Characterization of accidents at work in the operating room services of the portuguese public hospitals
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abstract
The care provided in Operating Room Services (ORS) are highly specific and using high and sophisticated technology, exposing the workers to increased risks. To characterize the accidents occurred in the ORS of portuguese public hospitals. Retrospective epidemiological study relating to accidents at work occurred in ORS of portuguese public health institutions in the period of January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010. The information was obtained using the computerised registration notifi cation of work accidents from the ACSS, referring to 1201 workers. Work accidents occurred in the ORS represented 10.1% of the total accidents recorded. There were higher frequencies of accidents in 2010, 54.1%, in ARS de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, 47.4%, in females, 77.2%, in the professional category of nurses, 41.6%, in the age group 25-29 years, 20.8%, with length of service more than 10 years, 45.3% and practice timetable for shifts, 59.0%. On average the accidents occurred at 12.5 hours, between the 3rd and 6th hour of the beginning of work, 37.6%, and in the 3rd day after weekly rest, 37.9%. The action of most prevalent lesion was the needlestick/object-cutting, 66.3%, the type of injury was wounds, 52.3% and the body part most affected were the hands, 66.2%. Used personal protective equipment 50.4% of workers. Absenteeism resulted in 22.5% with a total of 7203 lost working days. There was a high prevalence of needlestick injuries/ cuts on nurses that could be preventable by which suggests the implementation of training measures and monitoring these situations in order to reduce them.
