Impacts of the Working Environment on the Nurse
Introduction
The topic that was chosen for this literature review was the social determinants of health. The social determinants of health are the main factors that influence the health of every individual in the world. These different elements help explain the wide variety of health inequalities that may exist among individuals, including nurses. The topic is important because it can affect the nurse’s job performance, job satisfaction, and overall caring for the patient. More specifically, an important determinant of health is employment and working conditions. This importance is due to the fact that nurses spend the majority of their time at work, and it can have detrimental effects …show more content…
The occupational injury and illness rate for hospital employees was 7.6 per 100 full-time workers, compared to a rate of 3.9 per 100 individuals in the private sector (Geiger-Brown & Lipscomb, 2011). This shows the high prevalence of injury and illness that hospital workers, and more specifically nurses, are exposed to on a daily basis.
According to the literature, a musculoskeletal injury is the most prevalent physical injury among nurses. A musculoskeletal disorder is any health problem of the locomotor apparatus, for example, the muscles, tendons or nerves (Lӧvgren et al., 2013). Studies show that 80-85% of nurses report at least one episode of musculoskeletal symptoms (Geiger-Brown & Lipscomb, 2011). This is a major concern because this is one of the main reasons for sickness absence (Lӧvgren et al., 2013). Therefore, if the incidence of musculoskeletal injury was decreased, there would also be fewer work absences. Studies found that the physical tasks a nurse completes daily, such as transfers, heavy lifting, and constant bending were the main factors associated with musculoskeletal …show more content…
Along with this, there are often additional personal responsibilities for housework, children in the home, as well as elderly care; therefore, less time for sleep. Overworked nurses tend to have general life dissatisfaction, fatigue, and depression, contributing to a negative home environment. Overall, the extended hours, overnights, and lack of sleep can have negative effects on the nurse's family
Introduction
The topic that was chosen for this literature review was the social determinants of health. The social determinants of health are the main factors that influence the health of every individual in the world. These different elements help explain the wide variety of health inequalities that may exist among individuals, including nurses. The topic is important because it can affect the nurse’s job performance, job satisfaction, and overall caring for the patient. More specifically, an important determinant of health is employment and working conditions. This importance is due to the fact that nurses spend the majority of their time at work, and it can have detrimental effects …show more content…
The occupational injury and illness rate for hospital employees was 7.6 per 100 full-time workers, compared to a rate of 3.9 per 100 individuals in the private sector (Geiger-Brown & Lipscomb, 2011). This shows the high prevalence of injury and illness that hospital workers, and more specifically nurses, are exposed to on a daily basis.
According to the literature, a musculoskeletal injury is the most prevalent physical injury among nurses. A musculoskeletal disorder is any health problem of the locomotor apparatus, for example, the muscles, tendons or nerves (Lӧvgren et al., 2013). Studies show that 80-85% of nurses report at least one episode of musculoskeletal symptoms (Geiger-Brown & Lipscomb, 2011). This is a major concern because this is one of the main reasons for sickness absence (Lӧvgren et al., 2013). Therefore, if the incidence of musculoskeletal injury was decreased, there would also be fewer work absences. Studies found that the physical tasks a nurse completes daily, such as transfers, heavy lifting, and constant bending were the main factors associated with musculoskeletal …show more content…
Along with this, there are often additional personal responsibilities for housework, children in the home, as well as elderly care; therefore, less time for sleep. Overworked nurses tend to have general life dissatisfaction, fatigue, and depression, contributing to a negative home environment. Overall, the extended hours, overnights, and lack of sleep can have negative effects on the nurse's family