Occupational Infections among Dental Health Workers in Germany—14-Year Time Trends

Dental health workers (DHW) are at increased risk of acquiring occupational infections. Due to various protective measures, it can be assumed that infections have decreased over the past 14 years. Secondary data from a German accident insurance company was analyzed in terms of reported and confirmed occupational diseases (OD) in DHW from 2006 to 2019. A total of 271 claims were reported, of which 112 were confirmed as OD, representing an average of eight per year. However, the number of claims and confirmed ODs has decreased by 65.6% and 85.7%, respectively. The decrease was most evident for hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infections, while tuberculosis (TB) infections were stable. A total of 44 HCV, 33 HBV, 6 TB and 24 latent TB infections were confirmed as ODs. For DHW, 0.05, and for hospital workers, 0.48 claims per 1000 full-time equivalents (FTE) were registered in 2019. In a separate documentation system, between March 2020 and February 2021, 155 COVID-19 claims were registered, and 47 cases were confirmed as ODs. For DHW, 0.7, and for hospital workers, 47.3 COVID-19 claims per 1000 FTE were registered since 2020. Occupational infectious diseases rarely occur among DHW. Nevertheless, new infectious diseases such as COVID-19 pose a major challenge for DHW. Continued attention should be paid to infectious disease prevention.

O impacto da pandemia no papel da enfermagem: uma revisão narrativa da literatura

Objetivo: Analizar, describir y explicar el impacto de la pandemia en el rol de la enfermería, según la literatura.Método: Revisión narrativa de la literatura basada en búsquedas en bases de datos (Pubmed, BDENF, Scielo, Google Scholar), sección de referencia de artículos y sitios web oficiales con la combinación de descriptores: COVID-19 y Enfermagem y Pandemia y solo COVID- 19.Resultados: Se seleccionaron 44 referencias, de acuerdo al criterio de inclusión, para lo cual se evidenció que la pandemia impacta desde cambios en las rutinas del trabajo de enfermería, actualización de medidas para prevenir infecciones ocupacionales y lesiones por presión por uso de equipo de protección, atención a la salud mental, proporción de infección entre enfermeras para una mayor visibilidad y reconocimiento de la importancia de la categoría en la atención de la salud.Conclusión: La pandemia impuso nuevas condiciones laborales al personal de enfermería, las cuales impactaron en temas personales y laborales que se interrelacionan con la calidad de la atención de salud. Objective: To analyze, describe and explain the impact of the pandemic on the role of nursing, according to literature.Method: Narrative review of the literature based on searches in databases (Pubmed, BDENF, Scielo, Google Scholar), on the references of articles, and official websites. The search used the combination of descriptors: COVID-19 and Enfermagem and Pandemia and only COVID- 19.Results: 44 references were selected, according to the inclusion criteria. It was shown that the pandemic impact the routines of nursing work in many ways, affecting the updating of measures to prevent occupational infections and protective equipment-related pressure injuries, mental health care, the proportion of infection among nurses, although it brings more visibility and recognition to the importance of nursing workers in health care.Conclusion: The pandemic forced nurses to submit to new working conditions, which caused personal and labor issues that are associated with the quality of health care. Objetivo: Analisar, descrever e explicitar o impacto da pandemia no papel da enfermagem, conforme a literatura. Método: Revisão narrativa da literatura a partir de pesquisas em bases de dados (Pubmed, BDENF, Scielo, Google Scholar), seção de referência dos artigos e sites oficiais com a combinação dos descritores: COVID-19 and Enfermagem and Pandemia e apenas COVID-19. Resultados: Foram selecionadas 44 referências, consoante o critério de inclusão, por quais evidenciou-se que a pandemia impacta desde mudanças nas rotinas do trabalho da enfermagem, atualização de medidas de prevenção de infecção ocupacional e de lesões por pressão por uso de equipamentos de proteção, cuidados para com a saúde mental, proporção de infecção entre os enfermeiros até maior visibilidade e reconhecimento da importância da categoria na assistência à saúde. Conclusão: A pandemia impôs novas condições de trabalho ao pessoal de enfermagem, as quais impactaram em questões pessoais e trabalhistas que se inter-relacionam com a qualidade da assistência à saúde.

Occupational Health and Radiation Safety of Radiography Workers

Medical imaging is the identification or study procedure for obtaining medical images of body parts. Millions of imaging procedures take place worldwide each week. Radiation protection is intended to prevent the ionizing radiation exposure from having harmful effects. Exposure may result from a source of radiation outside the human body, or from ingestion of radioactive pollution from internal irradiation. This chapter presents Occupational Health and Radiation Safety of Radiography workers in the medical imaging field. This chapter also summarizes how current employment health status and knowledge gaps can be illustrated in some key and critical occupational issues as well as diseases such as radiation, nosocomial and occupational infections.

Healthcare workers high COVID-19 infection rate: the source of infections and potential for respirators and surgical masks to reduce occupational infections

Objective: To analyse the work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and trace the source of COVID-19 infections in tertiary hospitals healthcare workers in light of the used PPE and their ability to maintain social distances and follow governmental restrictions. Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: Tertiary hospitals in Uusimaa region, Finland Participants: Of 1072 enrolled, 866 HCWs (588 nurses, 170 doctors and 108 laboratory and medical imaging nurses) from the Helsinki University Hospital completed the questionnaire by July 15th, 2020. The average age of participants was 42.4 years and 772 (89.0%) were women. The participants answered a detailed questionnaire of their PPE usage, ability to follow safety restrictions, exposure to COVID-19, the source of potential COVID-19 infection and both mental and physical symptoms during the first wave of COVID-19 in Finland. Main outcome measures: All participants with COVID-19 symptoms were tested with either RT-PCR or antibody tests. The infections were traced and categorised based on the location and source of infection. The possibility to maintain social distance and PPE usage during exposure were analyzed. Results: Of the HCWs that participated, 41 (4.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, marking a substantially higher infection rate than that of the general population (0.3%); 22 (53.6%) of infections were confirmed or likely occupational, including 7 (31.8%) from colleagues. Additionally, 5 (26.3%) of other infections were from colleagues outside the working facilities. 14 (63.6%) of occupational infections occurred while using a surgical mask. No occupational infections were found while using an FFP2/3 respirator and aerosol precautions while treating suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. Conclusions: While treating suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients, HCWs should wear an FFP2/3 respirator and recommended PPE. Maintaining safety distances in the workplace and controlling infections between HCWs should be priorities to ensure safe working conditions.

Assessment of Implementation of Occupational Infection Prevention of The Employee Wellness Program among a Group Of Healthcare Workers in Pediatrics Hospital of Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Background Healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed every day to multiple occupational hazards, the most common being the risk of exposure to occupational infections. Occupational infection prevention of the healthcare workers is a substantial issue not only to protect them, but also to protect their patients. If the risk posed by infection in health care workers is not recognized and addressed, there is the potential for large outbreaks of infection among staff and patients. Aim of Study Assessment of implementation of occupational infection prevention of the employee wellness program among healthcare workers in pediatrics hospital of Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Subjects and Methods A descriptive study was conducted and a structured self-administered aided questionnaire was used to collect data from 110 healthcare workers in the pediatrics hospital at Ain Shams University in Cairo to assess the pre-employment procedures, investigations, infection control training provided by the hospital and post exposure management procedure. Results Around half of the participants (48.2%) reported that they had undergone the pre-employment screening procedures. The majority of participants (85.4%) received infection control training at the hospital. Most of the participants didn’t receive the appropriate management after needle stick injury. Conclusion and Recommendations the current system followed in the Pediatrics hospital does not adequately implement all of the essential elements of the employee wellness program and needs to be improved. Co-ordination between the occupational health unit and infection control department should be done to improve the implementation of other elements of the employee wellness program to protect healthcare workers from occupational infections.

COVID-19 Pandemic Management Experiences of a Pediatric Clinic: Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatrics and Surgery Training Research Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic Example

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infection that occurs with a wide range of symptoms. The best way to prevent and slow down infection is based on the assumption that we know the characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the disease it causes, and the way it spreads. This review has been prepared by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit of the Behçet Uz Children’s Education and Research Hospital in order to share the preparations and strategies to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus together with other hospitals. What has been prepared in the clinic (physical arrangements, disinfection, regulations for the protection of employees from occupational infections, regulations for patients and companions) is explained under subheadings. The COVID-19 epidemic, which has affected the entire world and caused many people to die, requires the establishment of many new regulations in health services, including new ones to existing patient safety and infection control measures. The treatment and care for children and their families continued without interruption, with various arrangements made in the clinic in cooperation with the team, based on the guidelines updated frequently by the Ministry of Health, international literature, and experiences. Nurses who managed to communicate with children by wearing clothes that looked “like robots” (in the words of the children) used their existing knowledge and equipment in this process and gained new knowledge. It is thought that this review will be useful in guiding future developments of new information emerging during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Study of knowledge, attitude and practice among nurses regarding needle stick and sharp item injuries

Background: Needle stick injuries are an important occupational hazard for nursing personnel as they form an important mechanism for transmission of blood borne pathogens. A needle stick injury (NSI) is defined as an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle (or any sharp) containing another person’s blood or body fluid. Sharp injury (SI) is defined as a skin-penetrating stab wound caused by sharp instruments & accidents in a medical setting.Methods: The study is hospital based cross-sectional descriptive in PGIMS Rohtak. The study was designed towards achievement of all objectives. The study was carried out from 14 June 2016 to 13 August 2016.Results: Majority (6%) of sample were in the age group of 20-25 years and (31%) in age group of 26-30 years. Majority of sample (98.5%) were female. Majority of sample (90%) were GNM, (6.5%) were B.Sc Nursing, (1.5%) was M.sc Nursing. Majority of sample (91.5%) were married.Conclusions: The study identified the presence of suboptimal practices that put both staff nurses and patients at significant risk of contracting occupational infections.