Occupational health and safety knowledge and concerns of nurses in the Philippines

There is limited research on the occupational health and safety concerns of nurses in developing countries such as the Philippines. An assessment among nurses in the Philippines of workplace hazards and the prevalence of occupational injury addresses this need. We collected cross-sectional data among attendees of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) 2007 Annual National Convention held in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Of 1000 surveys distributed, a total of 690 surveys were completed. Surveys assessed experiences of work-related injuries as well as concerns about work-related exposures and injuries (e.g., needlesticks and workplace violence) and work organization factors (e.g., mandatory overtime and shift length) related to the healthcare work environment in the Philippines. Items pertaining to physical and mental health status were also included. We will report descriptive statistics of Filipino nurses' primary workplace health and safety concerns and associations with health-related outcomes. This study documents the work hazards and the prevalence of occupational injury and illness in this understudied population. Findings can be used to inform future interventions, including training and education related to workplace health and safety for nurses. They may also be used for comparison with data obtained from other country's nursing workforces. Further, recognizing the active recruitment of nurses from the Philippines to fill healthcare worker shortages in more developed countries, this study has implications for a transnational migrant workforce.