Biosafety Practices and Hazards Management of Medical Technologists in Selected Tertiary

Clinical Laboratories in Naga City

INTRODUCTION

The role of Clinical Laboratories in the diagnosis of diseases has been very critical. It is where
the biological samples such as blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and other body fluids are
processed. This is a realization that there is an actual threat to health of the people who do the
test procedures which are the laboratory scientists. All that the laboratory processes whether
it’s a high or low level classified laboratory is considered as probable of possessing infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) declared to “ treat all specimen as
potentially infectious” is an implication that protection in any way possible must be uphold. In
the hospital set up, the clinical laboratory has direct access in the collection and processing of
samples. The specimen obtained from patients are subjected to different tests as per the
request of attending physician. In fact, 70% of physicians diagnosis depends on the result of the
clinical workup(henrys 22 ed). This recognizes the crucial role of laboratories in handling
samples with unknown diseases. Diseases can be non-communicable, cannot be transmitted)
or communicable, an infectious one and can affect people handling it, the laboratory scientists
mandated to conduct the procedures of the test being ordered.

Working in the clinical laboratory poses different types of hazards. Medical Technologists are
also at risk of chemical, fire and electrical hazards. Aside from safe handling of biological
samples in the laboratory, emphasis to other type of hazard is taken because these can also
endanger its worker’s safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has created
the Hazards Communication Standards that “ensure all laboratory personnel should have a
thorough working knowledge of the hazards of chemicals with which they work”(Bailey page
48). The hazard on fire should also be considered because “fire is the most common serious
hazard in a typical laboratory” (OSHA 3404Lab Tablet). Electrical hazard also exists in a
laboratory and exposure to it could lead to injury such as electrical shock which is its most
commonly recognize danger(Electrical Safety Hazards awareness tablet). These hazards should
be treated seriously as the injury it could cause can be life threatening.

In Philippines, the enabling law that promotes health workers including medical technologists is
the Republic Act No. 7305 or “The Magna Carta of Public Health Workers”. The provision on
section 2a of the law is “to promote and improve the social and economic well being of the
health workers, their living and working conditions and terms of employment” thus the state
has the responsibility to ensure this. The Department of Health under its Regulation, Licensing
and Enforcement Division has been regulatory on the working environment and accreditation
and tendering license to complying laboratories. This is the basis of the implication of the safety
practices of the workers and the hazards management.
The integration of hazards management plays vital role in assessing and preventing its
occurrence. It is important to identify and manage the potential harms it could do to medical
technologist. On the other hand, biosafety has been at the core of every institution that
handles infectious diseases like hospitals. It encompasses the standard operation procedures
and policies on how to prevent transmission of diseases and or limit the contagion.
Setting of the Study

Naga city is one of the only two cities in the province of Camarines sur. It is located at about 400
kilometers south of Manila. It has a land area of 8,448 hectares that is rich in water and land forms such
as the Naga river and the Mt. Isarog. According to Philippine Statistics Authority, the latest population of
the city is 196,003 in 2016 and is expected to double in day time because of visitors from neighbouring
towns who would come for work, to study and to do business among others. Naga city is known as the
Queen City of Bicol as many pilgrims of local or foreign tourists come along to celebrate its patron
Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia in every third Saturday of September. Education in Naga city is accessible
as it has private universities and state colleges. There are also hospitals of private or government
ownership available the city for health care needs. Several malls are there too for shoppers and movie
goers. The city is also known for its delicious Kinalas, a noodle dish with cow or pig’s meat.
Statement of the Problem

This study would like to determine the biosafety practices and compliance to hazards
management of Medical Technologists in Selected Tertiary Clinical laboratories in Naga City.
Specifically, it seeks to know
1. What is the profile of respondents in terms of
a. age
b. sex
c. income
d. educational attainment
e. marital status
f. employment status
g. length of service
2. What is the level of compliance of Medical Technologists in biosafety practices and in
Hazard Management?
3. Are there significant relationships between the selected profile of the respondents to their
level of biosafety practices and hazards management?
4. What intervention plan may be proposed as a result of the findings of the study?
Hypothesis

There is significant agreement on the rank order of the level of compliance of Medical Technologists in
selected tertiary clinical laboratory to Biosafety Practices and Hazards management.
Scope and Delimitation

 This study will be conducted in the city of Naga whose respondents are the Medical
Technologists working in clinical laboratory classified as level three or tertiary by the
Department of Health.
 The study shall look for the essential profile of the respondents in terms sex, age, income, civil
status, educational attainment.
 Tertiary type laboratories are employed in hospitals with loads of patients that need to be
catered.
 It has services far more than the primary or secondary type.
 The basis of biosafety practices will come from the given standards stipulated by the WHO.
 This is very much fitting to use because PH is a member of UN and its mandate is patterned to
the WHO or CDC manuals.
 The respondents of the study are the Medical Technologists who are licensed to conduct
complex of laboratory tests and analysis and who have direct interaction in handling and
processing the biological specimens.
Significance of the Study

The result of the study could be beneficial to the following:

Department of Health(DOH). The DOH can use the result of this study to improve or enhance their
licensing division in accrediting laboratories. This will help them formulate policies and elevate the
standards that they set in the operations of clinical laboratories.

Legislative Body of the Government. Policy makers in the government can find the result of the study
useful to evaluate if the current laws with regards to Biosafety Practices and Hazards Management are
efficient. It will allow them to make necessary adjustments or repeal law that fits the current situation.

Hospital Administrators. The outcome of this study can give them the real picture of what the clinical
laboratories and its employees needs to focus on. Through this, they can improve more on aspects that
they are weak and continue the aspects where they are strong.

Chiefs of Hospitals. The study will give them ideas that will be help them formulate policies that
concerns the medical technologists employees.

Medical Technology Associations. This study will be useful to the association by disseminating the
information obtained from the study to the fellow colleagues.

Future Researcher. This study will serve as their reference to expound or conduct studies of similar
context.
End notes