Work-related injuries sustained by emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Turkey Türkiye’de acil tıp teknisyenleri ve paramediklerin karşılaştıkları iş kazaları
Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi, cilt.22, sa.2, ss.145-149, 2016 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 22 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2016
- Doi Numarası: 10.5505/tjtes.2015.94224
- Dergi Adı: Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.145-149
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Accident, Ambulance, Paramedic, Work-related
- Kütahya Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır
Özet
BACKGROUND: Evaluated in the present study were locations, descriptions, and results of work-related injuries (WRIs) sustained by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in Turkey’s most crowded city, İstanbul. METHODS: After the present study had been accepted by the urban health authority, a questionnaire was emailed to the healthcare personnel of İstanbul’s 195 ambulance stations. RESULTS: Included in the present study were the responses of 901 members of staff (660 EMTs and 241 paramedics), with a mean age of 29.5±6.1 (min: 18; max: 61). The majority of participants (94.9%) had encountered verbal abuse from the public, and 39.8% had encountered physical violence from patients’ relatives. Levels of satisfaction with work in emergency medical services (EMS) was also evaluated, and 510 participants (57.6%) were unhappy. Regarding gender, female employees were more likely to be verbally attacked (p=0.01), while males were more likely to be physically attacked (p=0.001). It was reported that motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were the most common cause of WRIs (81.4%), followed by needle-stick injuries (52.2%), ocular exposure to blood and other fluids (30.9%), and sharp injuries (22.5%). Only 10.5% (n=95) of WRIs were reported to authorities; 488 (54.2%) of participants just attended to the practice to prevent possible WRIs. CONCLUSION: For paramedics and EMTs, risk of WRI is obviously high. Strategies to decrease and prevent verbal and physical violence should be developed.