Citation

Valent F, Liva G, Bellomo F, De Corti D, Degan S, Cattani G, Rosa I, Mizza A, Brusaferro S. Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health 2016; 29(1): 149-159.

Affiliation

University of Udine, Udine, Italy (Department of Medical and Biological Sciences). brusaferro.silvio@aoud.sanita.fvg.it.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz and the Polish Association of Occupational Medicine, Publisher Walter de Gruyter)

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00580

PMID

26489951

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We explored the association of workplace characteristics with occupational injuries and adverse events in an Italian teaching hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This ecological study was conducted using data routinely collected in the University Hospital of Udine, Northeastern Italy. Poisson regression models were used to investigate, at the hospital unit level, the association between 5 outcomes, including: occupational injuries, patient falls, medication errors, other adverse events and near-misses, and various characteristics of the units.

RESULTS: The proportion of female workers in a unit, the average number of sick-leave days and of overtime hours, the number of medical examinations requested by employees, and being a surgical unit were significantly associated with some of the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite ecological nature of the study, which does not allow for inferences to be drawn at the individual level, the results of our study provide useful clues to support strategies and interventions directed towards healthier work environments and better patient care in hospitals.

Language: en