ABSTRACT
The outcomes of work hazards in nurses include rising the rate of absence, frequent referral to the doctor, decreasing productivity and increasing the financial burden. The purpose of this study was to determine the numerical scores of occupational hazards and their predisposing factors in nurses working in educational hospitals in Arak city. This was a descriptive study accomplished with 102 employed nurses selected using a convenience sampling method. Data was gathered using a tool consisted of three parts: demographic data, predisposing factors to occupational hazards, and occupational hazards' score questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The numerical scores of occupational hazards in showed the presence of chronic fatigue [238], stress [209], pain in back [208] and foot [201]. The most predisposing factors to occupational hazard in the environmental dimension were lack of suitable supportive equipment [261] and calmness and relaxation in the work environment [217]. In administration-implementation dimension, the predisposing factor was working more than one shift and nurse shortage in the ward [261]. In the educational dimension, lack of enough knowledge about how to reduce work-induced fatigue [222] was the predisposing factor to work hazards. There was a significant correlation [P=0.02] between chronic fatigue and inadequate protective equipment. In addition, there was a significant correlation [P<0.001] between working for more than one shift and Inadequate knowledge about how to reduce work induced fatigue. The most common occupational hazard in the nurses was chronic fatigue. Nurses encounter with many predisposing factors in hospitals. Provision of nursing care to the society depends on nurses' optimum physical and emotional health. Therefore, in order to promote nurses' health, the establishment of occupational hazards' risk reduction committees is recommended