Improving Occupational Safety for Healthcare Workers in Public Hospitals in Thailand

CONTEXT

Occupational safety for healthcare workers is considered one of the most important components and indicators of the quality of national healthcare standards. It has also been identified by the WHO and the government of Thailand as the most important goal to ensure long-term sustainability of the healthcare system development of the country. However, there is still a gap in theoretical and practical knowledge on the proper implementation of occupational safety among healthcare workers in Thailand. This results in the risk of developing work-related diseases, stress and injuries from work, leading to increased costs for the hospitals and the national healthcare system.

At present, the majority of public hospitals in Thailand are also facing 1) Limited knowledge of clinical standards and proper usage of medical instruments among healthcare workers; 2) Insufficient training provided and inadequate information received on occupational safety and clinical procedures for healthcare workers and hospital managers; and 3) An inaccurate monitoring system to enforce and encourage hospitals to improve safety for healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVE

To enhance the safety and effectiveness of healthcare services by reducing work risks for healthcare workers in Thailand

APPROACHES

The project comprises 4 main working approaches as follows:

• Develop competency standards, curriculum and manuals based on international standards, guidelines, curriculum and course materials for the three focus areas, namely.
  1. Role of Hand Hygiene in healthcare-associated infection prevention
  2. Peripheral Intravenous Cannula Insertion and Management
  3. The Safety of IV Chemotherapy for Healthcare Professionals

• Improve capacities of healthcare workers in the 3 areas given above.
• Support the middle and top management of hospitals to apply occupational safety measure standards.
• Enforce nationwide application of the revised standards by establishing a quality assurance system, including e-reporting and surveillance to monitor nurses’ work performances and develop improvement measures.

RESULTS SO FAR

• Curriculum and course materials for the three focus areas have been completed.
• Approximately 1,000 healthcare personnel have been trained in occupational safety.
• 80 middle and senior management personnel of 17 pilot hospitals have been trained to apply occupational safety measure standards.
• The Hand Hygiene Technical Reference Manual has been published and distributed to 18 hospitals across Thailand.
• A Hand Hygiene Application has been launched and made available for all healthcare personnel to access and monitor their hand hygiene practices.

FINANCED BY

• The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• B Braun Sharing Expertise

COUNTRY

Thailand

PROJECT PARTNERS

• The Healthcare Accreditation of Thailand (Public Organization)
• Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University
• Infusion Nurse Network of Thailand
• Thai Oncology Nurse Society

PROJECT DURATION

2017 – 2021