osh issues in the healthcare sector and staff empowerment
DESCRIPTION
OSH ISSUES IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR AND STAFF EMPOWERMENT. Sarah Copsey. The Agency: www.agency.osha.eu.int. Provides information Networking Coordinates Information services Information projects Agency website –dissemination means. Why the health care sector?. European concern - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
European Agency for
Safety and Health at Work
OSH ISSUES IN THE
HEALTHCARE SECTOR AND
STAFF EMPOWERMENT
Sarah Copsey
The Agency: www.agency.osha.eu.int
• Provides information
• Networking
• Coordinates
• Information services
• Information projects
• Agency website –
dissemination means
Why the health care sector?
• European concern
• Sector has been highlighted as a
priority by the Member States
• Common risks across Europe
Most frequently identified sectors at risk by OSH Authorities
(Agency 2000)
Sector Description Total Number of Times Identified
Construction 112
Manufacture of Fabricated Metal Products, except Machinery and Equipment
63
Agriculture, Hunting and related service activities
62
Health and Social Work 57
Manufacture of Food Products and Beverages
52
Healthcare sector: greater risks of
• Violence
• Stress
• Bullying
• Work directed by social demands
• Reproductive hazards
• Biological infections
• Heavy loads, poor postures
• Occupational ill health/diseases
• Sickness absence
European Agency for
Safety and Health at Work
Sarah Copsey
Plenary 1: The hospital –a staff empowering workplace
Thursday 19th May 2005
Health care sector: other risk factors
• Accidents
• Chemicals
• Shiftwork, hours
• Work organisation
• Content and forms of work
Report by the Dublin Foundation, “Working conditions in hospitals in the European Union” 1995
Health care sector: risks
• Risks arise from– Physical conditions
– Organisational restrictions
– Social environment
• 3 groups most at risk– Nursing staff – includes assistents and students
– Service and trade workers
– Laboratory staff and anaesthetists
Report by the Dublin Foundation, “Working conditions in hospitals in the European Union” 1995
Good practice examples
• Violence prevention – Dutch hospital
• Violence – Irish hospital
• Stress prevention – Spanish elderly care
• Stress audit tool – Irish hospital
• Stress – improving shift rotas, Finnish hospital
• All EU languages
Safe care plan: prevention of violence in hospitals - Netherlands
• Cooperation between hospital, regional police and Public Prosecutors Department
• Cooperation between the management board and works council
• Survey– most incidents in reception, accident and emergency, psychiatry, evenings, nights and weekends
• Working party from staff in at risk departments draw up risk inventory
• On hospital room plan colour risk level -red –high, yellow – medium, green – low
• Measures based on discussion of risk inventory• Links to tripartite hospital safety agreement
Safe Care Plan (2): No tolerance system
• All incidents reported• Card system for serious aggression• Yellow card for serious threats, reported
to police• Red card for physical violence – reported
to police and brought before public prosecutor
• Posters about policy in public places and media to inform public
• Police provide information/advance notice• Staff carry alarms, to alert security staff• Cameras linked to alarms
Safe Care Plan (3) supporting measures based on risk analysis:
• Patient environment measures – e.g. information about waiting times
• Staff training about all aspects
• On agenda of monthly management-staff consulting meetings, police invited
• After incident counselling
Violence to hospital staff - Ireland
• Visible management commitment
• New report form, reporting positively encouraged, electronic database
• Multidisciplinary working group and h&s consultants --> risk assessment and prioritised recommendations
• Comprehensive framework - Measures covering anticipation, prevention, intervention, support and evaluation
Violence to hospital staff – Ireland: measures (1)
• Safety of physical environment and work practices
• Non-violent crisis intervention programme – staff trained as trainers
• Increased security presence• Alarm systems and better CCTV coverage• Closer working with the police. Police
liaison officer to work with hospital• Prosecutions in serious cases• Information for staff, public awareness
through local media
Violence to hospital staff – Ireland: measures (2)
• Improvements for patients, e.g. waiting time information
• Staff feedback system
Stress prevention in an old people’s home – Spain – (1) how:
• Cooperation between management, trade unions and the local insurance organisation
• Risk assessment of the work and a staff questionnaire
• Problems found included:– High work load– Lack of information– Lack of decision making responsibility– Little possibility of promotion– Unforeseen events/changes of plan– Physical work conditions and physical effort
Stress prevention in an old people’s home – Spain – (2) solutions:
• Increase staffing levels during peak hours
• Staff training to deal with emotional stress
• Specifying functions and competencies of nursing assistants –e.g drug dispensing
• Communication protocol for risks• Increasing worker autonomy, discretion• Clear definitions of content of tasks and
responsibilities, in an agreement• Providing lifting aids, hoists• Promoting worker participation
Stress prevention in an Irish hospital (1)
Problem identification:• Workshops about stress and solutions• Anonymous questionnaire• Group discussions of the results
Problems included:• Shifts and the starting time of shifts• Lack of showers and other facilities
Stress prevention in an Irish hospital (2)
Solutions:
• Change shift starting times
• Consultation with an expert to establish a new shift system
• Installation of showers in an unused area
Physiotherapist’s work rotas - Finland
Objective – to increase employee control over their work rotas
Solution • Supervisor set a framework for rotas• Employees plan own rotas within
framework• Training on the system and planning rotas
Result – better compatibility with home- life, improved services for the hospital
Success factors in psychosocial risk prevention initiatives
• Adequate risk analysis• Thorough planning and a stepwise approach• Combination of measures covering anticipation,
prevention, intervention, support and evaluation with main focus on collective prevention measures
• Context-specific solutions• Experienced practitioners and evidence-based
solutions• Social dialogue, partnership and workers’
involvement. Continuing staff feedback• Violence - liaison with external bodies – police,
judiciary, local community – includes prosecution• Sustained prevention and top
management support and resources
Elements of empowerment in OSH processes
• Informed and Trained• Involved through participation• Given control, responsibility• Supported
• No-blame approach
• Commitment – to participation and prevention at source
• Participatory arrangements• Involvement in: identifying problems and
solutions, implementation, monitoring and feedback