DHA Occupational Health & Healthcare Worker Safety — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse sustains a needlestick injury from a needle used on a patient with known HIV infection. What is the CORRECT immediate sequence of actions?
- Apply a tourniquet, squeeze out blood, then report to occupational health
- Wash the wound immediately with soap and water, report to occupational health, and initiate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 2 hours (Correct answer)
- Apply antiseptic cream to the wound and complete an incident form within 24 hours
- Squeeze the wound to express blood, apply alcohol wipe, and wait for HIV test results before starting PEP
Correct answer: Wash the wound immediately with soap and water, report to occupational health, and initiate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 2 hours
Immediate washing with soap and water removes contaminated material. PEP should begin as soon as possible (within 2 hours — maximum 72 hours) to be effective. Squeezing or applying a tourniquet may increase tissue trauma without clear benefit. Delay in PEP initiation significantly reduces efficacy.
Question 2: According to the hierarchy of controls for workplace hazards, which control measure provides the HIGHEST level of worker protection?
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Administrative controls such as rotation schedules
- Elimination of the hazard at the source (Correct answer)
- Engineering controls such as safety needles
Correct answer: Elimination of the hazard at the source
The hierarchy of controls (most to least effective): Elimination > Substitution > Engineering Controls > Administrative Controls > PPE. Eliminating the hazard entirely provides the highest protection. PPE is the last resort because it requires continuous correct use and places the burden on the individual worker.
Question 3: A radiology technician asks about the ALARA principle. Which statement BEST describes its application in healthcare?
- Radiation exposure should be kept as low as reasonably achievable using time, distance, and shielding (Correct answer)
- All radiology staff must wear lead aprons at all times, regardless of the procedure
- ALARA applies only to nuclear medicine staff, not diagnostic radiology technicians
- Radiation dose should be minimized only when the patient is pregnant
Correct answer: Radiation exposure should be kept as low as reasonably achievable using time, distance, and shielding
ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) is the guiding principle of radiation protection. The three pillars are: minimize time of exposure, maximize distance from the source (inverse square law), and use appropriate shielding. It applies to all radiation workers and patients, not just specific groups.
Question 4: A nurse reports recurring lower back pain after frequently repositioning bariatric patients without assistive devices. Which intervention BEST prevents musculoskeletal injury in this situation?
- Train the nurse in better manual lifting technique using a straight-back posture
- Implement a patient handling policy with mechanical lift equipment and 'no manual lift' policy for dependent patients (Correct answer)
- Advise the nurse to strengthen core muscles during off-duty hours
- Rotate patient assignments so each nurse lifts fewer patients per shift
Correct answer: Implement a patient handling policy with mechanical lift equipment and 'no manual lift' policy for dependent patients
Mechanical patient lifting equipment (ceiling hoists, portable lifts) combined with a safe patient handling policy is an engineering + administrative control that eliminates unsafe manual lifting. Training alone (personal lifting technique) is insufficient because safe manual lifting of dependent adults is biomechanically impossible regardless of technique.
Question 5: A healthcare worker who regularly handles cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs without adequate PPE is MOST at risk for which long-term occupational health effect?
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome within 24 hours of exposure
- Reproductive toxicity, teratogenicity, and increased carcinogenic risk (Correct answer)
- Contact dermatitis limited to the hands — no systemic risk
- Noise-induced hearing loss
Correct answer: Reproductive toxicity, teratogenicity, and increased carcinogenic risk
Cytotoxic drugs (chemotherapy agents) are classified as hazardous drugs due to their genotoxic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic properties. Chronic occupational exposure through skin absorption, inhalation of aerosols, or ingestion is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes and increased cancer risk. Proper PPE (gloves, gown, face protection) and closed-system drug transfer devices are mandatory.
Question 6: Under Dubai Health Authority occupational health regulations, what is the recommended maximum permissible noise level for continuous 8-hour occupational exposure?
- 70 dB(A)
- 85 dB(A) (Correct answer)
- 95 dB(A)
- 100 dB(A)
Correct answer: 85 dB(A)
85 dB(A) over an 8-hour time-weighted average is the internationally recognized occupational exposure limit (OEL) for noise, aligned with OSHA, WHO, and UAE federal labor regulations. Above this threshold, hearing conservation programs, engineering controls, and audiometric monitoring are mandated.
DHA Occupational Health & Healthcare Worker Safety
A nurse sustains a needlestick injury from a needle used on a patient with known HIV infection.
What is the CORRECT immediate sequence of actions?