Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Case Study

529 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Special equipment in the patient care environments

Musculoskeletal associated back injuries in nurses, related to patient handling, have been a major concern in the health care field. There are multiple strategies available for nurses to implement that decrease their probability of injury. According to Nelson and Baptiste (2004), work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nursing continue to rise. Disabling back injury and back pain affect 38% of nursing staff (Brown, 2003). Musculoskeletal injuries are completely preventable and are a problem that should be eradicated from the health care field. Proper training on the use of body mechanics as it pertains to lifting, moving, and maneuvering patients is insufficient. To date, interventions with the strongest level of evidence for safe patient handling that reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury among nurses include: (a) patient care ergonomic assessment protocols, (b) use of patient handling equipment/devices, (c) clinical tools, such as algorithms and patient assessment protocols to aid in implementation, and (d) no manual lift policies, once all other program components are in place (Powell-Cope, l, 2Hughes, Senlac, & Nelson, 2008). …show more content…

Purchasing the equipment to resolve this problem appears costly in the beginning, but the benefits of use substantially outweigh the purchase price. Musculoskeletal injuries are among the most common and costly injuries affecting hospital personnel. Injuries can lead to thousands of dollars in expense to the employer, per staff member injured, due to time off, temporary staffing, medical expenses, and compensation claims. According to a study by Aon, injuries such as these can cost the employer approximately 12,000 dollars, per employee, per incident (OSHA.gov). With studies presenting hospitals among the most injurious places to work, the actual expense is

Show More
Related

  • Human Factors In Nursing Case Study

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human factors are derived from construction and adapted to a system of development in health care by carefully examining the relationship between people, environment, and technology. The consideration of human factors acknowledges the capability or inability to perform a precise task while executing multiple functions at once. Human factors provide an organized method to prevent errors and create exceptional efficiency. Careful attention must be exercised in all levels of care such as the physical, social, and external environment. It is also vital to carefully consider the type of work completed and the quality of performance. Applying human factors to the structure of healthcare can help reduce risks and improve outcomes for patients. This includes physical, behavioral, and cognitive performance which is important to a successful health care system that can prevent errors. A well-designed health care system can anticipate errors before they occur and not after the mistake has been committed. A culture of safety in nursing demands strong leadership that pays attention to variations in workloads, preventing interruptions at work, promotes communication and courtesy for everyone involved. Implementing a structure of human factors will guide research and provide a better understanding of a nurse’s complicated work environment. Nurses today are face challenges that affect patient safety such as heavy workloads, distractions, multiple tasks, and inadequate staffing. Poor communication and failure to comply with proper protocols can also adversely affect patient safety. Understanding human factors can help nurses prevent errors and improve quality of care. In order to standardize care the crew resource management program was

    Read More

  • Sports Medicine Injuries and Physicians

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sports Medicine is a medical field that specializes with physical fitness, treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise. It was introduced around the early Greek and Roman era when the first modern Olympic Games took place. The Greek felt they could do something to help heal and prevent injuries that the athletes were receiving. Now in sports medicine, certain injuries can only be assessed and treated by specific physicians. These physicians can include physical therapists, athletic trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches. Although sports physicians are most commonly seen by athletes after they are hurt so they can be treated, there are some physicians that are seen before an injury occurs so that they can learn how to prevent injuries.

    Read More

  • Anatomy And Physiology: Case Study Summary: Knee Injuries

    780 Words  | 2 Pages

    The word patella comes from the great latin language meaning shallow pan or shallow dish. The description of that word could not be more correct, it was meant in reference to balance of food but in anatomy’s case a balance of the body. The patella is a small bone located in front of the knee joint where the thigh bone (femur) and shinbone (tibia) meet. It protects the knee and connects the muscles in the front of the thigh to the tibia. The patella is one of two sesamoid bones found in the body, roughly triangular shaped in size. It’s thick consistency allows for the articulation of the femur, which in turn allows for body support and balance. The patella has multiple body functions with the primary being knee extension. The patella is essential for basic body functions including locomotion;

    Read More

  • Women Sport Athlete Injuries

    1818 Words  | 4 Pages

    The number of girls and women participating in all levels of sports has risen greatly in recent years, and the way they play has changed too. Women's sports used to be played by a slow defensive style. Today, the sports are played with speed, precision, and power. With these changes have come increased injuries, and female athletes have higher injury rates than men in many sports. Knee injuries have been rising in female sports. Anterior crutiate ligament (ACL) injuries have become the most common injury in the knee to female athletes. Females are four times more susceptible to injury then men.

    Read More

  • Patient Fall Prevention

    2176 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Quality and Education for Nurses (QSEN) project has set several goals for future nurses to meet in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSAs), one of which is safety (2014). The definition of safety according to QSEN is minimizing risk of harm to patients through system effectiveness and individual performance (QSEN, 2014). Since falls are such a huge occurrence in health care, preventing falls is critical for patient safety. The Joint Commission (2011) has also noted fall prevention as a National Safety Patient Goal (NPSG) 09.02.01 requiring hospitals to reduce the risk of harm resulting from falls.

    Read More

  • Prevention of Patient Falls

    1134 Words  | 3 Pages

    Patient falls is one of the commonest events within the healthcare facilities that affect the safety of the patients. Preventing falls among patients requires various methods. Recognition, evaluation, and preventing of patient falls are great challenges for healthcare workers in providing a safe environment in any healthcare setting. Hospitals have come together to understand the contributing factors of falls, and to decrease their occurrence and resulting injuries or death. Risk of falls among patients is considered as a safety indicator in healthcare institutions due to this. Falls and related injuries have consistently been associated with the quality of nursing care and are included as a nursing-quality indicator monitored by the American Nurses Association, National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators and by the National Quality Forum. (NCBI)

    Read More

  • Quality And Safety Education In Nursing Essay

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    The overall goal for the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) plan is to meet the challenge of educating and preparing future nurses to have the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are essential to frequently progress the quality and safety of the healthcare systems in the continuous improvement of safe practice (QSEN, 2014).Safety reduces the possibility of injury to patients and nurses. It is achieved through system efficiency and individual work performance. Organizations determine which technologies have an effective protocol with efficient practices to support quality and safety care. Guidelines are followed to reduce potential risks of harm to nurses or others. Appropriate policies

    Read More

  • Gymnastics Athletic Injuries

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    The sheer energy of a gymnast alone can be felt by audiences of all ages, but what the spectators lack the ability to feel is the pounding of the bodies that bear the impact of the athletes in action. Gymnastics consists of a mixture of acrobatic performances of four different events for females, and six different events for males (Gianoulis 1). Gymnastics is demanding in a multitude of ways, including: physically, emotionally and mentally. It requires countless hours of dedication. The concerns of most gymnasts are moving up to the next level, or getting a more advanced skill, while the concerns of the doctors, coaches, and parents revolve mostly around the athlete’s health, which is put at stake for the adored yet dangerous sport. Injuries are common among both male and female gymnast alike, but due to the fact a female gymnast’s career peaks at the same time of major growth and development, a female gymnast’s body as a whole is more likely to undergo lifelong changes or affects (Gianoulis 2). Among the injuries of the mind blowing athletes, the most common ones affect the ankles, feet, lower back, wrist, and hands of individuals (Prevention and Treatment 1). From sprains, to the breaks, the intriguing sport of gymnastics is physically demanding on a gymnast’s body.

    Read More

  • Code Of Ethics In Nursing: The Ethics Of Nursing

    1502 Words  | 4 Pages

    Safety is focused on reducing the chance of harm to staff and patients. The 2016 National Patient Safety Goals for Hospitals includes criteria such as using two forms of identification when caring for a patient to ensure the right patient is being treated, proper hand washing techniques to prevent nosocomial infections and reporting critical information promptly (Joint Commission, 2015). It is important that nurses follow standards and protocols intending to patients to decrease adverse

    Read More

  • Musculoskeletal Problems In Nursing Essay

    1280 Words  | 3 Pages

    Musculoskeletal problems are conditions that affect the bones, joints and muscles resulting in pain, inability to move the body or stiffness, swelling etc. Musculoskeletal problems affect different parts of the body which include the neck, wrists, knees, shoulders, back, waist etc. The nursing care involves handling of patients and giving adequate or complete care. In nursing care of patients, some techniques are involved which include lifting, moving or repositioning of patients. Continuous use of these techniques most times affect the body resulting in pains and body aches. In order to prevent these musculoskeletal problems, nurses should make use of lifting devices instead of

    Read More

  • The Positive and Effective Use of Restraints for Patient Safety

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    There has been debate on whether or not restraints are safe for patients. Tammelleo (1992) states that the use of restraints cause approximately 200 deaths every year, some of which include instances where a restraint was not necessary for the patient. Misuse is another important factor in the safeness and effectiveness of bed restraints. Misuse and tragic accidents have lead to the involvement of the FDA and recommendation calls that every medical institution must have and practice protocols for proper use of restraints (72). Tammelleo goes on to discuss recommended alternatives that should be explored before resorting to the use of restraints. Restraining patients may seem like the easier and quicker way to handle a patient, it is not always the best. Some alternative measures include wedging pads or pillows against the sides of a wheelchair to keep the patient in a good position, soften lights, provide soft music, spend extra ...

    Read More

  • Workplace Injury In The Workplace

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... al. 1999) the estimated cost to society is 2-14% in various countries. In developing countries, the mortality rate caused by workplace injuries is higher due to the fact that the workers are faced with a higher number and numerous hazards. In addition, in developing countries there are less resources for the prevention, rehabilitation and treatment of workplace injuries (Concha-Barrientos et al. 2005).

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Safety In The Health Care Environment

    1774 Words  | 4 Pages

    In health care, safety does not only pertain to the patient, but to all of the staff as well. Although this is important, it is critical that nurses are safe, since they usually interact with the patients the most. If a nurse does not follow correct safety and health practices, they may cause harm to the patient, which may end up in a lawsuit if the damage is bad enough. If safety measures are followed and nothing wrong happens, this saves the facility money and it could possibly gain money if the patients refer the facility to other potential customers. Every facility should have a policy pertaining to safety measures, and it should be reviewed as needed. One thing that nurses will need to know is how to properly use lifts and

    Read More

  • I Possess To Be A Good Nurse Essay

    1078 Words  | 3 Pages

    we support our clients right to make their own decisions and secure their healthcare rights. Also informing them about the “speakup “ campaign in cases where they are being cared for in an unsafe manner. “Doing for” involves the nurse’s responsibility to do for the patients, what they would normally do for themselves but cannot do it at that time due to limited ability; either because they are in pain or disabled in any way as a result of their present illness, accident, or similar situations that results to, or is related to, activity impairment(s). Doing this helps them physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, it is important to maintain their dignity while doing things for them because their limitations can elevate their risk of emotional and psychological problems.

    Read More

  • Workplace Accidents Essay

    1419 Words  | 3 Pages

    Accidents occur in the workplace but in secret. These most of the time lead to physical and mental injuries that might affect the worker way of living for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that more than 337 million workers get injured in their place of work or in the course of work every year leading to work-related diseases causing about 2.3 million deaths per year (United States Department of Labor, n.d.).

    Read More

More about Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Case Study

Open Document