Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Mar 24:2025:6657959.
doi: 10.1155/jonm/6657959. eCollection 2025.

Occupational Health Hazards and Control Measures in Government Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nurses' and Nurse Managers' Perspectives

Fathia Ahmed Mersal  1 , Ibrahim Naif Alenezi  1 , Rasmia Abd El Sattar Ali  1 , Faisal Khalaf Alanazi  1
Affiliations

Occupational Health Hazards and Control Measures in Government Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nurses' and Nurse Managers' Perspectives

Fathia Ahmed Mersal et al. J Nurs Manag. .

Abstract

Background: Healthcare environments expose workers and patients to hazardous substances, leading to sickness and death. Nurses play a critical role in maintaining patient health and managing occupational risks, including biological, physical, chemical, and psychological hazards, highlighting the need for significant commitment. This study aims to explore the occupational health hazards and control measures among nurses and nurse managers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 222 nurses and nurse managers in Northern Border Hospitals. A Google survey questionnaire was utilized for capturing data, including demographic information, occupational health hazards, and control measures. Results: Of the 222 nurses surveyed, 20.3% experienced high ergonomic hazards, 14.4% experienced physical hazards, 14.9% experienced chemical hazards, 17.1% experienced biological hazards, and 34.2% experienced moderate psychological hazards. Regarding safety measures, 86.0% of participants reported high levels of control, 80.6% took proactive safety precautions, and 87.8% adhered to comprehensive control measures. There was little correlation between demographic characteristics, occupational hazards, and control measures. A significant negative association was found between control measures and occupational hazards (p value ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Nurses face a range of occupational hazards, including ergonomic, physical, chemical, biological, and psychological risks. Addressing these hazards is essential for the well-being of nurses, the quality of patient care, and the creation of a healthier work environment. While control measures are generally effective, some healthcare workers lack access to adequate safety protocols. The results indicated a negative correlation between exposure to occupational health hazards and the implementation of control measures.

Keywords: control measures; nurse managers; nurses; occupational health hazards; work environment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

    1. Shamkh S. S., Mohammed A. H., Al-Abedi G. A. Occupational Hazards Among Nurses at Primary Health Care Centers in Al-Amara City/Iraq. Bahrain Medical Bulletin . 2022;44(1):846–850.
    1. Akkuş Y., Karacan Y., Güney R., Kurt B. Experiences of Nurses Working With COVID-19 Patients: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Clinical Nursing . 2022;31(9–10):1243–1257. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15979. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Søvold L. E., Naslund J. A., Kousoulis A. A., et al. Prioritizing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Healthcare Workers: An Urgent Global Public Health Priority. Frontiers in Public Health . 2021;9:p. 679397. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.679397. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Thirunavukkarasu A., Alrawaili K. A. H., Al-Hazmi A. H., et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Occupational Health Hazards Among Health Care Workers of Northern Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 2021;18(21):p. 11489. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111489. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Osaretin Owie H., Apanga P. A. Occupational Health Hazards Prevailing Among Healthcare Workers in Developing Countries. Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research . 2016;7(8) doi: 10.4172/2155-6113.1000596. - DOI

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources