Scale Measures Dimensions of Hospital Safety Climates

July 17, 2000
A study found that employees who received frequent\r\nfeedback and training about safety were half as likely to\r\nexperience blood or body-fluid exposure.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have developed a short but effective safety-climate questionnaire that hospital administrators can use to assess the safety climate of their health care facility, to pinpoint safety hazards, and to measure the effectiveness of their safety intervention strategy.

The questionnaire targets programs designed to reduce employees'' exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

The study found, for example, that employees who received frequent feedback and training about safety, and who also believed senior management strongly supported safety, were half as likely to experience blood or body-fluid exposure.

The study appeared in the June issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

Lead author Dr. Robyn Gershon, MHS, senior research associate, Environmental Health Science, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said," Because this scale measures dimensions of a hospital''s safety climate, it can be used not only to assess the effectiveness of safety programs but also to target problem areas and promote the development of intervention strategies to reduce the risk of occupational exposures."

Because hospitals have tried to increase productivity by downsizing and re-engineering, health care workers must now work harder and faster than ever with an environment of increased patient turnover, higher percentages of seriously ill patients, and higher numbers of those with infectious diseases, said the study.

The researchers designed the study questionnaire to measure such things as barriers to safe work practices, the orderliness of a work site, and how often workers received safety related feedback and training by supervisors.

The questionnaire can also determine if workers believe that senior management supports safety programs.

Completed questionnaires were obtained from 789 hospital-based health care workers who were considered at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Reported blood and body-fluid exposure incidents were common; for instance, 9 percent of respondents experienced a total of 104 needle sticks for the six-months prior to the study.

According to the authors, the results indicated that employees'' perceptions about the safety of their hospitals significantly influenced their adoption of safe work practices, which in turn led to fewer exposures.

"Hospitals should regularly conduct employee surveys in order to find out how well their safety programs are doing," said Gershon. "More importantly though, hospitals must then be prepared to make improvements as necessary. These steps will make hospitals safer environments for both workers and patients."

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

Sponsored Recommendations

Avetta Named a Leader in The Verdantix Green Quadrant: Supply Chain Sustainability Software 2024

Nov. 26, 2024
Avetta was named a leader by Verdantix in a 2024 sustainability software report for our ability to help clients and suppliers build sustainable supply chains.

Avetta is a Leader in Supply Chain Sustainability Software

Nov. 26, 2024
Verdantix has named Avetta a leader in its 2024 Green Quadrant for Supply Chain Sustainability Software. Download the report for independent insights into market trends and top...

The Power of Benchmarking in Procurement: Driving Success and Strategic Planning

Nov. 26, 2024
Explore the strategic impact of benchmarking in procurement to drive success and plan effectively.

The Five Eras of Safety Maturity

Nov. 26, 2024
Discover the 5 Eras of Safety Maturity, from reactive measures to data-driven assurance, and how organizations can evolve toward proactive safety cultures.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!