rate of injured professionals was observed, with a higher prevalence among those at a technical level. The experience of suffering an accident seems to be closely related to moments (before, after and during), causes, consequences and feelings.Keywords: Occupational risks; Occupational health; Accident prevention; Nursing. resumen Objetivo: Identificar la prevalencia de accidentes de trabajo entre los profesionales de enfermería activos en sectores críticos de una emergencia y comprender la experiencia profesional entre los heridos. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal, realizado en dos etapas consecutivas, con 75 profesionales. El análisis cuantitativo se realizó mediante estadística descriptiva, mientras que los informes fueron procesados en el software IRaMuTeQ, analizados de acuerdo a la Clasificación Jerárquica Descendente.Los hallazgos se basan en el método del Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo. Resultados: La prevalencia global de accidentes fue de 26,7%. De estos 72,2% fueron causados por objetos punzantes y en 84,2% la sangre era el principal agente biológica implicado.Tres clases fueron encontradas: "Experimentar Accidente de Trabajo"; "Post-Exposición Tuberías" y "Prevención de Accidentes de Trabajo". Conclusión: Se grabó alta tasa de accidentes que se encuentran con mayor prevalencia entre las personas de nivel técnico. La experiencia del accidente parece estar vinculada a momentos (antes, durante y después) por imagen, las causas, las consecuencias y los sentimientos. Palabras clave:

Knowledge and Adherence of the Nurse to Standard Precautions in Critical Units

“…This fact becomes more significant when one considers that the work overload is a facilitating condition for errors and accidents related to the profession. 11,[15][16]…”

“…Several professionals demonstrated erroneous or misleading knowledge about the manipulation of sharp objects, including the conduct of folding, twisting or realizing the active encapsulation of needles, which can be a determining factor for the high percentage of accidents with this type of material among Health area workers. 15 In critical care units, in addition to work overload, the need to act quickly in many situations can also negatively interfere with adherence to standard precautions. 11 In emergency care, the professional usually opts for immediate care of the patient, relegating his personal protection into second place and being even more exposed to occupational accidents.…”

“…11 Linked to this, it can be said that sharps are the materials that cause most accidents at work, which is a major concern among professionals, since the needles come into contact with potentially contaminated material and can become a source of transmission of infections to the health professional. 15,28 Studies indicate different variables that are essential to prevent occupational accidents in the units, such as continuing education and professional training, appropriate supervision, availability of adequate materials and PPE in an easily accessible location, and development of an organizational safety culture for patients and workers. 14,20,[29][30] Based on the above considerations, the results showed unsatisfactory adherence to the use of certain types of PPE.…”

Nurses' view of their work environment, health and safety: A qualitative study

“…This is especially the case when the physical areas are not spacious enough to provide freedom of movement, a situation that could lead to needle injuries or physical risks. Sufficient physical space, sufficient materials and adequate illumination, and ventilation systems are necessary for the safety of nurses and affect their productivity (Rivaz et al, ; Rodrigues, Sousa, Magro, Andrade, & Hermann, ).…”

Dificuldades do viver com HIV/Aids: Entraves na qualidade de vida

“…(7,8) It is noteworthy that the use of the software is not an absolute data analysis method, but a procedural tool that facilitates and helps interpret the findings. (9) For the textual analysis, the descending hierarchical classification (DHC) method was defined, in which the texts are classified according to their respective words and their set is divided by the frequency of the reduced forms. (10) Thus, classes of text segments were obtained, which were called "pre-class".…”