Occupational Health Hazard Experiences of Doctors and Nurses at a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the workplace safety experiences of health workers (doctors and nurses) at a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among conveniently selected 305 registered physicians and nurses working in the designated tertiary hospital. After obtaining the written informed consent, data was collected using face-to-face interviews with a pre-tested, semistructured, interviewer-administered questionnaire from December 2021 to January 2022. Frequency and proportion described the variables. Result: The mean age of the participants was 28.8 years. Female individuals constituted the majority, accounting for 69.2% of the total. Approximately 69.8% of individuals reported experiencing occupational health hazards. Psychological hazards were the most frequently reported (56.1%), followed by workplace-acquired health hazards (15.7%) and physical hazards (13.8%) among all participants. While 79.0% of the participants were aware of workplace health and safety, only 7.9% received safety training, and only 7.5% reported any occupational hazard to the hospital management. Conclusion: Healthcare personnel adjust to several professional hazards in a complicated series of events, as the study shows. The complexity of the healthcare environment poses considerable psychological and health hazards. Although there is good preparedness and procedure awareness, the analysis shows some crucial resources and training still need to be improved. Therefore, some strategic actions are needed to improve healthcare professionals’ safety and well-being in the modern healthcare environment through crucial resources and training.