Evaluation of a healthcare safety climate measurement tool

Problem

Psychometrically validated measurement tools are needed to evaluate an organization's safety climate. In 2000, Gershon and colleagues published a new healthcare safety climate measurement tool to determine its relationship to safe work behavior (Gershon, R., Karkashian, C., Grosch, J., Murphy, L., Escamilla-Cejudo, A., Flanagan, P., et al. (2000). Hospital safety climate and its relationship with safe work practices and workplace exposure incidents. American Journal of Infection Control, 28, 211-21). The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Gershon tool when modified to address respiratory rather than bloodborne pathogen exposures.

Method

Medical practitioners, nurses, and nurse aides (n = 460) were surveyed using the modified Gershon tool. Data were analyzed by factor analysis and psychometric properties of the tool evaluated.

Results

Eight safety climate dimensions were extracted from 25 items (Cronbach's alpha range: 0.62 - 0.88). Factor extractions and psychometric properties were reasonably consistent with those of the Gershon tool.

Impact on Industry

The Gershon safety climate tool appears to have sufficient reliability and validity for use by healthcare decision makers as an indicator of employee perceptions of safety in their institution.     

城乡二元制度对农民工市民化影响的实证分析

将影响农民工市民化的制度因素归结为城乡分割、城市偏向的城乡二元制度,分析了这一制度的内涵和基本特征,并运用Logistic回归模型和入户调查数据对这一制度对农民工市民化意愿、市民化能力和市民化进程的影响进行实证分析,结果发现,虽然农民工具有比较强烈的市民化愿望,但由于受到市民化能力的制约,绝大多数农民工无法转化为市民,因此尽快提离农民工的市民化能力成为促进农民工市民化的关键;在城乡二元制度中,除了城乡二元户籍制度之外,城乡二元就业制度、城乡二元社会保障制度、城乡二元土地制度和城乡二元教育制度对农民工市民化意愿和市民化能力,进而对农民工的市民化进程具有明显的阻碍作用:因此,未来城乡二元制度的创新重点不能再继续停留在形式化的城乡二元户籍制度层面,而应该尽快切换到对农民工的预期和收入等权利和待遇具有实质性影响的城乡二元就业制度、城乡二元社会保障制度、城乡二元土地制度和城乡二元教育制度上来.     

Antecedents and outcomes of contingent workers' attitudes toward their temporary help services firm: A unit level longitudinal investigation

This study explored the unit‐level antecedents and outcomes of contingent workers' attitudes toward their temporary help services (THS) firm. It was proposed that (a) client‐orientation levels of the THS firm's full‐time staff would influence the level of support received by contingent workers, (b) staff supportiveness would be reciprocated by these workers in the form of favorable firm‐directed attitudes, and (c) contingent workers' attitudes toward the THS firm would influence two unit‐level outcomes—client reported service failure, and voluntary turnover rates of THS staff. Support was found for all the hypothesized relationships in a longitudinal study utilizing survey data gathered from 1324 full‐time employees, 570 contingent workers, and 1951 clients; and archival data on staff turnover from 46 strategic business units (SBUs) of a THS firm. These results are discussed within the context of employee–organization relationship (EOR), contingent workforce, and service management literatures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A safety self-management intervention for mining operations

PROBLEM: This quasi-experimental field study examined the efficacy of a safety self-management process to increase safety-related work practices in mining operations. METHODS: After a 7-week baseline, 15 miners participated in a safety self-management training and education presentation. The participants in a prebehavior condition (n=8) recorded their intentions to engage in specific percentages of safety-related work behaviors before starting their shift for the day. In contrast, participants in a postbehavior condition (n=7) recorded their percentages of safety-related work behaviors after their shift for the day. RESULTS: During withdrawal (4 weeks), the miners did not complete any self-monitoring forms. Based on 10,905 behavioral observations, safety self-management was effective at increasing the frequency of safety-related behavior (p<.05). For the prebehavior condition, the mean percent safe score across three target behaviors increased 34.8% during intervention. Similarly, in the postbehavior condition, the mean percent safe score across three target behaviors increased 40.1% during intervention. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The results suggest that employees who work in relative isolation or have little oversight, compared to traditional industrial workers, may benefit from a process by which they can systematically observe themselves.     

An Attempt at Preventing Asthenopia Among VDT Workers

We report the results of 3 surveys of visual display terminal (VDT) users who took a minibreak during which they viewed a stereoscopic image of a repeating parallel pattern showing planets. The single image stereogram method employed is called Stretch Eye^TM, and we evaluated the effects of Stretch Eye^TM on asthenopia. An accommodative relaxation of about 1 D was observed in participants while they were gazing at the image. The employees of 2 information technology companies were evaluated according to a visual analogue scale (VAS) for subjective symptoms of asthenopia and eyesight. The results showed that Stretch Eye^TM was effective in easing visual fatigue due to VDT work and it improved eyesight under working conditions.     

Multiple dimensions of work-related risk factors and their relationship to work ability among industrial workers in Iran

Objectives. The present study was designed to investigate the simultaneous effects of physical, psychosocial and other work-related risk factors on the work ability index (WAI) score among industrial workers. Methods. This study used a cross-sectional design with a questionnaire survey. A total of 280 workers were included in the study. Data were collected using three questionnaires including the Persian version of the WAI, the Persian version of the job content questionnaire and an author-developed measure (to assess work-related factors, health-related factors and socio-demographic characteristics). Results. The majority of the participants were young, but they had poor WAI scores (mean 37.3?±?6.4) and 44.3% of them had poor or moderate work ability. Occupational accidents and injuries were found to be the strongest predictors of WAI scores. Additionally, there was a strong association between WAI scores and supervisor support, skill discretion, occupational training, sleep quality, work nature and educational level. Conclusions. Intervention programs should focus on improving supervisor support, sleep quality, job skills and knowledge and on decreasing physical and mental work demands. Additionally, implementing a comprehensive occupational health and ergonomics program for controlling and reducing hazardous working environments and occupational injury rates should be considered.     

非法用工单位伤亡人员一次性赔偿程序的探讨

2004年1月1日生效的《工伤保险条例》规定了非法用工单位向伤亡人员赔偿的标准和争议解决的程序，但是非法用工单位不属于法律上合法的主体，劳动仲裁机关和法院不能对不存在的主体作出裁定和判决，就算作出裁判，也不可能得到执行，从而使得该条例规定的对非法用工单位伤亡人员的赔偿成为一纸空文。为此，笔者从劳动争议和诉讼主体认定，程序保障和伤亡人员及时得到救助三个方面提出建议，以确保条例得到执行。     

Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services

PROBLEM: Federal policy recommends environmental strategies as part of a comprehensive workplace violence program in healthcare and social services. The purpose of this project was to contribute specific, evidence-based guidance to the healthcare and social services employer communities regarding the use of environmental design to prevent violence. METHOD: A retrospective record review was conducted of environmental evaluations that were performed by an architect in two Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects for workplace violence prevention in 2000 and, in the second project in 2005. Ten facility environmental evaluation reports along with staff focus group reports from these facilities were analyzed to categorize environmental risk factors for Type II workplace violence. RESULTS: Findings were grouped according to their impact on access control, the ability to observe patients (natural surveillance), patient and worker safety (territoriality), and activity support. DISCUSSION: The environmental assessment findings reveal design and security issues that, if corrected, would improve safety and security of staff, patients, and visitors and reduce fear and unpredictability. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Healthcare and social assistance employers can improve the effectiveness of violence prevention efforts by including an environmental assessment with complementary hazard controls.     

有限空间作业人员生理状态监测设备研制

为监测有限空间作业人员异常生理状况,进而保障有限空间作业安全与作业人员生命健康,在分析手腕处6个测量位置信号质量的基础上,获得最佳信号采集位置,并结合事故成因,从光电容积脉搏波(PPG)信号中提取心率、脉搏周期、振幅等生理参数作为评价指标,研制一款针对有限空间特殊作业人群的手腕处脉动生理信息监测设备;并进行系统稳定性测...     

煤工尘肺患者生存质量与家庭功能和社会支持的关系研究

为了解煤工尘肺患者的生存质量的现状及其与家庭功能和社会支持之间的关系,采用SF-36量表、家庭功能评定量表和社会支持评定量表对212名煤工尘肺患者进行问卷调查。单因素分析显示,煤工尘肺患者在SF-36量表的躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、情感职能、精神健康5个维度的得分与对照组的差异有统计学意义（p〈0.05）。生存质量得分与家庭功能得分呈负相关,生存质量得分与社会支持得分呈正相关。以生存质量得分为因变量,以家庭功能和社会支持的分量表得分为自变量进行多元逐步回归分析显示,生存质量的影响因素为社会支持利用度、家庭功能的总的功能、情感介入、社会支持的客观支持和问题解决。研究结果表明,煤工尘肺患者生存质量较低,与其家庭功能和社会支持有密切关系,需要从家庭功能和社会支持采取综合措施,提高煤工尘肺患者的生存质量。