Question

• Identify three (3) occupational health hazards for student nurses and discuss the potential health effects of each hazard.

• Describe how the health disruption might be prevented and list all possible interventions.

Answer 1

And: The three occupational health hazards for student nurses are :

(a). Exposure to communicable and contagious diseases: Student nurses during their clinical training are exposed to a lot of infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, etc. Occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens is one of the most common occurrence among health care workers.
These hazards include exposures to bacteria, virus, fungi and
other microorganisms that can cause acute and chronic infection
to student nurses.

(b). Exposure to chemicals and hazardous drugs: Student nurses during their clinical training are exposed to many hazardous drugs and chemicals. The most common chemical hazard cited in medical surgical hospitals are asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, methylene chloride, and
glutaraldehyde. Formaldehyde is used to store specimens but it has carcinogenic properties for human beings. Glutaraldehyde can cause
skin sensitization, asthma, headache and flu like symptoms.
It can also lead to liver toxicity in case of high-level exposure.

(c). Risk of injury: Nurses are always at risk of getting injured either by the equipments used or by the sharps and sometimes the violence by the attendents. Back injury and back pain are the
most important concerns for nursing staff; it affects negatively on
the quality of life of the student nurse.

Prevention and interventiontion of these three occupational health hazards are:

1. Use of PPE (personal protection equipment) and health education about the importance of PPE.

2. Hospital policies which may affect utilization of PPE should

be amended.
3. PPE should be made available in all wards, laboratories and all places where the student nurses work.
4. Risk assessment should be carried out regularly to identify
potential risks among student nurses.

5. Self isolation if the student nurse develops any kind of symptoms that should be self isolated to reduce the chance of cross infection.

6. Student nurses should get vaccinated against hepatitis and other viral infections.

7. Avoid exposure to hazardous drugs, learn carefull handling of chemicals.