Nurses' Inclination to Report Work-Related Injuries: Organizational, Work-Group, and Individual Factors Associated with Reporting

Abstract

Work-related injuries such as back strain are common among health care workers. Work-related injury data are a primary data source with which managers can assess workplace safety, yet many work-related injuries go unreported. This study examined organizational, work-group, and individual factors, and nurses' inclination to report a work-related injury. Using a cross-sectional mailed survey, a probability sample of currently employed nurses (N = 1,163) indicated their inclination to report a workplace injury. Inclination to report injuries was higher in organizations with onsite health programs and when health and safety committees included non-management nurses and occupational health representatives. Reporting was reduced when nurses felt a lack of concern for staff welfare from supervisors and a climate of blame for worker injuries were present Nurses were also less inclined to report work-related injuries when working in jobs with non-standard work arrangements. Improvements in the reporting climate may influence the completeness and, thus, the value of injury data for identifying hazards in the workplace. These data could provide valuable information for targeting preventive initiatives.