Be Aware of Your Work Environment

Every work environment has its risks. Some of those risks are static - such as the configuration of rooms, lighting, hallways, doors, workstations - and can be assessed and prepared for using checklists and safety analyses as discussed in Unit 5.

Other risks such as the weather, patient load and morbidities, noise levels, and staffing levels are changeable and often unpredictable. Be alert to changes in your environment.

Be aware of the following:

• Note exits and emergency phone numbers if you change work areas;
• Confusion, background noises, and crowding can increase stress levels;
• Meal times, shift changes, and while transporting patients are all times of increased disruptive behaviors.