GCNRN4 Research in Nursing | World Health Organization

Introduction

Health care policies refer to the actions, plans, and decisions which are deployed by various countries to achieve certain goals and objectives in the health sector within a specific community. A health policy can achieve various things by defining the mission and vision of a health organization. Healthcare is a basic right for each citizen in a country regardless of their economic status religion and tribe. However citizen from developing countries most of the time lack adequate health care facilities which can have adverse effects on their health. This situation forces them to travel long distances in search of healthcare facilities which are expensive. Each country should implement some health care policies and systems to make sure that health need of its population is met. Access and availability of healthcare facilities are largely influenced by the social and economic situation of a country (Hofmann, Burke & Zohar, 2017). A recent research conducted by world health organization for a health care system and policies to function properly it requires some vigorous financial support and sources of reliable information in which the health policies and decisions can be competent to deliver high-quality services to its clients. Ministry of health in NSW gives full support to the minister of health minister of medical research and minister for mental health by setting standard policies. This paper discusses the health and safety of nurses and the entire medical staff in public health sectors, its origin and how it affects nurses.   

History of Workplace Health and Safety Policy in New South Wales

The arrival of the first fleet and Captain Arthur Phillip in Sydney in 1788 which led to the subsequent establishment of a colony in the New South Wales began the history of new policies in the NSW public hospital system. The first fleet which arrived comprised of much medical staff and among them was Dr. John White. Basic medical attention and care were where provided to conflicts by the colonial medical services. At Sydney Cove, a temporary healthcare facility was constructed as many convicts were being housed in tents of the hospital ground (Griffith & Howarth, 2014). The inadequacy of this establishment was shown when the second fleet arrived as high death rate has been experienced because of this harsh conditions (Kinnear, Rominov, Giallo, Pilkington, & Whelan, 2017).

More permanent hospitals soon begun to be constructed at Liverpool and Windsor in 1800 and in 1816 Sydney hospital was finally opened. As the transportation of convicts to NSW stopped in 1841 the convict's hospitals established were progressively handed over to the civilian control to take charge over them. Despite control been exercised over their operation government gave some financial assistance to the convict's hospitals. In 1850's public health administration commenced in NSW. According to Chan, Patel, Tobin and Sheppeard (2017)  sanitation and infectious diseases were the two key concerns at that time. However, this two concern is still significant in public health today. The rise of the smallpox epidemic led to the establishment of the first NSW board of health which was under the provision of infectious diseases supervision act. The main objective of establishing this act was to come up with the board of advice whose role was to help in preventing the spread of smallpox. The governor had to appoint six members to be in charge of the board of health.

In 1896 the first public health act was introduced in NSW which was charged with the responsibility of expanding and making the powers of the board clear.in 1902 a revised public health act was established which consolidated the already established acts and it also led to the expansion of the board in which more public health members were added and the number increased from six to ten. The four added members of the board were more competent medical practitioners (Motter & Santos, 2017).  Detailed written documents which comprised of administration of the public health acts and administration provided by the local authorities in their districts. A new department was established in April 1904 in the public health sector which was led by Jackson. Powers over the board were strengthened by the continuous changing acts of 1902. The board was mandated to take charge of various public health acts which included the Abattoir act of 1850 (Delany et al., 2014). Public hospital act was established in 1929 and for the first time in NSW the government took control and imposed regulation to ensure high-quality services provided to citizens in the hospitals. Hospital commission of NSW was established by this act and it operated differently separately from the board of health.

In 1990s several amendments were already made in the health sector of NSW. Public health policies were set in New South Wales from 1990 onwards to be able to deal with issues which are related to monitoring and protecting the health of the individual in local societies. Public health policy has been reduced to seven units by the Area Health Services in the recent incorporation. On July 1997, health services act became effective replacing the public hospital act of 1929 and the Area health services act of 1986. A number of new standards were introduced and the act recognized the significance of promoting health sector by educating the society on different ways in which they can stay healthy and encouraging environmental health services (Blank, Burau & Kuhlmann, 2017). In 2012 workplace and safety act was established to ensure the safety of nurses in public hospitals of NSW.

Workplace Health and Safety Act

This is the latest public health policy established in the New South Wales in 2012. The role of this policy is to ensure that nurses, doctors, and patients in public health facilities are protected by enhancing good health, security, and welfare of workers in their workplace (Shea, De Cieri, Donohue, Cooper & Sheehan, 2016). It includes both physical and psychological health. In NSW the highest rate of injuries is experienced from muscular stress as workers try to lift health objects. Paramedics are always in a condition that they can potentially cause damage to physical and mental health (Phillips et al., 2015). This has led to the great utilization of this act to minimize and avoid any negative outcomes that workers can experience as they carry out their daily tasks in the public health sectors. The act also states that cooperation, teamwork, and effective communication can greatly help reduce risk and minimize the patient's risks. The government of NSW had to come up with this policy in public health sectors because accidents are unforeseen circumstances and they can occur anytime affecting workers and even patients (Boyle, 2015).

The worker, however, has to be warned because the extent to which they tend to be careless the more the accidents and injuries becomes major. Health and safety of workers in the health sector enhance productivity in all levels of management as it ensures the smooth running of operations and ensures that patients receive high-quality services (Holt & Allen, 2015). Lack of safety in the public healthcare sector can lead to havoc for the organization and negatively affect the working condition of the hospital which can also have adverse effects on the society at large. To prevent accidents and hazards in any organization, the management should make sure that some safety measures are deployed to enhance effective working. Health and the safe working condition can motivate employees as everyone admires to work in an organization with adequate safety.

How Workplace Health and Safety Act Affect Nurses

When the working condition is healthy and safe nurses are motivated to perform their tasks and operate effectively which is attending to patients and therefore high-quality services are offered in the public health sectors. When provided with health and safety in the hospitals, nurses establish good industrial relations with other hospitals, organization and the community at large (Sellens et al., 2018). A reduced nurses turnover is experienced with health and safety working conditions because nurses do not incur injuries from accidents as the hospital management ensures that there is enough safety for it employees. According to Chan-Mok, Caponecchia and Winder (2014) safety helps nurses and their families' benefit a lot as their salaries do not tamper with hospitals bills of treating injuries incurred from accidents. Nurses make effective utilization of resources in the hospitals as little or no accident incidences are experienced. They also incur low costs from payments of insurance claims for damages and cost substitution for sick or injured workers.

Conclusion

For the success of any organization depends highly on the quality of the workforce. Employers deliver high-quality services in health sectors to the patients when the security of the workplace is efficient. Each employer in every organization has the responsibility of ensuring that the environment in which their employees work in which their employees operate in are healthy and safe to protect them from accidents and injuries which occur during operations of the organization. This led to the establishment of workplace health and safety in NSW in public hospitals to make sure that their nurses and patients are protected from accidents which lead to high cost as they try to treat the injuries caused.  Nurses in the public healthcare sectors have the right and responsibility for their wellbeing and that of their friends and families. Nurses should inform the management in case they incur any accidents during their operation so that the correct safety measure can be taken. They should also be informed on how to take care of themselves during the course of their operations.

References

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