Question

• Discussion Question : Describe one physical, chemical, biological or psycho-social stress hazard that workers can be exposed to on the job, and one strategy that can be implemented to prevent or reduce the exposure. Why is it important for primary healthcare providers, (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) to ask patients about their occupation when performing routine physical exams?

Answer 1

Physical hazards - Musculoskeletal disorders are a major concern in occupational healthcare. Injuries occur frequently and are often due to repeated handling of patients, which involves heavy manual lifting when transferring or repositioning patients and working in extremely awkward positions. Lifting becomes more difficult by the increasing weight of patients to be lifted due to the obesity. some of the steps that can be followed to prevent or reduce physical hazard :

1.Treating and interviewing aggressive patients in relatively open area

2.Wearing the right shoes

3.Wearing proper personal protective equipment, including hearing protection where necessary

chemical hazard - Many hazardous chemicals are present in healthcare settings, which may pose an exposure risk for healthcare workers, patients, and others. These chemicals are used to Treat patients (e.g., antineoplastic drugs, aerosolized medications, anesthetic gases.these are some of the steps that can be followed to prevent or reduce chemical hazard on healthworkers

1.Keep hazardous agents labeled properly

2.Avoid eating around hazardous agents

3.Wear proper personal protective equipment, including respirators where necessary

4.Request non-latex gloves if allergic to latex

5.Use tools to apply or handle hazardous agents

biological or psycho social stress hazard- The timings and night shfts as well as the work load can affect the workrs mental health and cause major stress . Online, multimedia, and interactive training can help nurses and their managers cope with the demands of shift work and long work hours.

it is important to know the patients occupation because through this other details such as :

1. socioeconomic status

2.Education

3.Lifestyle

4.Probable causes of disease

can be known to the healthcare workers and will give them more information on to the cause of the disease.and also will give the workers information on the patients lifestyle etc making the reasons for the disease more visible to the healthwrorkers .