Key points
- Healthcare is the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. financial system. It employs over 22 million workers.
- Women represent nearly 80% of the healthcare work force.
- Healthcare workers face a wide range of hazards on the job.
Facts
The many hazards that healthcare workers can experience include:
- Sharps exposures
- Infectious disease exposures
- Chemical and drug exposures
- Musculoskeletal hazards
- Violence
- Stress
Although it's possible to prevent or reduce these hazards, healthcare workers continue to experience injuries and illnesses at work. Cases of nonfatal work injury and illness with healthcare workers are among the highest of any industry sector.
Resources
Training
Safety Culture in Healthcare Settings
this training course provides science and evidence-based information for healthcare workers with a focus on six competencies. The course is designed to increase knowledge about work-related hazards and address organizational and personal strategies to promote a safe and healthy work environment.
NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours
The purpose of this online training program is to educate nurses and their managers about the health and safety risks associated with shift work, long work hours, and related workplace fatigue issues and relay strategies in the workplace and in the nurse’s personal life to reduce these risks.
Guidance
Webinar: Germicidal Ultraviolet use in Healthcare Settings
GUV technology can be used to reduce the spread of respiratory infections without changing existing patient care practices. In this webinar, four experts provide a comprehensive overview of GUV technology and its application in controlling respiratory infections in healthcare environments.
General
- How to Tell if Your N95 Respiratory is NIOSH Approved
- Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19
- Impact Wellbeing Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Wellbeing
- Pandemic Planning for Healthcare Settings
Stress
- NIOSH: Stress at Work
- NIOSH: Exposure to Stress: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals
- NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Stress
Fatigue
- NIOSH: Work and Fatigue
- Guidance for Nurses, Managers, and Other Healthcare Workers
- NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Fatigue
Burnout
Substance Use
- NIOSH: Opioids in the Workplace
- NIOSH: Workplace Supported Recovery Program
- NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Substance Use
Suicide
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- NIOSH: Suicide and Occupation
- Prevalence of Risk Factors for Suicide Among Veterinarians – US 2014
- NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Suicide
NIOSHTIC-2 is a database of occupational safety and health publications funded in whole or in part by NIOSH.