Abstract
Background: Scrub nurses face significant occupational hazards due to the nature of surgical procedures, including exposure to sharps injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and biological hazards. In district hospitals in the Mopani region of Limpopo Province in South Africa, limited research has documented the extent and determinants of occupational injuries among scrub nurses. Understanding these exposures is critical for developing prevention strategies and improving workplace safety. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to occupational injuries among scrub nurses in operating theatres in district hospitals in the Mopani region, Limpopo Province.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was employed. Simple random sampling strategy was utilised to recruit scrub nurses in operating theatres across hospitals in the Mopani region. Data was collected using structured, self-administered questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, occupational injuries experienced, frequency of exposure and associated risk factors. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages and graphical representations. Inferential statistics employed chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify significant predictors of occupational injury exposure, with P value set at p<0.05.
Results: Amongst 105 scrub nurses sampled, the majority were female (81.90%) aged 20–40 years (46.66%). Most participants had three to five years of operating theatre experience (39.05%) and worked flexible schedules (80.95%). A high workload was reported at 11–15 (71.43%) operations daily. Descriptive analysis revealed injuries at 18.1%, with 57.69% being needle stick injuries, emergency cases (86.67%), and obstetrics and gynaecological cases (73.91%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified predictors of injury exposure, including employer factors (shortage of resources) (AOR=16.05, 95% CI: 7.04-36.60, p<0.05), Behavioural factors (hastiness and ignorance) (AOR=16.05, 95% CI: 7.06-36.51, p value <0.01) and patient factors (e.g. high body mass index, restlessness) (AOR = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01-0.18, p<0.05).
Conclusion: The overall study results have shown significant exposure risk to injuries among scrub nurses in operating theatres. The study findings highlight significant implications for health and safety practices in operating theatres, particularly in resource-constrained settings such as district hospitals in the Mopani region of Limpopo Province. A shortage of resources as the main predictor of injuries prompts authorities to prioritise resources to promote workplace safety; this includes adequate staffing and supply of equipment. Addressing this critical gap will reduce workload pressures, resulting in the promotion of compliance with occupational health and safety policies, and subsequently reducing the exposure and prevalence of occupational injuries.