Evaluation of occupational safety and influencing factors among nurses working in internal medicine clinics.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers, particularly nurses in internal medicine clinics, are exposed to specific occupational hazards such as infection risk, long working hours, and musculoskeletal problems. This study aims to evaluate the occupational safety of nurses working in internal medicine clinics and the factors influencing it. METHODS: The descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 300 nurses working in internal medicine clinics at a hospital in İzmir. The data were collected using a Participant Information Form and the Occupational Safety Scale (OSS) for Healthcare Personnel Working in Hospitals. The prediction of the OSS for Healthcare Workers in Hospitals Total Score among nurses, as well as the factors of Verbal Violence, Working Environment Equipment and Design, Quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and Equipment Used, were evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The nurses' mean age was 29.6 ± 4.7 years. A total of 55.3% (n = 166) of the nurses reported either that they had not read the regulation on ensuring patient and worker safety in healthcare institutions or that they were unaware of the regulation itself (6%, n = 18). The variables of Working Environment Equipment and Design, Quality of PPE, and Equipment Used were found to be statistically significant, explaining 29.8% of the variance in the OSS for Healthcare Workers in Hospitals total scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Nurses perceived occupational health and safety as moderately adequate. Among the examined variables, Working Environment Equipment and Design, Quality of PPE, and Equipment Used were found to significantly influence nurses' occupational health and safety. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve clinical workspace design, ensure high-quality PPE, and optimize equipment use, thereby enhancing nurses' safety and well-being.