Protective behaviors of hospital nurses against occupational hazards: A systematic review.

Hospital nurses are exposed to various occupational hazards, some of which are dangerous or even fatal. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence regarding occupational hazards and nurses' protective behaviors in hospital settings. Following PRISMA guidelines and the PICO framework, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus up to 2024. Original quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies were screened, quality-assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and narratively synthesized. 56 original studies were included. Occupational hazards were classified into five categories: physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial. Protective behaviors included knowing, protection, precaution, environmental adjustment, avoidance, motivation, safety compliance, self-care programs, healthy lifestyles, innovation, resilience, and support seeking. These findings highlight the need for evidence-based interventions and standardized guidelines to improve nurse safety.