TY - JOUR
T1 - The Occupational Health of Nurses in the Economic Community of West African States
T2 - A Review of the Literature
AU - Ridge, Laura Jean
AU - Dickson, Victoria Vaughan
AU - Stimpfel, Amy Witkoski
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This publication was supported by Grant Number, T42OH008422, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Author(s).
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - Nurses provide the majority of health care in sub-Saharan Africa, which has high rates of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This systematic review used PRISMA methodology to synthesize the literature published between January 2008 and December 2018 examining the occupational health of nurses practicing in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The United States’ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Hierarchy of Controls is used to frame the findings. This research was mostly conducted in Nigeria and Ghana and focused on administrative controls. Nurses practicing in ECOWAS are at high risk of acquiring a bloodborne illness due to inadequate engineering and administrative controls, as well as limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE). These findings indicate interventions to improve these controls would likely lower the occupational risks faced by nurses practicing in ECOWAS. Research in more countries in ECOWAS would likely find differences in occupational health practices in Nigeria and Ghana, which are relatively wealthy, and other countries in the region. This literature showed nurses practicing in ECOWAS did not have adequate protection from biological hazards. Regional health groups, such as the West African Health Organization, should commit to improving occupational health practice. Needle recapping and double gloving must be discontinued, and PPE must be made more widely available in ECOWAS. Occupational health professionals in the region should advocate for better distribution of PPE and consider offering trainings on these behaviors.
AB - Nurses provide the majority of health care in sub-Saharan Africa, which has high rates of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This systematic review used PRISMA methodology to synthesize the literature published between January 2008 and December 2018 examining the occupational health of nurses practicing in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The United States’ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Hierarchy of Controls is used to frame the findings. This research was mostly conducted in Nigeria and Ghana and focused on administrative controls. Nurses practicing in ECOWAS are at high risk of acquiring a bloodborne illness due to inadequate engineering and administrative controls, as well as limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE). These findings indicate interventions to improve these controls would likely lower the occupational risks faced by nurses practicing in ECOWAS. Research in more countries in ECOWAS would likely find differences in occupational health practices in Nigeria and Ghana, which are relatively wealthy, and other countries in the region. This literature showed nurses practicing in ECOWAS did not have adequate protection from biological hazards. Regional health groups, such as the West African Health Organization, should commit to improving occupational health practice. Needle recapping and double gloving must be discontinued, and PPE must be made more widely available in ECOWAS. Occupational health professionals in the region should advocate for better distribution of PPE and consider offering trainings on these behaviors.
KW - built environment
KW - global occupational health
KW - government regulation
KW - immunizations
KW - national institute of occupational safety and health (NIOSH)
KW - occupational hazards
KW - occupational injuries
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U2 - 10.1177/2165079919859383
DO - 10.1177/2165079919859383
M3 - Article
C2 - 31364508
AN - SCOPUS:85070253307
SN - 2165-0799
VL - 67
SP - 554
EP - 564
JO - Workplace Health and Safety
JF - Workplace Health and Safety
IS - 11
ER -