A culture shift in healthcare is needed to improve healthcare workplace safety, according to a commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Workplace injuries not only harm individuals, but they also cost healthcare employers in missed work days, treatment and other associated costs. While organizations such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the American Nurses Association and The Joint Commission have developed guidelines for healthcare workplace safety, employers and employees need to commit to a safety culture, according to the author. "Protecting healthcare workers and reducing persistently high rates of health worker injuries also will require a culture change among health workers," she wrote.
She gave the Veterans Health Administration's efforts as an example of how a healthcare organization can improve workplace safety through culture change. In 2008, the VA adopted patient lifting recommendations from NIOSH and installed assistive devices. The program also includes regular training and orientation for staff. In 2006, before the program was implemented, the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System had 716 lost work days due to employees' lift-related injuries. In 2012, there were only 17 lost work days for lift-related injuries, according to the report.
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