Back injuries in Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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  • Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

You are reading page 2 of Back injuries in Nurses

sjoe

2,099 Posts

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

"Wow. 87% of nurses report a back injury at some time in their career. That is an amazing statistic. "

Not so remarkable when you consider that 80% of the general population has the same problem at some time in their life.

mario_ragucci

1,041 Posts

It's always demanding my attention. My greatest damage I feel is not lifting, but bending over a PT in bed to be close to them. You have to remember to tighten up your trunk muscles if you are not standing straight.

Sometimes I've tried to scoot a

Once I dreamed of a hospital that was near warm pools of water sourounding everything

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN

2 Articles; 3,563 Posts

I have had four back injuries as a nurse. I am still able to work/function, but in pain 24/7.

The people who write those "lifting and back safety" inservices, pamphlets etc. do not understand that at times, it is totally impossible to use correct body mechanics.

I work as a dialysis nurse. We are told to bend our knees, not our backs when working on a pt. When the pts are in the dialysis chairs, If I bent at the knees, I would be at the pt's elbow, not their cath, fistula/graft or Life-Site, and totally unable to see or reach the access.

Having ENOUGH STAFF is the ultimate solution to prevent back injuries.

sjoe

2,099 Posts

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

"Having ENOUGH STAFF is the ultimate solution to prevent back injuries"

AND being able to take an appropriate amount of time to perform one's duties, instead of the frantic rush.

mario_ragucci

1,041 Posts

You can't use proper body alighnment, because our bodies are all different sizes, as are our "tasks at hand." I consider myself knowing how to protect myself and being kinesteticaly very aware, but it's true. You can't protect yourself sometimes because you are thinking of other processes [of greater importances] [in your brain] other than your position and your movements. Most of my neural activitiy is centered in my frontal lobes when thinking about nursing. My cerebelum is on auto, but I still have to be on gaurd for a person, so it's hard to remember my own correct body alighnment, and make all the proper adjustments.

frannybee

267 Posts

I'm big on kneeling on the floor. Saves my back and my knees since squatting down hurts me more than bending over. Have used ceiling hoists in LTC and loved them but didn't find them so useful in ortho which is the only other place I've used them.

The answer is there, a no lift policy done correctly. We implemented one and no more back injuries from patient transfers. Google safe patient handling and all the data is right there. We have Romedic equipment and it is excellent. There are other companies too like Liko, Arjo and Prevent who have similiar products and services.

Specializes in School Nursing.

great article....i have a nurse's back and it controls all that i do. i envy those without back problems. :heartbeat

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