Violence, injuries, and illness in a working healthcare environment is among the most complicated and dangerous career perils facing medical professionals today (Abdalla, Apramian, Cantley & Cullen, 2017). The dangers of operating in environment constituting of violent patients, staff shortages, heightened acuities, and the absence of protective and preventive programs all stand as conflicting situations for healthcare professionals. These complexities emerge and thrive as a result of the existence of conflicting needs and perceptions formed by the general public (Gomaa et al., 2015). For instance, some healthcare care cultures are not entirely into understanding that while the needs of the patients must be met unconditionally, medical care staffs are also at risk of getting injured or victimized while administering and tending to the sick.
In some setups, handling the sick is “part of the job,” and medical professionals have to juggle with tending for the sick and protecting themselves. From an economic point of view, the occupational risk is regarded as an aspect influencing the choice of employment and compensatory principles (Miller, 2013). Nonetheless, the aftermath of an employee’s conduct, behavior, and emotional well-being after encountering injuries and suffering is less analyzed or given consideration as critical issues. Given the competing needs as manifested in the healthcare delivery system, there exist high incidences of underreporting and under filing among employees serving in medical care capacities (Galizzi et al., 2010). Workers perceive the results of reporting or efforts to question the working condition as uncertain and prospectively risky to their careers.
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Healthcare workers deserve an opportunity to express their rights, to report incidences of occupational injuries, and even to be granted safe non-conflicting workplace environment. Other than enforcing policies encouraging workers to report undesirable workplace occurrences, organizations and management should protect employees’ careers, safeguard them from infections and injuries. In addition, entities must ensure adequate staffing.
References
Abdalla, S., Apramian, S. S., Cantley, L. F., & Cullen, M. R. (2017). Occupation and risk for injuries. Injury prevention and environmental health. Disease control Priorities , 97-132.
Galizzi, M., Miesmaa, P., Punnett, L., Slatin, C., & Phase in Healthcare Research Team. (2010). Injured workers’ underreporting in the health care industry: an analysis using quantitative, qualitative, and observational data. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society , 49 (1), 22-43.
Gomaa, A. E., Tapp, L. C., Luckhaupt, S. E., Vanoli, K., Sarmiento, R. F., Raudabaugh, W. M., ... & Sprigg, S. M. (2015). Occupational traumatic injuries among workers in health care facilities—United States, 2012–2014. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report , 64 (15), 405.
Miller, K. (2013). Risk factors and impacts of occupational injury in healthcare workers: A critical review. OA Musculoskeletal Medicine , 1 (1), 4.
