Perception and knowledge levels about the working environment occupational safety level of nurses working in a university hospital

Labour has a direct impact on physical, mental and social well-being as a requirement for the survival of individuals and also as an activity. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a public health field that aims to minimize work-related hazards and risks that will adversely affect employee health in all business lines, and to maximize employee-work harmony. Health care is also a dangerous and high-risk business due to workplace environmental factors. Disruption of this service is a threat to the health of the whole society. Especially nurses, are the leading actual and technical practitioners of healthcare by establishing close contact with patients and the community, as well as linking with other actors to organize the service. For this reason, they are the most vulnerable group of health workers. The aim of this study is to determine the perception and knowledge levels of nurses working in Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University (TOGÜ) Medical Faculty Research and Training Hospital regarding the occupational safety level and the possible factors affecting it.The study is expected to contribute to the improvement and development of nurses' OHS training. This cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses working at TOGU Research and Application Hospital between October 2021 and February 2022. The sample size was not calculated and it was aimed to reach all 390 nurses who are actively working in the institution that constitutes the study population.As a data collection tool, a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, general health status, working conditions, and some questions about OHS, and the "Occupational Safety Scale for Health Personnel Working in the Hospital" (HIGÖ), which aims to measure OHS knowledge and perception, were used. 388 nurses participated in our study, 64.4% of them were female and the mean age was 29.9±6.5. The average working time of the nurses was 4.0±3.9 years, 74.5% of them were working in inpatient services and intensive care units, and 78.9% of them were working in shifts. Although 78% of the nurses received OHS training, 74.2% had a history of work accident or occupational disease, and 13.7% had a history of chronic illness. HIQ scores of nurses over 35 years of age and working in the institution for more than 5 years were significantly higher than the others. Gender, marital status, and education level did not have a significant effect on HİGÖ scores. HİGÖ scores of nurses working in shifts and groups of nurses working in inpatient and intensive care units were significantly lower. In addition, the HİGÖ scores of individuals who received previous OHS training and did not have a history of workplace-related health problems were significantly higher. While the history of Covid-19 did not affect HİGÖ scores, those who experienced other health problems had significantly lower scores. The HİGÖ scores, which measure the level of OHS knowledge and perception in working nurses, were found below the median value. Employees who received OHS training in the institution where the research was conducted have significantly higher HİGÖ scores. However, considering that there are still problems related to occupational health and safety in the working environment, it is thought that improvements should be made in the quality and/or implementation of the OHS trainings. Qualified OHS trainings and, in parallel, improved working conditions are possible if nurses, who are at the center of health service delivery, are also active subjects in OHS studies.