The negative effects of workplace injury and illness on workplace safety climate perceptions and health care worker outcomes

• Published in: Safety science 2013-01, Vol.51 (1), p.138-147
• Main Authors: McCaughey, Deirdre, DelliFraine, Jami L., McGhan, Gwen, Bruning, Nealia S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Health care; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Nursing; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Safety climate; Turnover; Workplace injury
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2012.06.004

► We examine the effect of health care provider workplace injuries and illnesses. ► Being injured at work has a negative relationship with safety climate perceptions. ► Positive safety perceptions mediate negative injury/illness–outcomes relationship. ► Partial mediation between injury/illness and job stress was found. Being injured or suffering illness on the job can contribute to employee stress, job dissatisfaction, and turnover intent. The purpose of this study is to examine whether workplace injuries and illnesses influence health care provider’s safety climate perceptions and how workplace safety climate perceptions influence health care provider well-being and organizational commitment. This research was conducted in a large community-based hospital with nursing and allied health professionals, occupations that have high injury rates, job dissatisfaction, turnover, and shortages. Results indicate that workplace-derived injury and illness are associated with poor perceptions of safety climate, and that perceptions of safety climate mediate the relationship between workplace-derived injuries and sick days and three outcome variables (job stress, turnover intention, and job satisfaction). It is argued that health care managers need to engage in positively enhancing the precipitating environment and conditions that may lead to health care accidents, injuries, and illnesses in order to improve safety climate perceptions and employee outcomes.