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To pilot test the COMmunity of Practice And Safety Support for Navigating Pain (COMPASS-NP) intervention for home care workers experiencing chronic pain. Methods: Home care workers with chronic pain participated (n = 19; 2 groups) in a 10-week online group program focused on workplace safety and pain self-management. Primary outcomeswere changes in pain interference with work and life. Other outcomes related to ergonomics, pain levels, opioid misuse risk, mental health, sleep, and physical activity. Results: The intervention produced a large reduction in pain interference with life (d = -0.85) and a moderate reduction in pain interference with work time demands (d = -0.61). Secondary outcomes showed favorable effect sizes, including a substantial increase in the use of ergonomic tools and techniques (d = 1.47). Conclusion: Findings were strongly encouraging. The effectiveness of COMPASS-NP will be evaluated in a future randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We estimated associations of a rest break ordinance, implemented for construction workers in Dallas, Texas in 2016, with workplace injuries and illnesses. Methods: We used workers' compensation claims data to compare changes in rates of injuries and illnesses among Dallas County, Texas construction (ie, "treated") workers with changes in untreated workers, before (2013-2015) and after (2016-2018) a rest break ordinance was implemented. Results: Immediately after the ordinance was implemented, rates of injuries/illnesses among treated workers were modestly lower than in comparison workers (rate ratio comparing postmandate vs premandate rates, treated vs comparison workers: 0.89, 95%confidence interval: 0.72-1.11). Postordinance versus preordinance slope trends were similar in the treated versus the comparison group. Conclusions: Ten-minute rest breaks were associated with modestly lower rates of workplace injury/illnesses. More comprehensive standards may be needed for protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of COVID‐19 pandemic among a sample of Italian dentists in terms of infection, strategies for infection control, organization of the dental clinic, attitude, and behavior. Material and Methods: This was a cross‐sectional survey. The sample consisted of 8000 Italian dentists selected among 63,375 using a computerized random sampling method. An electronic informed consent had to be signed. The questionnaire categories were on demographic, infection risk management, organization, and dentists' attitude and behavior. Geographic macro‐areas were used for subgroup analysis. Results: Among 8000 invited dentists, 2443 agreed to participate to the survey (30.6%). Mean age was 51.2 years, women were 34.5%. A total of 6.1% self‐reported COVID‐19 experience and higher rate of infection was reported in north Italy compared to the south (p < 0.05). FFP2/FFP3 respirators (97.1%) and visors (97.4%) were used by almost all dentists. While, natural ventilation and mouthwashes were the most frequent approaches used to reduce the infection risk. Most of the dentists reported positive attitude, nevertheless 83.6% felt an increased responsibility. Conclusion: The self‐reported COVID‐19 prevalence was 6.1% with some differences among geographic areas. COVID 19 had a deep impact on preventive strategies, dental office organization, and behavior within this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States are due to chronic diseases and treating these accounts for 86 percent of our nation's health care costs. The workplace offers an environment to implement chronic disease prevention strategies, such as worksite wellness programs, due to the large amount of time spent at the worksite daily by employees. As a result of COVID-19, many organizations began to change their workdays (i.e., working from home). This research sought to understand what, if any, implications the COVID-19 epidemic had on worksite wellness programming. Semistructured interviews were employed and recorded via Zoom conferencing to gather qualitative data. Four themes were identified: (a) relationship building among remote employees, (b) creativity in how to carry out program components, (c) increased physical activity and work-life balance, and (d) increased knowledge of health issues and mental health resources. Both challenges and successes were reported within themes. The main finding from this research indicates a mostly positive experience for worksite wellness programs during the COVID-19 epidemic. Many organizations have continued nontraditional work environments and the lessons learned from this study can both encourage and provide ideas for how to create and continue a worksite wellness program outside of the normal face-to-face working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although researchers have devoted great effort to explore the antecedents of altruistic behaviours (a type of organisational citizenship behaviours), the important role of technical factors (social media) remains unclear. Drawing on social comparison and organisational support theory, this study explored how social media affordances influence employees' altruistic behaviours from both positive and negative perspectives. In this study, 302 employees from organisations in China were surveyed. We found that social media affordances could facilitate employees' perceived organisational support and social comparison of ability. Perceived organisational support positively mediated the relationship between social media affordances and altruistic behaviours. Although the evidence did not support the notion that social comparison of ability could directly dampen altruistic behaviours, a post-hoc analysis found that it could dampen the positive impact of perceived organisational support on developing altruistic behaviours. This study expanded previous research focusing on only positive or negative effects of social media use in the workplace by investigating the dual effects and the interaction effect in between. Here, we discuss the results and provide practical guidance for managers and organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to develop recommendations for creating a healthy work environment based on current literature for nurses working within the US Military Health System (MHS). However, our findings would likely benefit other nursing populations and environments as well. Design: Systematic literature review. Data Sources: We conducted a systematic literature search for articles published between January 2010 until January 2024 from five databases: PubMed, Joanna Briggs, Embase, CINAHL and Scopus. Methods: Articles were screened, selected and extracted using Covidence software. Article findings were synthesized to create recommendations for the development, implementation and measurement of healthy work environments. Results: Ultimately, a total of 110 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The articles informed 13 recommendations for creating a healthy work environment. The recommendations included ensuring teamwork, mentorship, job satisfaction, supportive leadership, nurse recognition and adequate staffing and resources. Additionally, we identified strategies for implementing and measuring these recommendations. Conclusions: This thorough systematic review created actionable recommendations for the creation of a healthy work environment. Based on available evidence, implementation of these recommendations could improve nursing work environments. Impact: This study identifies methods for implementing and measuring aspects of a healthy work environment. Nurse leaders or others can implement the recommendations provided here to develop healthy work environments in their hospitals, clinics or other facilities where nurses practice. Reporting Method: PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ethnic minorities make up approximately 14% of the UK workforce. Despite the disproportionate burden of ill-health amongst ethnic minorities, and the increased interest in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace, workplace health and wellbeing interventions are still most often designed for the ethnic majority. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the depth and breadth of evidence on the attitudes to and perceptions of health and wellbeing interventions in the workplace within ethnic minority groups in the UK, and to identify gaps in evidence that would provide direction for future research needs. METHODS: A scoping review with quality appraisal was undertaken, supplemented by a review of grey literature and a narrative review exploring related evidence from the knowledge bases related to community and cultural adaptation. RESULTS: Only three peer-reviewed studies met inclusion criteria, preventing broad conclusions. 14 papers from the community and cultural adaptation literature provided additional information about how health promotion may be approached effectively in the workplace, including the importance of culturally sensitive, people-centred design, and the use of established adaptation frameworks. CONCLUSION: The literature suggests a need for improvements in four key areas: (1) reporting of ethnic minorities in data relating to workplace health and wellbeing research, (2) more thorough review of perceptions and attitudes of ethnic minority workers in the UK, (3) design of culturally appropriate interventions that are tested for impact, and (4) testing of the effectiveness of culturally adapted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Quantitatively analyzing the impact of UV radiation and noise during welding operations is essential to assess the exposure, identify potential hazards, and develop targeted safety protocols to ensure worker safety and adherence to safety regulations, especially in developing countries with inadequate adherence to safety standards and resources. OBJECTIVES: This study employs machine learning for predicting ultraviolet radiation and noise levels during welding, emphasizing worker safety. The focus is on the Indian foundry sector to gauge actual exposure vis-á-vis safety standards. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultraviolet radiation and noise emitted during the welding of a ferrous alloy were collected from three foundries in Agra, India. Five machine learning (ML) algorithms were applied for data analysis and prediction of UV radiation and noise levels, and a relative performance comparison was carried out on the compiled data against safety standards. RESULTS: Out of all the ML algorithms applied, the Support Vector Machine regression algorithm (RMSE = 356.93) obtained the best performance on UV radiation data, and the Random Forest algorithm (RMSE = 11.4) was found to give the best results for the noise level prediction task. CONCLUSIONS: This work represents the first known application of machine learning techniques for predicting UV radiation and noise levels in arc welding processes. The results show the efficacy of algorithms such as SVM regression and Random Forest for the problem. Further, the datasets and ML algorithms implemented in the work will be made openly available to support further research endeavors in this and related areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly stretched global healthcare provisions since its commencement in 2019. From the outset, ambulance services in the UK had to adapt and change their working practices to meet distancing requirements, to increase staff numbers and to ease the effects of staff becoming unavailable for work due to self-isolation and illness. One strategy was moving clinicians from emergency operation centres (EOCs) to working from home. Like many international services, UK ambulance services use paramedics and nurses to undertake telephone and video assessments of patients calling the 999 emergency services line in a model known as virtual care or remote clinical decision making. Virtual care is any interaction between a patient and a clinician or clinicians, occurring remotely via information technologies. Increasing evidence is becoming available to suggest that the pandemic caused harm to the wellbeing of healthcare workers, primarily due to the severe stress of regular exposure to death and human suffering. However, there remains a dearth of literature focusing on the well-being of remote and virtual clinicians, especially those who moved from working in EOCs to working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study reports the findings of a qualitative analysis of these effects from the clinician's perspective. The authors hope that the findings from this study will inform the operating, well-being and leadership practices of those delivering such services. Methods: A convenience sample of telephone nurses and paramedics from one UK ambulance service where home working had been implemented were contacted. Fifteen clinicians with recent home-working experience responded to the invitation to participate out of a possible 31 (48%). All participants had previously practised remote assessment from within an EOC. Semi-structured interviews took place via video-conferencing software and were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. An inductive approach was taken to generating codes, and both researchers separately read the transcripts before re-reading them, assigning initial themes and determining frequency. Results: Five main themes were discovered, with further associated sub-themes. The main themes were: safety; financial implications; working relationships; home-working environment; and anxiety. Conclusions: Few studies explore remote clinicians' health and well-being. This study identified that home-working clinicians felt that there had been no detrimental impact on their health and well-being because of working from home during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some concerns were raised, these were mitigated through the support that clinicians received at home from family members, as well as from colleagues, some of whom had developed new working relationships. Financial implications appeared to have contributed to some concerns for participants initially, but these had been alleviated quickly despite requiring further exploration of the true financial impact of working from home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality clinical environments are crucial in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This study explored the mediating role of academic burnout in relation to workplace bullying experience, stress hardiness, and occupational identity among nursing students during clinical practice. Method: In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was administered to fourth-year nursing students from four universities. Data were collected in March 2023 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and PROCESS Macro Model 4. Results: In the final sample (N = 202), the correlates of occupational identity were stress hardiness and academic burnout; workplace bullying was not statistically significant. Academic burnout completely and partially mediated the relationship between workplace bullying and occupational identity and between stress hardiness and occupational identity, respectively. Conclusion: To strengthen nursing students' occupational identity, active attention and management are required to prevent academic burnout and improve stress hardiness. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(9):604–612.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we argue that the relationship between workplace hazardousness and accidents is best characterized as an inverted‐U, such that accidents are most likely to occur within moderately hazardous environments. Specifically, whereas highly hazardous work environments are strong situations in which there is a clear need for a high degree of safety behavior, the amount of safety behavior needed to minimize accidents within moderately hazardous environments is more ambiguous. Drawing on self‐regulatory theories of work motivation, we argue that most individuals tend to exhibit a proportional response to hazardousness, such that moderately hazardous environments are met with a moderate degree of safety behavior. However, we demonstrate that proportional responses to hazardousness will ultimately yield an inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents. Instead, a sharp, non‐linear increase in safety behavior is needed to keep accidents at a low and constant level as hazardousness increases. We present four studies to test our hypotheses. Studies 1 and 2 used archival data to test our hypothesis of an inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents in natural work settings. Studies 3 and 4 were experiments which replicated this finding, and more importantly, demonstrated that the inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents was driven by a failure to sharply increase safety behavior in response to small increases in hazardousness. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these results for the safety literature, particularly the need to educate workers regarding the pattern of safety behavior needed to fully offset environmental hazardousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

*OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a workplace injury prevention and wellness program compared to no intervention (control) on musicians' playing-related musculoskeletal pain intensity. The hypothesis was that musicians who completed the program would have a greater reduction in pain intensity than the control group. *DESIGN: Pragmatic parallel randomized controlled trial. *METHODS: Sixty-five orchestra musicians were recruited and completed patient-reported outcome measures (primary outcome: pain intensity over 11 months, using the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians; range: 0-40; lower is better) at baseline, 14 weeks (T1), and 11 months (T2). Following baseline assessment, participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 33) or control (n = 32) groups, stratified by instrument and pain prevalence. The intervention group received a 14-week injury prevention and wellness program including education and exercise; the control group received no intervention. *RESULTS: Pain intensity means (standard deviation) were 7.8 (6.2), 8.0 (7.5), and 8.6 (5.7) in the control group, and 9.0 (6.6), 5.0 (4.2), and 6.7 (6.6) in the intervention group at T0, T1, and T2, respectively. Using intention-to-treat analyses (3 dropouts, n = 65 analyzed), between-group differences in pain intensity (95% confidence interval) were T1-T0: -4.2 (-7.5, -0.9); T2-T0: -3.7 (-7.1, -0.3), type III (overall) P = .03, favoring the intervention group. No adverse events were reported. *CONCLUSION: A workplace injury prevention and wellness program may have a clinically meaningful effect on reducing orchestra musicians' pain intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevant studies in the fields of fire safety, occupational health and firefighter clothing were analyzed in this study to address the high injury rate among firefighters during fire rescue and the complexity of factors affecting skin burns. The findings indicate that the degree of skin burns in firefighters is primarily influenced by the heat source (heat flux, type), firefighter clothing (fabric, pattern) and the under-clothing air gap (thickness, characteristics). Since skin burns cannot be directly measured, internal skin heat transfer and burn prediction models are commonly employed to assess the impact of external factors on skin burns. These models can predict the safe working distance or time for firefighters. Investigating the influencing factors and prediction models of skin burns among firefighters holds significant value in enhancing operating procedures, optimizing firefighter clothing design and effectively preventing skin burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Workplace health promotion (WHP) in Germany is receiving increasing support from health insurance funds. Nevertheless, there is hardly any knowledge on the process of how health outcomes are achieved, especially in nursing. The aim of the study was to find out how and what can be implemented in different care settings and to examine the reactions and interactions of the participants under routine conditions. Methods: Guided by a logic model, a holistic WHP approach was implemented in four acute care hospitals, seven inpatient care facilities and four outpatient care services from April 2021 to October 2022. Data on realized WHP interventions, participant assessment and topics of work design was collected and analyzed descriptively. Results: The realized WHP interventions were adapted depending on the content and context. Mainly short relaxation interventions were delivered or those with an event character were received by participants. The highest participation rate of planned participants was achieved in team building training. Participants predominantly assessed WHP interventions as useful, the quality as (very) good and were generally (very) satisfied with the intervention components. For work design topics, intentions for the design of work organization were mainly documented in action plans. Conclusion: Cooperation with practitioners in research should be continued as a contribution to quality development. This could provide suggestions as to which content adjustments lead to greater acceptance by the target group in a specific context. Trial registration: The project was registered in the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00024961, 2021/04/09). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices refer to the deliberate actions and strategies implemented by a company or organization to generate positive outcomes for its stakeholders beyond the sole objective of profit maximization. Internal CSR is a significant management and investment concept within enterprises, such as hospitals, that enhances organizational performance excellence. Objectives: The article aims to trace how hospitals thrive in nurses' job performance by leveraging internal CSR practices. Methods: Cross-sectional design quantitative research through structured questionnaire interviews on 215 nurses in Vietnam. Data collection was conducted from May 2023 to August 2023. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to test the hypotheses. Results: The study has proven that a hospital's internal CSR practices impact nurses' job performance. Income and benefits, human resource training and development, and work-related quality of life directly and significantly impact three dimensions of a nurse's job performance (competence to practice patient care, attitude to performance work, and management and professional development capacity). Connection and trust in the workplace and health and safety at work significantly affect two dimensions of a nurse's job performance (namely, competence to practice patient care and attitude to performance work). Diversity in the workplace impacts nurses' competence in practicing patient care and their management and professional development capacity. Demographic variables did not correlate statistically significantly with dimensions of internal CSR and nurses' job performance. Conclusion: The study presents significant findings on the influence of internal CSR on nurses' job performance within the hospital management theory of an emerging market. The results of the present study contribute to a better understanding of the benefits of hospitals' socially responsible actions and contribute further to resource management in hospitals, especially nursing. If the nursing staff positively perceives the hospital's internal CSR practices, they will be more able to perform their job, impacting the hospital's overall performance. This study has certain limitations regarding the representative nature of the sample, the use of the self-report survey instrument, and the use of cross-sectional data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the effect of safety culture on employee safety performance at a Coal Fired Power Plant (CFPP) in Java, as well as the mediating role of safety communication and moderating role of service years. This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects between the variables of safety culture, safety communication and employee safety performance. In addition, the study also explored the moderating role of service year in the relationship between safety culture and employee safety performance. Data was obtained from distributing questionnaires to CFPP employees using a stratified sampling method. SmartPLS SEM. The findings reveal that safety culture does not have a significant direct effect on employee safety performance. However, safety communication significantly mediates the relations between safety culture and employee safety performance. The service year does not moderate the relationship between safety culture and employee safety performance This indicates that other factors such as continuous training, reward system, and work environment may be more influential in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Funeral workers (FWs) work within increasingly medicalized and commodified death-management systems. This study explored Worker Health and Safety (WHS) impacts in contemporary death management on Australian and Irish FWs. Mixed methods combined a survey and interviews. Survey data were descriptively summarized, interviews thematically analyzed, and a schematic systems model developed of the combined results. Survey participants (n = 45) reported psychosocial hazards from work pressures, competition, and fatigue. Psychosocial hazards were more frequently reported than physical hazards by Australian FWs. Physical hazards were of greater concern to Irish FWs. Themes from 11 interviews were: Personal Attributes, Work Demands, and Socio-Cultural Context. All FWs reported conflicts between individual capacities, work demands, and resources, resulting in hazardous personal states including difficulty sleeping and stress. Respectfully manually handling human remains and "event management" demands for increasingly elaborate funerals created negative WHS impacts. This research informs risk management for FWs and other workers in the increasingly complex death-care industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of practitioners working in the area of domestic abuse is a current subject of research and practice concern, as services endeavour to better understand constantly evolving tactics of violence and abuse and respond appropriately. This paper reports on a subset of findings from a practice‐led research project focussed on capacity‐building workers and their organizations to address domestic abuse, which highlighted the ongoing concerns expressed by practitioners—particularly female practitioners—about their own physical, emotional, and professional safety. Ethnographic notes were taken of Community of Practice discussions in four regions of New South Wales, Australia, involving 69 senior health practitioners from a range of service streams: specialist domestic abuse, mental health, substance use, and child protection. Themes identified through thematic analysis included the following: a tailored approach to practising safely; attending to physical safety; threats to professional identity; promoting emotional well‐being; documentation to support worker safety; and attending to cultural safety. These themes are encapsulated in the practitioner question: Who's got my back?—highlighting the importance of legislation, policy, and practices that provide an environment in which safety and support are embedded in a culture of care at every organizational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study surveyed Asian American healthcare workers to examine the impact of discrimination on workplace stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workplace stress was measured by utilizing the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and discrimination experienced by healthcare workers was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale. This research reported several key findings. Healthcare workers who were not married at the time of the survey experienced the most discrimination, followed by those who worked less than five years. Those who were married experienced the least discrimination. Healthcare workers with less than five years of work experience felt the most workplace stress, followed by those who were not married, while those who were married experienced the least workplace stress. Healthcare workers who experienced greater discrimination also reported higher workplace stress. As hypothesized, workplace discrimination emerged as the most influential predictor of Asian HCWs' workplace stress during the pandemic. Feeling safe at work and being married contributed to less workplace stress among healthcare workers during the pandemic. These factors explained 25.6% of the variance in workplace stress among healthcare workers during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the career decisions and aspirations of early‐career registered nurses in New Brunswick, Canada. Design: A qualitative study using an interpretive description approach was conducted. Methods: Semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of nurses (n = 22) currently working in New Brunswick, Canada, with up to 5 years of experience from February to April 2022. Results: Participants described diverse career paths and aspirations. Personal factors affecting these included the desire for meaningful work, career satisfaction, work‐life balance, spending time with family, working in a preferred location, and finances. Professionally, working conditions were the dominant factor influencing early‐career nurses' career decisions and aspirations. Participants described how short staffing, safety, support, and scheduling influenced their day‐to‐day work, mental and physical health, job and career satisfaction, and intent to leave. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the abundant and diverse career opportunities available to nurses early in their careers. Early‐career nurses are interested in finding nursing positions with a high degree of person‐job fit and value opportunities for ongoing professional education and growth. Impact: This study in New Brunswick, Canada, explores early‐career nurses' career decisions and aspirations during nursing shortages and the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of person‐job fit. Recommendations include improving working conditions and career pathways to enhance the sustainability of the nursing profession. Reporting Method: Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore Remote Area Nurses' experiences of the implementation of workplace health and safety policies and risk mitigation strategies in Australian very remote primary health clinics. Design: This qualitative study used online semi‐structured interviews, with participants purposively sampled to maximize variation in work location and service type. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Coding was carried out inductively, with NVivo 12 aiding data management. Setting: The interviews were conducted from 24 Februrary 2021 to 06 March 2021 with Remote Area Nurses from very remote primary health clinics in Australia. Participants: Fifteen Remote Area Nurses participated in the study. Results: Thematic analysis revealed varied approaches to workplace safety among the different health services and regions. While the spread of 'never alone' policies in many clinics addressed one of the significant risks faced by Remote Area Nurses, gaps remained even for hazards specifically highlighted in existing work health and safety legislation. Meaningful collaboration with staff and the community, local orientation, preparation for the role and providing quality care were protective factors for staff safety. Understaffing, unsafe infrastructure and inadequate equipment were common concerns among Remote Area Nurses. Conclusion: Health services need to prioritize workplace safety and take a continuous quality improvement approach to its implementation. This will include ensuring safety strategies are appropriate for the local context, improving infrastructure maintenance, and establishing sustainable second responder systems such as a pool of drivers with local knowledge. Implications for the Profession: Poor personal safety contributes to burnout and high turnover of staff. Nurses' insights into the barriers and enablers of current workplace safety strategies will aid policymakers and employers in future improvements. Reporting Method: COREQ reporting guidelines were followed. PIPE Statement: A panel of six Remote Area Nurses collaborated in the development of this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights two 90-minute events at an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts to test the use of visual art sessions as an intervention to enhance nurse leader self-care and well-being and teamwork outside the acute care setting. It presents results of the General Medicine Service divisional leader event which utilized the pedagogic technique of Visual Thinking Strategies, as well as the second group activity which was a reflective writing exercise called Paint Chip Poetry.

Background The public order and safety (POS) sector remains susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreaks, as workplace attendance is typically compulsory and close physical contact is often needed. Here, we report on a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak with an attack rate of 39% (9/23), which occurred between 19 and 29 June 2021 among a cohort of new POS recruits participating in a mandatory 18-week training programme in England. Methods The COVID-OUT (COVID-19 Outbreak investigation to Understand Transmission) study team undertook a multidisciplinary outbreak investigation, including viral surface sampling, workplace environmental assessment, participant viral and antibody testing, and questionnaires, at the two associated training facilities between 5 July and 24 August 2021. Results Environmental factors, such as ventilation, were deemed inadequate in some areas of the workplace, with carbon dioxide (CO2) levels exceeding 1,500 ppm on multiple occasions within naturally ventilated classrooms. Activities during safety training required close contact, with some necessitating physical contact, physical exertion, and shouting. Furthermore, most participants reported having physical contact with colleagues (67%) and more than one close work contact daily (97%). Conclusions Our investigation suggests that site- and activity-specific factors likely contributed to the transmission risks within the POS trainee cohort. Potential interventions for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this POS training context could include implementing regular rapid lateral flow testing, optimizing natural ventilation, using portable air cleaning devices in classrooms, and expanding use of well-fitted FFP2/FFP3 respirators during activities where prolonged close physical contact is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the mental health challenges faced by pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCs), whose stressful professional lives may negatively impact global flight safety and security. The adverse effects of mental health disorders on their flight performance pose a particular safety risk, especially in sudden unexpected startle situations. Therefore, the early detection, prediction and prevention of mental health deterioration in pilots and ATCs, particularly among those at high risk, are crucial to minimize potential air crash incidents caused by human factors. Recent research in artificial intelligence (AI) demonstrates the potential of machine and deep learning, edge and cloud computing, virtual reality and wearable multimodal physiological sensors for monitoring and predicting mental health disorders. Longitudinal monitoring and analysis of pilots' and ATCs physiological, cognitive and behavioral states could help predict individuals at risk of undisclosed or emerging mental health disorders. Utilizing AI tools and methodologies to identify and select these individuals for preventive mental health training and interventions could be a promising and effective approach to preventing potential air crash accidents attributed to human factors and related mental health problems. Based on these insights, the article advocates for the design of a multidisciplinary mental healthcare ecosystem in modern aviation using AI tools and technologies, to foster more efficient and effective mental health management, thereby enhancing flight safety and security standards. This proposed ecosystem requires the collaboration of multidisciplinary experts, including psychologists, neuroscientists, physiologists, psychiatrists, etc. to address these challenges in modern aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To identify appropriate interventions to prevent injury, we conducted a qualitative study among commercial shrimp fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. Methods. Using qualitative and participatory research methods, including interviews, photovoice, and workplace observations in southeast Texas and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, we examined the social‒structural dimensions that contribute to physical and psychological injury. Results. We found that multiple layers of vulnerability and danger exist among shrimpers with interacting themes: (1) recognizing risk, (2) precarious employment, and (3) psychological distress. Conclusions. Our results add to the growing body of knowledge that emphasizes the negative health impacts of underregulated, high-risk, and physically demanding work performed primarily by im/migrants. Public Health Implications. Our findings highlight the larger social‒structural conditions and context of hardships endemic to migrant labor and suggest implications for practice and policy interventions. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(8):824–832. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307696) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Strengthening safety compliance behaviour can reduce the organizations' unexpected financial losses and prevent employees from continuous COVID-19. It drives this study to create a research framework involved by organizational, individual and social factors to predict employees' safety compliance behaviour. OBJECTIVE: This study examines how risk perceptions of COVID-19, employee well-being, workplace health and safety training, safety motivation and safety related stigma impact safety compliance behavior in times COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was disseminated to healthcare workers. In all, 344 acceptable questionnaires were derived for further analysis. RESULTS: The results revealed that the risk perception of COVID-19 and employee well-being has no significant relationship with safety compliance behavior. Similarly, safety related stigma also has no moderating effect on safety motivation and safety compliance behavior. However, workplace health and safety training and safety motivation have significant relationships with safety compliance behavior. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the literature by illuminating on the importance of organizational, individual, social factors and how they can interact with safety compliance behaviour. Additionally, knowing the unique function of safety related stigma in building safety compliance behaviour may help guide future efforts and training initiatives to enhance workplace safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In 2022, many universities transitioned from virtual learning back to in-person teaching. Significant changes in working conditions, along with COVID-19-related anxiety during the pandemic, might impact the well-being of lecturers. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the perceived stress, self-rated physical and occupational health of Vietnamese lecturers in 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic levels, and to identify their associating factors. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in May–June 2022 through an online survey questionnaire. A sample of 425 university lecturers were included. Participants' stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Participants were asked to compare their current physical and occupational health with before the pandemic. Explanatory variables included (1) COVID-19 exposure; and (2) perceptions of changes in working environment due to the pandemic. Multivariable ordinal least squared regression analyses were used to estimate the coefficient and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between COVID-19 exposure variables, work conditions, and each outcome. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that over 60% of participants experienced moderate stress, while nearly half reported worsened physical and occupational health during the pandemic. Gender, age, perceptions of workload, workplace safety, COVID-19 infection, and incentive programs were significant factors associated with higher stress levels and worse self-rated health. CONCLUSION: To ensure occupational safety and support lecturers as they return to in-person classes, it is crucial to provide appropriate psychological and health support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Mercury (Hg) is a toxic heavy metal with multiple uses in various medical devices. Hg is used in dentistry as a restorative material. Such use creates significant exposure to dental practitioners. Hence, it is important to assess the risk created by Hg use in healthcare. OBJECTIVE: To quantify airborne Hg vapour exposure and Hg levels in dental healthcare workers, and determine the association of various symptoms and diseases to Hg exposure. METHODS: Air monitoring of Hg vapours were conducted in dental clinics and amalgam rooms. Urine samples were collected from occupationally exposed dental healthcare workers and urine Hg levels were measured. A cross-sectional health survey was conducted in 23 healthcare units of Delhi to determine an association between Hg exposure and various health effects. RESULTS: Hg vapour concentration ranged from 0.96μg/m3 to 15μg/m3, the highest concentration was recorded in the amalgam room (15μg/m3). Urine Hg levels in healthcare workers (0.51±0.17μg/L) were higher than the control (0.29±0.05μg/L). A cross-sectional health survey revealed a significant prevalence of confusion, forgetfulness, muscle spasm, and tremors by the respondents. CONCLUSION: Hg concentration in dental clinics may hover above the prescribed safe levels posing a definitive health risk to healthcare workers. Urinary Hg measurements did not reveal an excess of body burden except in one case. Since Hg bio accumulates, it is probable as these workers grow older, they may end up with a higher body burden of Hg that may lead to a variety of adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Nurse protection is a multifaceted concept that has become increasingly relevant in recent years. Despite its importance in effectively managing pandemics, there is still a gap in knowledge about how nurses achieve protection in hospitals. Objective. To describe the process of seeking protection among nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods. A grounded theory approach from 2020 to 2022, employing purposive and theoretical sampling. Face‐to‐face and online interviews were conducted with 25 participants, resulting in 29 interviews. Data analysis was carried out using Corbin and Strauss's method (2015). Results. The analysis revealed that nurses encountered numerous obstacles related to patients, nurses themselves, organizations, and the passage of time during the COVID‐19 pandemic. These challenges were intertwined with three key concepts: transformations, inequalities, and emotional challenges, highlighting the multifaceted nature of nurses' protection concerns. In response, nurses employed a protective strategy bolstered by catalysts to address these challenges. This strategy encompassed both optimistic outlooks ("Bright horizon") and somber reflections ("Unpleasant reflection"). Ultimately, seeking protection in the heart of the storm emerged as the core concept, representing the multifaceted process through which nurses navigate and seek protection amidst the unique challenges posed by the pandemic. Conclusions. This study presents a comprehensive theory that explicitly explains the multifaceted process of seeking protection among hospital‐employed nurses during a pandemic. The theory captures the interconnectedness of challenges faced by nurses and the protective strategies they employ while acknowledging the nuanced balance between hopeful prospects and sobering reflections. Implications for Nursing Management. Policymakers, managers, and educators can utilize the findings to improve nursing management and support systems. By increasing awareness, addressing challenges, and providing robust support, they can enhance the well‐being and effectiveness of nurses during healthcare crises, ultimately improving patient care quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideally, measuring exposures to volatile organic compounds should allow for modifying sampling duration without loss in sensitivity. Traditional sorbent-based sampling can vary sampling duration, but sensitivity may be affected when capturing shorter tasks. Diaphragm and capillary flow controllers allow for a range of flow rates and sampling durations for air sampling with evacuated canisters. The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent to which commercialized capillary flow controllers satisfy the bias (±10%) and accuracy (±25%) criteria for air sampling methods as established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) using the framework of ASTM D6246 Standard Practice for Evaluating the Performance of Diffusive Samplers to compare their performance with diaphragm flow controllers in a long-term field study. Phase 1 consisted of a series of laboratory tests to evaluate capillary flow controller flow rates with respect to variations in temperature (−15–24 °C). The results demonstrated a slight increase in flow rate with lower temperatures. In Phase 2, the capillary flow controller was evaluated utilizing a matrix of parameters, including time-weighted average concentration, peak concentration (50–100× base concentration), air velocity across the sampler inlet (0.41–0.5 m/s), relative humidity (20–80%), and temperature (10–32 °C). Comparison of challenge concentrations with reference concentrations revealed the aggregate bias and overall accuracy for four tested compounds to be within the range of criteria for both NIOSH and ASTM standards. Additionally, capillary flow controllers displayed lower variability in flow rate and measured concentration (RSD: 2.4% and 4.3%, respectively) when compared with diaphragm flow controllers (RSD: 6.9% and 7.2%, respectively) for 24-hr laboratory tests. Phase 3 involved further testing of flow rate variability for both diaphragm and capillary flow controllers in a field study. The capillary flow controller displayed a lower level of variability (RSD: 5.2%) than the diaphragm flow controller (RSD: 8.0%) with respect to flow rate, while allowing for longer durations of sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of agricultural workers during periods of heat and wildfire smoke exposure and to support the development and implementation of protective workplace interventions. Using community-engaged research and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) framework for policy evaluation, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted with current and former agricultural workers in Central Washington (WA). Twelve participants answered semi-structured questions via interviews or by attending a focus group. Interviews and focus groups were conducted in Spanish, recorded, transcribed, and translated into English; one interview was conducted in English. Using Braun and Clarke's Reflexive Thematic Analysis, five themes were identified among workers from various worksites: 1) Extreme weather and working conditions are becoming increasingly hazardous to worker health, 2) Employers and supervisors lack training and education on current labor laws, and health and safety rules, 3) Employers and supervisors use intimidation and retaliation to ensure productivity and to evoke feelings of replaceability among workers, 4) Workers do not trust regulatory agencies to enforce rules or hold employers accountable, 5) Solutions to climate-driven problems in the agricultural industry need to value worker health and safety, not just productivity. Participants reported experiencing adverse health symptoms related to heat and smoke exposure at work. Workers proposed solutions including improving education, training, and communication, and increased enforcement of existing and forthcoming occupational health and safety rules. The agricultural workforce is essential for ensuring a robust food supply and is facing extreme weather events due to climate change. Western states impacted by wildfires and heat are working to develop and implement occupational health and safety rules. Developing effective policies and interventions inclusive of worker perspectives is critical to adapt to a changing climate, retain a stable workforce and promote optimal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational occupational health interventions (OOHIs) that are perceived by employees as relevant for their workplace are more likely to be implemented successfully, yet little is known about the conditions that produce such perceptions. This study identifies the conditions that create a perception among employees that an intervention fits their organization as well as the conditions that result in low levels of perceived fit. We used two‐wave data from 40 Danish preschools that underwent a quasi‐experimental OOHI. Perceived fit was assessed through employee ratings at follow‐up, while survey responses from implementation team members at five time points were used to assess four context and 14 process factors. The results of a coincidence analysis showed that high levels of perceived fit were achieved through two paths. Each path consisted of a lack of co‐occurring changes together with either very high levels of managerial support (path_1) or a combination of implementation team role clarity, staff involvement, and team learning (path_2). In contrast, low levels of perceived fit were brought about by single factors: limited leader support, low degree of role clarity, or concurrent organizational changes. The findings reveal the complexity involved in implementing OOHIs and offer insights into reasons they may fail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there have been reports of children without placement (CWOP) in foster care, often resulting in youth sleeping in hotels or child protective service offices. This study explored perspectives of the current crisis among child welfare practitioners who managed CWOP cases. We conducted interviews with 11 child welfare practitioners who had graduated from two universities in a Southern state. Themes aligned with the trauma-informed framework and highlighted challenges related to organizational climate, workforce development, and trauma-informed services. Implications include strategies for cross-sector collaboration, specific training, and continued research to support a healthy, trauma-informed workforce that can better meet youth needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the experiences of US child welfare professionals during the COVID pandemic. Using an online survey, we report on a convenience sample of 444 child welfare workers. The majority reported receiving adequate guidance on staying safe; 86.3% were given access to face masks. Workers reported 75.8% of clients used masks; 10.7% reported contracting COVID through work. About 80% worried that child clients were more at-risk. Workers who felt the most supported and least at-risk were those with stay-at-home orders. Results are discussed in terms of supporting child welfare professionals during periods of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author offers insights on operations centers, also known as control rooms, and their incorporation into hospital pharmacy design. Topics discussed include the functions of operations centers, the design of operations centers, and examples of display data to be found in clinical pharmacist workstations.

Burnout is a state of emotional and physical depletion. Its occurrence among critical care nurses (CCNs) is a concept that has gained traction yet remains an issue with global consequences. Nurses are especially vulnerable to burnout due to the persistent stressors they are exposed to, which include the general work environment, biological factors, and emerging changes caused by COVID-19. This study aims to assess the severity of burnout among CCNs during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire was used in this study to measure the estimated burnout rate among CCNs in Palestine and establish associations with potential factors. Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire was used for the task. The results showed out of the 173 participants, more than 35% reported severe overall burnout. Per burnout domains, it was found that around 70% of participants suffered from low personal accomplishment, while 59.5% had severe levels of depersonalization, and finally, more than 65% of critical nurses had severe emotional exhaustion. Out of the various variables tested, gender, age, type of hospital, PPE, and fear of transmission were found to be associated with overall burnout. CCNs in Palestine were found to be severely burned out and should be dealt with before getting out of hand. The research found variables related to burnout contributed to burnout. Recommendations for further studies and prioritization should be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present the essence of ergonomics in the position of an assembler in a manufacturing company. Ergonomics is often marginalized in enterprises and its great impact on employee productivity and task satisfaction is overlooked. The purpose of the study was to analyze working conditions and propose ergonomic solutions. Physical strain, mental strain, environmental working conditions and the monotony found at the workplace were analyzed in detail. Design/methodology/approach: All ten employees of the assembly department were surveyed. It should be emphasized that before any changes were implemented, the assemblers' material work environment, working conditions and task loads during the work shift were examined. The following research methods were used: Participatory observation, OWAS method, Chronometry, Lehmann chronometric-tabulation method. Findings: According to production records, before the introduction of ergonomic recommendations, an average of 748 pieces were made at the surveyed workstations during one shift. One month after the introduction of ergonomic solutions, the daily norms were re-examined and on average the number of products made, during one work shift, increased by 3%, or about 22 pieces. Ergonomics also positively affects the company's bottom line. Research limitations/implications: The implementation of ergonomic research is very time consuming. Observation of employees, making chronometry, analysis of the material environment. All this makes the execution of such a research project take a very long time. Practical implications: All the economic benefits that any company can see through the implementation of ergonomic solutions, undoubtedly the strengths of these measures are the improvement of employee safety, the reduction of workplace accidents, the minimization of health ailments associated with improper working conditions, increased job satisfaction, less work fatigue, and the reduction of the uniformity of the work process. Social implications: It is extremely necessary in order to make appropriate modifications to workstations based on the data obtained. After all, this will ensure that employees work safely, efficiently and with the least possible biological cost. Originality/value: A new element for sure is to look at the essence of ergonomics in manufacturing companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard precautions are essential to prevent cross-infections among emergency nurses, particularly during a pandemic of infectious diseases. However, poor adherence to such standard precautions is an ongoing global health system problem. This may be due to nurses' lack of adequate understanding regarding the influencing mechanisms of various factors that cause cross-infection in practice. In this cross-sectional study, we rigorously utilized the Theory of Planned Behaviors as a guiding framework to develop and test a causal model of factors influencing adherence to standard precautions practices among Chinese emergency nurses. From July 2022 to February 2023, purposive sampling was used to recruit 310 emergency nurses from eight tertiary hospitals in four cities in Sichuan Province, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research instruments included a Demographic Data Form, the Standard Precautions Questionnaire, the Leading Culture of Quality in Infection Prevention Scale, and the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Analysis of Moment Structure program to test the influencing factors. The final model of factors influencing adherence to standard precautions practices among Chinese emergency nurses explained 36% of the variance. This model provides a practical tool for understanding and improving adherence to standard precautions. Infection prevention climate and intention can affect adherence practices directly. In addition, nurses' attitudes to standard precautions, social norms of standard precautions, perceived behavioral control of standard precautions, and infection prevention climate indirectly affected adherence practices through intention as the mediator. Among these factors, infection prevention climate had the most substantial effect on adherence practices. These findings underscore the pivotal role of nursing administrators in highlighting the remarkable benefits of standard precautions, shaping emergency nurses' positive attitudes and confidence toward standard precautions, and creating a supportive climate for infection control. By implementing these strategies, nursing administrators can significantly improve adherence to standard precautions, ensuring a safer healthcare environment for workers, patients, and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Situational awareness is the acquisition of information from elements present in the work environment, the perception of the meaning of this information, and the prediction of future working conditions. Sleepiness and fatigue can influence an individual's ability to reach situation awareness, decision-making, and performance on a task. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review examines methods used to assess situational awareness, fatigue, sleepiness, and their interrelationships. METHODS: A systematic search of online databases was conducted to identify experimental, peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2017 and 2022. A total of 29 publications were selected for analysis. RESULTS: The selected studies originated from various countries, primarily in the northern hemisphere. Health and automotive engineering were the academic categories with the highest publications. The studies employed objective and subjective methods to assess situational awareness, fatigue, and sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies reported a decline in situational awareness during fatigue and sleepiness conditions, although one study did not find this association. Future research should focus on employing objective methods to analyze cognitive factors, increasing sample sizes, and conducting testing in real-world situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Firefighters are at increased risk of developing cancer due to occupational exposures, but they may also face increased risk due to their lifestyle, such as the quality of their diet and physical activity. Cancer beliefs and screening behavior could also influence their cancer risk. The current study aimed to identify individual differences associated with lifestyle behaviors, cancer screening, and cancer beliefs among firefighters; to describe the strategies firefighters use to adapt to their work schedule; and to describe topics firefighters believe are the most important to address in their workplace. Methods: Career firefighters (N = 171) in a medium-sized U.S. city completed an online survey. Findings: Logistic regression analyses identified age, education, racial identity, years of fire service, perceived stress, and rank as predictors of responses to items addressing cancer screening, lifestyle behaviors, and cancer beliefs. Although results varied, age, education, and racial identity were associated with most of the outcomes. Strategies related to sleep such as getting the right amount and napping, exercise, and getting family/roommate support were selected as the top adaptive strategies for work. Sleep, mental health/well-being, and work-life balance were selected most often as the most important topics to address in the fire service, with topics related to reducing occupational exposures receiving less attention. Conclusions/Application to Practice: The findings suggest individual differences, such as age, education, and racial identity, should be considered when developing occupational health interventions for firefighters. Interventions related to mental health, work-life balance, and sleep may be desired most by those in the fire service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few studies have investigated how high-risk domestic and family violence perpetrators threaten staff, how organizations support staff, and whether communities of practice improve service coordination and the safety of workers and the families they serve. The purpose of this article is to explore worker safety among practitioners involved in high-risk domestic and family violence and child protection cases. Methods: Participatory action research methodology was used to investigate and develop cross-sectoral workforce capacity at the intersection of domestic and family violence and child protection practice. This study, based in Queensland, Australia, drew on a subset of data from a larger study of communities of practice. Participants were 15 senior practitioners and team leaders from child protection, women's and men's domestic violence services, family support, and justice services. Data were collected in 2018. Data sources included ethnographic notes and transcripts from communities of practice and focus groups. Data were qualitatively analyzed. Results: Five key themes emerged in the findings: risks to workers associated with the physical environment; advances in perpetrators' use of technology; failings in police responses and the judicial system; a parallel process between workers' and women's responses to threats to their physical and psychological safety; and strategies for improving safety when working with high risk perpetrators of domestic and family violence. Conclusions: Improving the physical and psychological safety of workers in high-risk domestic and family violence and child protection cases requires moving beyond intra-organizational policies and practices and addressing the inter-sectoral and systemic factors that increase risk and reduce safety for child and adult victim/survivors and workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By evaluating nurses' attitudes and behaviors regarding narcotic drug safety and addiction, effective strategies need to be developed for combating addiction in healthcare institutions. This study, aimed at providing an insight into patient and staff safety issues through the formulation of health policies, aimed to evaluate nurses' attitudes and behaviors regarding narcotic drug safety and addiction. Methods: The study was conducted in a descriptive cross-sectional design. It was carried out with 191 nurses in a public hospital between March 2023 and August 2023. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, gathering socio-demographic information and utilizing the Addictive Substance Attitude Scale. The data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA tests, and regression analysis (P <.001 and p <.05). Results: The average age of the participants was determined to be 36.58 ± 8.40. It was reported by 85.3% of nurses that narcotic drug follow-ups in their units were conducted according to procedures. In the study, it was found that 63.9% of nurses did not know the procedure to be followed towards a healthcare professional identified as a narcotic substance addict. The total mean score of the Addictive Substance Attitude Scale of nurses participating in the study was 74.27 ± 14.70. A significant difference was found between the total scores of the scale and the level of education of nurses, the follow-up status of the drugs in the unit where they work, their status of receiving narcotic drug addiction training, and their routine use of the half-dose drug disposal form (p <.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the importance of evaluating nurses' attitudes and behaviors regarding narcotic drug safety and addiction. These results indicate the need for nursing administrators, particularly in terms of patient and staff safety, to adopt more effective policies and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major challenge for construction companies, which were confronted with the need to prevent the enormous negative socio-psychological impact of the pandemic on their employees. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of psychological distress among construction workers in an advanced phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Andalusia, southern Spain. For this, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using online questionnaires with data on sociodemographic variables and employment situation, COVID-19 pandemic-related data, and Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). A total of 860 questionnaires from all provinces of Andalusia, Spain, were collected between March and May 2022. Descriptive statistical analyses and non-parametric Mann–Whitney U and Chi-squared tests were performed, followed by logistic regression analysis. The incidence of psychological distress was higher among women, individuals under 43 years of age, those with a family income below EUR 1200, participants whose working conditions had been affected by the pandemic, those who had not received adequate means or specific training to protect themselves from infection, those who had experienced symptoms, those who had suffered side effects after vaccination, and those who had been hospitalised. The logistic regression analysis predicted the occurrence of psychological distress in this study by the effect of the pandemic on mental/emotional well-being, the working conditions affected during the pandemic, health-related variables, and the age of the worker. The correctly classified percentage was 75.1%. Assessing psychological distress in construction sectors may allow for the identification of vulnerable groups or even help to reduce the number of errors in daily practice and potential risks of occupational injury or illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that informal workers in developing countries are exposed to occupational health problems (OHPs), and they work unsafely. However, little is known about how their religious beliefs influence their safety behavior at the workplace. This study explores the interaction between the automobile artisans' religious beliefs and their workplace safety behavior. Forty three male artisans (either Christian: n = 17; or Muslim: n = 26) were purposively interviewed. Even though their religious teachings are against risk-taking, the artisans took risks at their workplace. Specific programs like seminars and various outreaches for workers in religious settings influence their perception of OHP prevention. Religious organizations have a role to play in OHP prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace-related factors are associated with the risk of depression. Despite implementation of workplace health promotion (WHP) programmes in China to promote the physical and mental well-being of workers, the relationship between WHP and depression has received limited attention. This study investigated the association between WHP service utilisation and depressive symptoms among workers. This was a cross-sectional survey. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, WHP service utilisation, and mental health status. The Lasso method was used for variable selection to achieve dimension reduction, and logistic regression was used to assess the association between WHP service utilisation and depressive symptoms. The analysis included 11,710 workers, of whom 17.0% had depressive symptoms. Lasso regression resulted in 6 of 18 WHP services showing significant negative associations with depressive symptoms, including occupational safety training, mental health services, health check-ups, sports activities, fitness rooms, and healthy canteens. The logistic regression results showed that, after adjusting for sociodemographic and occupational factors, utilisation of these six services was associated with a decreased likelihood of depressive symptoms. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73–0.96) for occupational safety training, aOR: 0.82 (95% CI: 0.68–0.99) for mental health services, aOR: 0.80 (95% CI: 0.71–0.90) for health check-ups, aOR: 0.68 (95% CI: 0.57–0.80) for sports activities, aOR: 0.59 (95% CI: 0.47–0.74) for fitness rooms and aOR: 0.72 (95% CI: 0.59–0.87) for healthy canteens. Utilisation of WHP services was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. Implementation of WHP services and the provision of a supportive workplace environment should be prioritised to benefit the mental health of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Podologists are exposed to many occupational hazards, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from insole manufacturing and noise/vibration during nail or tissue grinding. In this study, VOCs, noise, and vibration were measured in five podiatry clinics and three offices. Questionnaires were administered to 23 podologists and 19 office workers to inquire about their pain, ocular, skin and respiratory complaints. The results showed that the podologists' exposure to the total VOC concentrations was approximately twice as high as that of the office workers. The podologists' complaints regarding pain were found to be correlated with ambient noise and hand-arm vibration levels. Ocular, skin, and respiratory complaints were also found to be correlated with total VOC concentrations. These results suggest that VOCs, noise and vibration in the working environment may impair podologists' health and that they have an intensifying effect on each other, increasing the severity of health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment linked with social venues has long been described as permissive environments for excessive drinking, disruptive/aggressive behaviors, and overt sexual behaviors, which are known risk factors for HIV. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which workers in such high-risk work settings cope with the various risks therein is still limited. This study explored the coping strategies employed by workers at social venues. We interviewed 47 workers at 22 social venues through small group discussions (15) and in-depth interviews (10) in 2021 in Rakai district, Uganda. All discussions were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim before analysis. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. We found two main categories of coping strategies used by workers: acceptance of sexual risks and keeping safe. Acceptance of risks such as transactional sex was the most used strategy, hence highlighting negative coping. This calls for interventions for improving workers' coping efficiency and adjustment as well as interventions ameliorating the conditions underpinning increased risk of HIV at the venues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The Covid‐19 pandemic has added a new chapter to discussions about the professional duty to care. To understand how Covid‐19 may have changed medical students' ethical attitudes towards this duty, we analysed policies written before and during the pandemic by first‐year students completing a yearly educational exercise focused on work requirement expectations for healthcare professionals during a hypothetical epidemic. Methods: Within a repeated cross‐sectional design, consensus coding was performed on policies written over 5 years (2017–2021) using a codebook based on eight questions from the educational exercise for summative content analysis. Frequencies provided summative results and comparisons across years used Fisher's exact test. Results: We analysed 142 written policies from 2017 to 2021 representing 884 first‐year students working in small groups. Students' commitment to the duty to care remained stable during the Covid‐19 pandemic, but during the pandemic, students were more likely to support exceptions to the duty to care (e.g. for healthcare professionals with medical conditions or concern for household members' health) and more likely to expect institutions to provide safe working conditions. Ethical values supporting students' policies were largely consistent before and during the pandemic, the most common being beneficence, justice, duty to care, non‐maleficence and utility. Conclusions: Our results suggest that students' support for the duty to care remained strong during the Covid‐19 pandemic. We also found that students supported exceptions to this duty to reflect the needs of healthcare professionals and their families and that they expected institutions to provide safe working conditions. These findings can help inform ethics education and future pandemic preparedness. While students' support for the duty to care remained strong during the Covid‐19 pandemic, Kaldjian et al. explain their need for safe working conditions and concerns about the health of clinicians and their families." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, considering the constant changes in customers' demands, manufacturing systems tend to move more and more towards customization while ensuring the expected reactivity. In addition, more attention is given to the human factors to, on the one hand, create opportunities for improving the work conditions such as safety and, on the other hand, reduce the risks brought by new technologies such as job cannibalization. Meanwhile, Industry 4.0 offers new ways to facilitate this change by enhancing human–machine interactions using Collaborative Robots (Cobots). Recent research studies have shown that cobots may bring numerous advantages to manufacturing systems, especially by improving their flexibility. This research investigates the impacts of the integration of cobots in the context of assembly and disassembly lines. For this purpose, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is performed. The existing contributions are classified on the basis of the subject of study, methodology, methodology, performance criteria, and type of Human-Cobot collaboration. Managerial insights are provided, and research perspectives are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]