Risk Assessment Associated with Nursing Staff in an Operating Room

Currently, nurses are daily exposed to a series of occupational risks that can result in serious consequences for their safety and health. The objective of this study was to identify the ergonomic risks associated with nursing staff assigned to the Operating Room of an hospital located in the metropolitan area of Porto, and, consequently, to suggest preventive measures to avoid the occurrence of injuries and work accidents. To this end, hazards were identified by direct observation of the activities carried out, and risks were evaluated using the most appropriate methodologies for each situation. The conclusions prove the lack of preventive measures in this workplace and the need for them to be implemented in the short term, in order to avoid harming the health of nurses and patients.