Exposure to Occupational Accidents and Near-Miss Events of the Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION: Health institutions are considered high-risk occupational areas due to the need for human resources, including numerous specialists with distinct characteristics, intensive technology, and complex occupational processes. The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency of exposure to occupational accidents and near-miss events of the nurses and physicians working in hospitals, their reporting status, and factors affecting these characteristics during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
METHODS: This descriptive study evaluating the occupational accidents and near-miss events of healthcare workers in 2020 was carried out between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The questionnaire created over Google Forms was shared through social media groups (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.) of the healthcare workers in Turkey. The data collection form consisted of four sections, which assess sociodemographic characteristics, history of employment, characteristics of occupational accidents, and near-miss events of the healthcare workers.
RESULTS: A total of 225 healthcare professionals, with a mean age of 35.2±8.5 years, 156 (69.3%) female and 163 (73.8%) doctors, participated in this study and 101 (44.9%) healthcare workers declared that they experienced a work accident and 84 (37.3%) healthcare workers reported near-miss events; however, only 14 (13.9%) healthcare workers reported this accident to their institution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Every occupational accident or near-miss event experienced by healthcare professionals should be reported and analyzed carefully to prevent potential risks. Training health professionals about health risks they may encounter and protective measures against occupational accidents have vital importance.