Determination of vocational school students' perceptions on occupational health and safety

Students of health programs studying at vocational schools have close contact with patients and the society by working as interns at public and private hospitals, private dialysis centers, and 112 ambulance points affiliated with the provincial health directorate. For this reason, they may be exposed to all the dangers and risks that employees of the healthcare sector are exposed to. This study aims to determine the OHS perception levels of vocational school students working as interns in the field of health. The research was planned as a cross-sectional study to determine the possible factors that influence the OHS knowledge and perceptions of vocational school students. In the research, all students studying in the health program at Hasan Kalyoncu University Vocational School were accepted as the research population, and it was aimed to reach the entire population without taking any samples. 255 volunteer students participated in the research, the majority of whom were 78.8% female (n=201) and 21.2% male (n=54), with an average age of 21.15±2.4. The "Personal Information Form" and the "Occupational Safety Scale for Healthcare Personnel Working in the Hospital (İSGÖ)" will be used to collect data. The reliability coefficient for the responses to the statements in the İSGÖ was found to be α=0.96, and the reliability coefficients of the 7 sub-dimensions of the scale varied between 0.89 and 0.93. The average score for the entire scale and its sub-dimensions was found to be 3 or more points; the highest mean score was in the statements in the protective measures and rules sub-dimension (X̄±Ss = 4.45±1.19). It was determined that there are significant differences in the İSGÖ score averages in variables such as age, gender, reading the OHS communiqué, and the department studied. The importance of occupational health and safety training and raising awareness for employees and interns in hospitals, which are classified as very dangerous workplaces, appropriate to the institution they work for and the nature of the job they do, has been understood. Key Words: Occupational health, occupational safety, healthcare workers