Knowledge and Attitude of Nurses Toward Occupational Hazards and Safety Practices at Kasama General Hospital, Kasama, Zambia

Abstract

Background: Occupational health and safety are a critical aspect of nursing practice, ensuring a safe working environment for healthcare professionals. However, adherence among nurses remains a challenge despite established guidelines. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes towards OHS practices nurses at Kasama General Hospital.

Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study design was used. Systematic random sampling method was employed to select 183 participants from 350 nurses. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0, with Chi-square tests, and Binary logistic regression.

Results: Most respondents (64.4%) were female, median age 33 years (IQR: 29.0–41.0), with 41.2% aged (31-41). More than half (58.8%) were married. Forty-one percent had a diploma in nursing/midwifery, and 77.8% had 1–11 years of work experience, with a median of 7 years (IQR: 3.5–10.0). Most nurses (77%) demonstrated good knowledge of OHS practices. Attitudes, 60% exhibited positive attitudes and 51% reported good practices.

Profession was statistically significant in influencing nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward occupational hazards and safety practices. The odds ratio suggests that nurse midwives were 3 times more likely than others to have better knowledge and a positive attitude toward occupational safety (AOR: 3.38; 95% CI: 1.04 – 10.96; p = 0.042).

Conclusion: While the study revealed that nurses had adequate knowledge and generally positive attitudes towards OHS, this did not translate into strong adherence to safety practices. The lack of significant associations between knowledge, attitude, and practice suggests that other factors that may influence OHS compliance.