Fitness for work of hospital personnel in sickness absence

Abstract

Introduction: The evaluation of fitness for work can be conducted upon the employer's request even during the employee's sickness absence.

Aim: Determine the contribution of conducting medical examinations to assess the working ability of Charles Nicolle hospital's workers who are on sick leave.

Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study included all the medical records, completed over a two-year period (2013-2014), of Charles Nicolle hospital's personnel who were on sick leave and who consulted the service of occupational medicine and professional pathology to undergo a fitness for work evaluation requested by the employer.

Results: Our study was based on a total of 170 cases of sickness absenteeism reported from a population of 133 employees. The average age of the study population was 39 years (+/- 9.5) with a sex ratio of 0.51. The category of nurses was the most represented (44.4 %). The average work seniority was 10.6 years (+/- 8.4). It is worth notifying that in 65.3% of the cases (111/170), medical examinations were conducted on the employees during the time they were off work. However, in the remaining 34.7 % of the cases (59/170), medical examinations were conducted on the employees after they go back to work. Our study showed that among the 111 employees who were subject to a medical examination during their sickness absence, 88 of them, which is the equivalent of 79.3 %, were found to be fit for work. Among those, 8 cases were fit for work but with some restrictions. A temporary unfitness for work was indicated in only 20.7% of the cases (23/111).

Conclusion: Our study unveiled a discrepancy between sickness absenteeism and fitness for work in Charles Nicolle hospital. Employees on sick leave had the physical and the mental abilities that would allow them to work with some individualized accommodations based on their health-related needs.