Management capacity to promote nurse workplace health and safety

To investigate regarding workplace health and safety factors, and to identify strategies to preserve and promote a healthy nursing workplace.

Data collected using the Delphi technique with input from 41 key informants across four participant categories drawn from a Chinese university and four hospitals were thematically analysed.

Most respondents agreed on the importance of nurses' health and safety, and that nurse managers should act to protect nurses, but not enough on workplace safety. Hospital policies, staff disempowerment, workload and workplace conflicts are major obstacles.

The reality of Chinese nurses' workplaces is that health and safety risks abound and relate to socio-cultural expectations of women. Self-management of risks is neccessary, gaps exist in understanding of workplace risks among different nursing groups and their perceptions of the professional status, and the value of nurses' contribution to ongoing risks in the hospital workplace. The Chinese hospital system must make these changes to produce a safer working environment for nurses.

This research, based in China, presents an instructive tale for all countries that need support on the types and amounts of management for nurses working at the clinical interface, and on the consequences of management neglect of relevant policies and procedures.