On the issue of ensuring the safety of the hospital environment

Abstract

Objective: We identified the main occupational hazards in the hospital environment and determined their role in the formation of the safety of medical personnel at healthcare institutions. Materials and methods: We applied the bibliosemantic, questionnaire, hygienic and statistical research methods. Results: In the course of the labour activity at the health care institutions (HCI), the medical workers are exposed to the risk of negative effects of biological, psychophysiological, chemical, physical and social harmful and dangerous factors. The biological and psychophysiological factors are the most harmful factors. The adverse occupational factors of the hospital environment do not have an isolated effect, but have a complex, combined and joint effect, and their priority varies depending on the specificity of medical speciality. Under conditions of COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of the negative impact of production environment factors on the medical personnel at the HCI has been increased. In particular, the risk of infection with pathogens of infectious diseases increases, the work load, psycho-emotional tension, the duration of the use of personal protective equipment and the frequency of contact with the disinfectant solutions increase, the probability of violence, harassment, stigmatization, and discrimination related to the professional affiliation of health care personnel increases. The lack of a safety culture is one of the most important mechanisms for launching and realizing the dangers of a hospital environment, and just a creation of positive practice of a safety culture at work can significantly reduce the risks of realizing potential hazards that exist at health care institutions. Conclusion: The identification of the dangers of the hospital environment with the formation of a comprehensive understanding of their importance for the ensurance of the safety for medical personnel is an urgent task for modern medical science and will make it possible to develop reasonably the measures aimed at the ensurance of the safety of the hospital environment in terms of the safety of medical personnel.