Introduction:
Occupational injuries among healthcare workers adversely affect the
quality of healthcare services by undermining their physical and mental
well-being. This study evaluates the frequency, characteristics, and
influencing factors of occupational injuries among non-physician
healthcare workers in a university hospital. Methods: This
cross-sectional study examines occupational injuries reported between
2020 and 2023 at a university hospital in Turkey. Variables included
sociodemographic characteristics, occupation, department, working hours,
cause and type of injury, time of injury, affected body part, use of
personal protective equipment (PPE), medical intervention, and
incapacity for work. Results: A total of 694 occupational injuries were
reported at Gazi University Hospital between 2020 and 2023, with the
fewest cases occurring in 2021. Among the injured workers, 58.8% were
female, 89.2% were aged between 20 and 49 years, 30.1% did not use PPE,
76.4% received medical intervention, and 11.1% experienced incapacity
for work. Cleaning workers (33.6%) and nurses (32.1%) accounted for the
highest proportion of injuries. Sharps injuries were the most common
type (48.8%), while injuries to the hands, fingers, and wrists comprised
53.3% of cases. The highest frequency of injuries occurred between
11:00 and 11:59 am. Sharps injuries were significantly associated with
gender, age, educational background, occupation, working hours, and
injury time. In contrast, cases of workplace violence were significantly
associated with gender, occupation, and working hours. Conclusions:
Sharps injuries and violence represent critical occupational hazards.
Preventive strategies should be tailored to healthcare workers’
occupational roles and educational levels. Effective surveillance
systems and reporting mechanisms should be implemented to promote
workplace safety and reduce the risk of injuries.