Workplace Safety and Health, Workforce Issues

Question 1

What is Nurses and
Midwives Act
(1999)?
is an act to establish the SNB, to provide for the __ of nurses, __ of midwives and __ of APNs
and for matters connected therewith

Answer 1

is an act to establish the SNB, to provide for the registration and
enrolment of nurses, registration of midwives and certification of APNs
and for matters connected therewith

Question 2

Name 3 statutes govern medication management and describe the purpose of the acts.

Answer 2

1. Medicines Act:
   * makes provisions with
   respect to medicinal products and medical advertisements and matters connected therewith;
   * provide a comprehensive control of all aspects of dealings in medicinal and its related products
2. Poisons Act:
   * regulate the importation, possession, manufacture,
   compounding, storage, transport and sale of poisons

• Under the Act, it shall not be unlawful for any person
  to sell any poison unless:
• he is licensed under this Act to sell poisons
• the sale is effected in accordance with the provisions of the
  licence and with any conditions specified therein
• the sale is effected on the premises specified in the licence
• container of the poison is labelled with the name of the poison

3. Misuse of Drugs Act:
   control of dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs and substances and for purposes connected therewith

Question 3

2 main principles of Infectious diseases act + elaboration

Answer 3

Controls infectious diseases
* provides for the notification of specified infectious diseases.

• empowers the Director of Medical Services to order:
• medical examination and treatment of any person who is or suspected to be a case, carrier or contact of an infectious disease,
• post-mortem examination of any person who has died
  while being or suspected of being a case, carrier or
  contact of an infectious disease,
• epidemiological surveys and investigations into
  outbreaks to be carried out.

Prevention of the introduction of infectious diseases
* allows the Minister to declare an area (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) to be an infected area if there is reason to believe that a dangerous infectious disease may be introduced into Singapore
through or from that area

Question 4

WSH act 3 principles

Answer 4

• reduce risk at the source by requiring all stakeholders to remove or minimise the risk they create;
• encourage industries to adopt greater ownership of safety and health outcomes and;
• impose higher penalties for poor safety management and outcomes

Question 5

What are the responsibilities of the employer - Hospital/Insitution?

What must they first do, then the other measures

Answer 5

1. Conduct risk assessments to identify hazards → implement effective risk control measures
2. Ensure safe work environment
3. Safety measures taken for any processes in the workplace
4. Emergency plans
5. Ensure workers are taught (safety protocols), and assessed to ensure they work safely

TLDR: to ensure a safe environment, the Hospital has to perform risk assessment and address lapses, set up protocols and emergency plans.
Employees are required to understand and follow the plan to ensure a safe working environment

Question 6

What are the employees responsiblities in the workplace?

Answer 6

• Comply to safety measures
• Do not attempt anything that is unsafe or endangers themselves or persons around them
• Use PPE provided to ensure safety while working, and not to tamper or misuse equipments