Occupational Health and Safety for Nurses: Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: The prevention of occupational accidents in the sphere of occupational health and safety is an important issue in the Italian work setting; health workers, and especially nurses, are continually exposed to the risk of work-related accidents, which can affect the quality of care provided. Aim: The aim of this review is to investigate the nurse's perceived level of preparedness with regard to occupational safety. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using some of the main databases such as PubMed, CINAHL and Cochrane. Results: The studies analysed show that Italian nurses have little knowledge about occupational health and safety legislation. Conclusions: Establishing specific postgraduate training events and identifying specific legislation for healthcare personnel could represent essential steps towards implementing this specific knowledge. Keywords: Prevention; Training; Nurses; Healthcare workers