published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

This study investigated the health and injury risks faced by emergency medical workers in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The aim of the study was to establish the emergency worker`s awareness, level of knowledge and attitude to practices of health and safety issues. The study sample consisted of eighty (80) emergency medical workers stationed in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. A self- administered questionnaire was developed and used in an empirical survey to collect data from the respondents on information such as health and safety knowledge, behavior, experiences, attitudes, beliefs and opinions in their workplace. The results of the study indicated that 90% of the workers experienced all occupational hazards identified in the questionnaire. Percutaneous injuries were found to be at 48%, PTSD was rated at 40% due to horrific accidents and incidents complicated by violent threats and armed robberies with emergency workers being victims. Musculoskeletal injuries were found to be very common. Ordinary stress was caused by dissatisfaction over human resources issues and structural changes by the management internally. The findings revealed that some workers took incapacity leave for long periods, sometimes more than three years at a time. The emergency workers are at high risk of being infected by ordinary TB or the more complex type, the DR-TB in their line of duty. The study revealed that there were no health and safety structures in the institution; as a result there was no formal documenting and identification of hazards in order to implement measures to protect the workers from future incidences. Health related absenteeism was high when employees were exposed to such hazards and replacement of skill was not implemented. The main recommendations included wearing of personal protective equipment, safe disposal of sharps objects, guidelines for lifting objects, introduction of organizational safety culture and safe transportation of PTB patients.

Abstract The aim of the studie was to investigate if the Pediatric Early Warning Score system, PEWS, is an useful instrument on a children's inpatient ward, regarding the detecting of deterioration in children's vital signs. For this, a quantitative descriptive design with qualitative elements was used. Method: Study specific questionnaires were distributed to 86 persons (helpnurses, nurses and doctors). Of these, 36 answered and sent back the surveys. Results: Of 36 responses 25 felt experienced a faster detection of deterioration of vital signs in the child. Many felt that they had faster response from the physician on call by providing an assessment figure of the child's condition. Conclusion: Most of the persons experienced that the use of the assessment intrument PEWS detected a deterioration of the child´s vital signs earlier than before using the instrument. Staff experienced greater security in their work when they had a tool to help and they also experienced an earlier response from physicians. / SAMMANFATTNING   Syftet med studien var att undersöka om bedömningsinstrumentet Pediatric Early Warning Score, PEWS, är till användning och vägledning på barnavdelning med avseende att upptäcka försämring av barns vitalparametrar. För detta användes en beskrivande kvantitativ design med kvalitativa inslag. Metod: Ett studiespecifikt enkätformulär gick ut till 86 personer (undersköterskor, sjuksköterskor och läkare på två pediatriska vårdavdelningar). Av dessa besvarades 36 enkäter. Resultat: Av 36 svarande ansåg 25 att man snabbare upptäckte försämring av vitalparametrarna hos barnet. Många ansåg att de fick snabbare gensvar från jourläkare genom att uppge en bedömningssiffra över barnets hälsotillstånd. Slutsats: Med hjälp av bedömningsinstrumentet PEWS upplevde personalen att en upptäckt av försämring av barnets vitalparametrar gjordes tidigare, samt att gensvar från jourläkare erhölls snabbare. Personalen upplevde en ökad trygghet i sitt arbete då man hade ett arbetsredskap till hjälp.

Thesis (Master of Civil Engineering) University of California, Berkeley, December 1996. / "December 1996." Includes bibliographical references (l. 76-79). Also available online.