The perception of occupational safety risks among nursing students in Hong Kong

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Nursing students are exposed to various occupational risks, including physical, psychosocial, biological and mechanical hazards, during their clinical practicum. They are particularly vulnerable to these risks during their training. However, limited information exists regarding their perceptions of occupational safety in Hong Kong.

<b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to explore the perceptions of occupational safety risk among nursing students in Hong Kong.

<b>Methods:</b> A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing convenience sampling to invite nursing students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) programme at the Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE) to participate in the study. Nursing students’ perceptions of occupational safety risk were collected from November to December 2023 using the Occupational Risk Perception Scale for Nursing Students (ORPSNS) questionnaire that uses a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating higher awareness of occupational risks.

<b>Results:</b> A total of 307 nursing students completed the questionnaires. The occupational risk perceptions of nursing students were high, with a mean score of 4.28 (s.d. = 0.36) out of 5. Results of the independent-sample t-test indicated that junior-year (years 2 & 3) and female students had higher awareness of physical environmental risks (p < 0.01). We found no significant differences in years of study and the gender of nursing students in the psychological and ergonomic risks subscales and the person and institution-related risks subscales.

<b>Conclusion:</b> The study explored occupational risk perceptions and their relationships with demographic variables among nursing students in Hong Kong. It provided practical implications and insights for enhancing education on occupational risks for nursing students in clinical environments.