chapter 12 | Promoting a Healthy Workplace 193cultural factors must be assessed in developing
materials for patient education.As you begin your career, be alert to the signs of cul-
tural diversity or insensitivity where you work. Signs
that increased sensitivity and responsiveness to the
needs of a culturally diverse workforce are needed on
your team or in your organization may include a
greater proportion of minorities or women in lower-
level jobs, lower career mobility and higher turnover
rates in these groups, and acceptance or even
approval of insensitivity and unfairness (Malone,
1993). Observe interaction patterns, such as where
people sit in the cafeteria or how they cluster during
coffee breaks. Are they mixing freely, or are there
divisions by gender, race, language, or status in the
organization (Moch & Diemert, 1987; Ward, 1992)?
Other indications of an organization’s diversity
“fitness” include the following (Mitchell, 1995):
■The personnel mix reflects the current and
potential population being served.
■Individual cultural preferences pertaining to
issues of social distance, touching, voice volume
and inflection, silence, and gestures are respected.
■There is awareness of special family and holiday
celebrations important to people of different
cultures.
■The organization communicates through action
that people are individuals first and members of
a particular culture second.
Effective management of cultural diversity requires
considerable time and energy. Although organized
cultural diversity programs are usually the respon-
sibility of middle- and upper-level managers, you
can play a part in raising awareness. You can be a
culturally competent practitioner and a role model
for others by becoming:
■Aware of and sensitive to your own culture-
based preferences
■Willing to explore your own biases and values
■Knowledgeable about other cultures
■Respectful of and sensitive to diversity among
individuals
■Skilled using and selecting culturally sensitive
intervention strategies
Physical Environment
Attention to the physical environment of the work-
place is not as well developed as to the social aspect,
especially in nursing. The increasing focus on
workplace ergonomics—such as modifications to
various elements of the physical environment,
including floors, chairs, desks, beds, and worksta-
tions, to decrease the incidence of back and upper
extremity injuries—has already been discussed. The
use of lighting, colors, and music to improve the
workplace environment is increasing. Computer
workstations designed to promote efficiency in the
patient care unit are becoming commonplace.
Relocation of supplies and substations closer to
patient rooms to reduce the number of steps,
improved visual and auditory scanning of patients
from the nurses’ station, better light and ventila-
tion, a unified information system, and reduced
need for patient transport are all possible with
changes in the physical environment.
Health-care pollution is a more recently identi-
fied problem. Dioxin emissions, mercury, and bat-
tery waste are often not disposed properly in the
hospital environment. Disinfectants, chemicals,
waste anesthesia gases, and laser plumes that float
in the air are other sources of pollution exposure for
nurses. Nurses have a responsibility to be aware of
these potential problems and identify areas in the
hospital at risk. Rethinking product choices, such
as avoiding the use of polyvinyl chloride or mercu-
ry products, providing convenient collection sites
for battery and mercury waste, and making waste
management education for employees mandatory
are starts toward a more pollution-free environ-
ment (Slattery, 1998). The purchase of recycled
paper and products, waste treatment choices that
minimize toxic disinfectants, and waste disposal
choices that reduce incineration to a maximum are
needed. Nurses as professionals need to be aware of
the consequences of the medical waste produced by
the health sector, supporting continued education
for both nurses and patients.Conclusion
Workplace safety is an area of increasing concern.
Staff members have a right to be informed of any
potential risks in the workplace. Employers have a
responsibility to provide adequate equipment and
supplies to protect employees and to create pro-
grams and policies to inform employees about
minimizing risks to the extent possible. Issues of
workplace violence, sexual harassment, impaired
workers, ergonomics and workplace injuries, and
terrorism should be addressed to protect both