health and safety nursing assignment help

health and safety nursing assignment help

Importance of Health and Safety in Nursing

1. Introduction

Health and safety is an essential component of all nursing practice, not only for nurses but also for patients. According to the World Health Organisation, health and safety in the workplace are designed to protect workers, their families and communities. It also promotes worker health, supports quality of life and helps in combating the social and economic costs related to occupational hazards. Occupational health and safety is as much a legal requirement as it is a necessary consideration for protecting human life. In the nursing profession, a nurse must have the ability to provide care in a safe and healthy environment to the people they serve. Health and safety in the workplace has two main components: policy and practice. Policy relates to the strategies, outcomes and legislative requirements, whereas practice relates to the implementation of policies into a real-life work environment. This article identifies and discusses the significance of health and safety in nursing practice. It begins with an introduction, followed by an explanation of the concept of health and safety in nursing. Next, the article will delve into the role that health and safety play in nursing practice, emphasizing the need for nurses to prioritize the well-being of both patients and themselves. The investigation will then proceed with the implications and consequences of not applying health and safety regulations in the nursing profession. Furthermore, it will highlight the importance of implementing appropriate health and safety measures in the nursing profession. The article will conclude by reinforcing the significance of health and safety in nursing and emphasizing the necessity of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for both patients and healthcare professionals.

2. Understanding Health and Safety in Nursing

Health, safety, and risk are all connected within the context of the nursing field. Health refers to the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of both the patient and the healthcare provider. In their day-to-day operation, nurses are always exposed to many types of health and safety risks which can compromise the provision of quality care. Some of the risks involve exposure to potentially lethal infections and diseases, injuries, assault, stress, and other types of general ill health. Safety, on the other hand, focuses on ensuring that the working environment of nursing is free from hazards such as verbal and physical abuse, injuries, infections and diseases, and other forms of risks. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), safety means the prevention of accidents which can cause personal harm, for example, when using general nursing equipment, handling sharp instruments, and moving patients. Finally, risk can be defined as the likelihood of a hazard causing harm. The concept of risk in health and safety involves identifying, recognizing, and assessing what could be potentially dangerous to the patient and the nurse as well. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) outlines the code of professional conduct which all nurses and midwives should follow in their line of duty. The NMC (2004) stipulates that all nurses are responsible for their practice and are accountable for maintaining professional standards of health and safety both for themselves and their patients. All decisions in work that affect health and safety should be made with knowledge of relevant legislation and in partnership with other members of the multidisciplinary team where applicable. This code stresses the significance of health and safety in nursing practice and should be used as a guide for every nurse. By adhering to the recommended practices, both safety and well-being of the patient, nurses, and other close associates will be safeguarded. All people working in healthcare are required to have knowledge and understanding of how the health and safety laws relate to their health and safety legislations. The legislations are put in practice to enable a safe and quality working environment to be maintained. Some of the key legislations which provide for health and safety include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety Professionals 1999, and Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. These laws outline the regulatory requirements for design and use of nursing equipment, provision of adequate safety and protective measures, and demonstrate compliance to a class of non-compliance.

3. The Role of Health and Safety in Nursing Practice

Health and safety mainly provide day-to-day, protected working surroundings, which give workers, such as nurses, the ability to offer optimal care to their patients. For example, health and safety laws, policies, and risk assessment affect the working practices of a nurse in terms of moving and handling the patient. This may also apply to attending to a person in a medical emergency. Also, medication and its management are important elements of nursing practice that require accurate and competent practice by all nurses. Medicines legislation influences the product and how it may be supplied. For example, health and safety (clinical risk) may arise from unsafe systems of work such as not carrying out medicines management in a careful and logical manner, not following protocols, not reporting or recording errors, etc. This could result in a service user being provided with unsafe care. In conclusion, from this article, nurses need to understand the impact of health and safety at work and how it can affect the well-being of not only themselves but also the patient. Health and safety in the workplace is important, and its importance is highlighted throughout the article. Also, it emphasizes the overall importance of health and safety in nursing and its impact on patient care and well-being. This article provides an introduction to the importance of health and safety in nursing. It discusses the need for an understanding of health and safety in nursing and emphasizes its role in nursing practice. The article also highlights the significance of implementing health and safety measures in nursing. In conclusion, it emphasizes the overall importance of health and safety in nursing and its impact on patient care and well-being.

4. Implementing Health and Safety Measures in Nursing

Health and safety is in the hands of every individual within an organization, including both the employers and the employees. As stated by the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that reasonable steps are taken to guarantee the health and safety of the employees at work, including not only nurses but all workers in the health sector. Such steps include the maintenance of good welfare facilities, the monitoring of the working conditions and the workplace risks, promoting satisfactory training, and the provision of efficient emergency procedures. It is also mentioned in the Act that the concerns about health and safety at the workplace should not affect anyone in a negative or discriminatory way. The Act also outlines the usage of the principles of risk management and the creation and dissemination of a written health and safety policy. This emphasizes the role of the employer in maintaining health and safety but also states the importance of the employees as well to comply with the standards. When such measures are well implemented in a nursing environment, it is relatively easy to prevent health and safety hazards. For example, following the principles of risk management in nursing practices will help to reduce and control risks that the nurses might face while caring for the patients, keeping nurses and patients safe from adverse incidents. It also benefits the nurses themselves, as they are able to perform to a higher standard while feeling safer and more content in their work. Therefore, it is a clear demonstration of how effective health and safety measures can potentially improve the working conditions for nurses, ensuring a higher standard of care for patients as well. However, it is essential that the measures are implemented in a complete manner, such that every part of the health and safety policy is taken seriously by both the employers and the employees. This involves not only putting essential resources and money into health and safety but also identifying the potential weaknesses and continually maintaining and reviewing checks and policies. The framework serves to emphasize the great importance of maintaining a comprehensive and detailed approach towards health and safety. Additionally, the Act highlights the significance of having a written health and safety policy. Such policy should only be put into action after consulting the safety representatives and the members of the policy. All employees are entitled to have an opportunity to know about the policy and to study the policy whenever necessary in the workplace. This enables the employees to work in an intelligent and safe way, which not only looks after their own health and safety but also the well-being of any other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

5. Conclusion

We have known how the world is altering quickly, as well as the healthcare system also altering more so swiftly. Throughout such conditions, health and safety possesses a significant part in executing fresh technological innovation, as well as fresh aspects of looking after in a protected atmosphere. It is obvious from the above-talked about details that health and safety is necessary in nursing occupation. The outcome of having a relaxed working atmosphere indicates that each nursing experts as well as individuals will be comfortable and then the health end result will increase. A health and friendly atmosphere motivates the healthcare professionals to occur with fresh suggestions and innovations on their day to day activities which could end up resulting to new technologies in healthcare sector. And lastly, patient personnel comfort and ease is guaranteed if wellness and health and safety measures in the nursing occupation are given techniques and applied nicely. Health and safety in the nursing occupation certainly cannot be amazing in any other case.