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Preventing Injuries Using an Ergonomic Approach
Author(s) -
Owen Bernice D.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
aorn journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1878-0369
pISSN - 0001-2092
DOI - 10.1016/s0001-2092(06)61908-x
Subject(s) - human factors and ergonomics , back injury , perioperative , physical therapy , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , nursing , medical emergency , poison control , surgery
The risk of back injury is a continuing problem for nurses. Patient‐handling tasks (eg, transferring patients on and off stretchers, repositioning patients on OR beds) are a major precipitating factor to this problem. Educating nurses about body mechanics has not been the answer to preventing back injuries; however, changing the physical demands of the job (ie, using an ergonomic approach) by using assistive devices (eg, friction reducers) has been proven to decrease perceived stress and injury rates and increase patient comfort. This article focuses on the problem of nurses' back and shoulder overexertion injuries and explores the application of ergonomics in the perioperative setting. AORN J 72 (Dec 2000) 1031–1036.