Injury and hazards in home health care nursing are a growi...(portant part of the nation's healthcare ...),Health

Over 700 home healthcare RNs from across New York State were recruited for this study, which was funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The provision of a safe work environment in the home healthcare sector is complicated by the fact that worker safety in this setting is largely unregulated. Certain OSHA regulations do not apply to workers employed in individual households. However, home healthcare agencies accredited by the Joint Commission must be in compliance with certain infection control and other standards. Protecting workers from violence in the healthcare setting is an ongoing and well recognized challenge according to Dr. Gershon, "These results indicate that household hazards in general, and home care violence in particular, needs addressing."

"Many of the unsafe conditions identified in this study can also increase risk of harm to patients," said Dr. Gershon. She further noted that as healthcare increasingly moves out from the acute care setting and into the home setting, efforts to improve the health and safety of workers in this sector is critical, with benefits to home health care workers and patients alike.

"Dr. Gershon's research on home healthcare and how it affects elderly patients and caregivers alike is key to helping us evaluate the ways to ensure that both frail older adults and their home health providers remain as safe and healthy in the home setting as possible," says Linda Fried, MD, MPH, dean of the Mailman School of Public Health. "This research is especially important since we know that 20% of the U.S. population will be over 65 years old by the year 2030." Dr. Fried is an epidemiolog
'/>"/>