DANGERS AND RISKS FACED BY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Keywords:
Hazards, risks, workplace, healthcare professionalsAbstract
Healthcare activity represents the continuous provision of health services through the work of healthcare workers. Due to the nature of their job, healthcare workers are exposed to an exceptionally large number of risks and hazards, which often result in various workplace injuries. These exposures have also been associated with fatal cases.
The aim of this pape ris to present the dangers and risks faced by healthcare professionals through a review of available professional and scientific literature. The paper is written as a review article.
The materials used include studies published in relevant databases during the period from 2016. to 2024. The analysis of the result from these studies confirms that healthcare professionals are exposed to a wide range of risks and hazards in the workplace. According to the authors, healthcare professionals are most frequently exposed to biological risks, chemical risks, phyisical risks and ergonomic risks. Additionally, in recent years, healthcare workers have increasingly faced workplace violence. The most common type of workplace violence is verbal abuse, although physical violence also occurs.
Reducing exposure to risks requires cooperation between employers, employees and patients who use healthcare services. Measures and procedures adopted within healthcare institutions must be followed. A safe work environment and the safety of healthcare workers are fundamental prerequisites for providing high quality health services to patients.
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