OT vs. Nurse

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What could you do as a nurse that is different to an Occupational Therapist? Are there cross-overs in tasks? 

Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
subee said:

Is this a joke?  I'm not sure where to start.  In the OR, there is the constant transfer of some very large units from the table to their stretchers.  Moving just one freshly trached 300 or 400 pounder to an ICU bed can make give anyone a bad back for life.  Imagine doing that for 30 - 40 years.  No matter how big the patient, they still have to get up and sit in a chair...maybe several times a day.  

The comparison was between nursing, PT, and OT. And I said that nursing and PT get more physical work than OT.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Kitiger said:

The comparison was between nursing, PT, and OT. And I said that nursing and PT get more physical work than OT.

Sorry.  I responded to the wrong person.  My reply was for Mary 3010.

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Can you prevent yourself from getting hurt by knowing the right techniques or just by asking another person for assistance for instance? Or maybe just transferring to a different role if it is too much such as paediatrics, neonatal, general practice nursing (in a GP clinic), lecturing etc.?

Quote

Sorry.  I responded to the wrong person.  My reply was for Mary 3010.

Also Subee - did you mean when you mentioned how nursing requires you to sometimes move patients? 

 

 

 

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Mary3010 said:

Can you prevent yourself from getting hurt by knowing the right techniques or just by asking another person for assistance for instance? Or maybe just transferring to a different role if it is too much such as paediatrics, neonatal, general practice nursing (in a GP clinic), lecturing etc.?

Also Subee - did you mean when you mentioned how nursing requires you to sometimes move patients? 

 

 

 

Somewhat. I've used the correct techniques since day 1. My back, shoulders, hips and knees are still paying for it. Patients are getting larger and less healthier/willing to assist, less staff to assist. As far as going to a different population, you can always try, a position is never guaranteed, and they hold their own physical trials (moving equipment, etc)

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
Hoosier_RN said:

Somewhat. I've used the correct techniques since day 1. My back, shoulders, hips and knees are still paying for it. Patients are getting larger and less healthier/willing to assist, less staff to assist. As far as going to a different population, you can always try, a position is never guaranteed, and they hold their own physical trials (moving equipment, etc)

We were taught - as student nurses some 40 years ago - that we would never damage ourselves if we exercised, kept ourselves strong and in shape, and always used the correct lifting technique. But the fact is the body wears out. Lifting patients keeps our bones strong while wearing out our joints. We have less muscle mass as we age. And, as Hoosier said, the patients we have are getting larger and less healthier/willing to assist, and we have less staff to assist. Add in the sudden movements that a patient can make during a lift, and it becomes more likely that we will be damaged. 

I have always tried to use the correct techniques, always tried to avoid those movements which can damage my back/shoulders/hips/etc. I always use the mechanical lift if one is available. (In home care, we sometimes have to overcome the parent's resistance to using lifts. I had one home where they told me they had a Hoyer lift. It was out in the garage! They didn't use it. I told them that I needed it.)

I'm pretty good with Hoyer lifts and ceiling lifts. It takes me 5 minutes to put the sling under the person in the wheelchair, transfer them to the bed, remove the sling, and get them settled in bed. (Somewhat longer if the diaper is loaded.) My point is, use the mechanical lifts when indicated. 

Can we prevent damage? To some degree, yes. But it can happen to anyone.

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Kitiger said:

My point is, use the mechanical lifts when indicated. 

Can we prevent damage? To some degree, yes. But it can happen to anyone

I know that any career has potential risks and that if you follow safety protocols then it will decrease the likelihood of it impacting upon you. Would you say that it's like if I followed them in nursing? I just want to know if it's  more of an inevitable thing or just as common of a risk as other jobs? 
 

To understand where I'm getting at - A teacher could develop:  skin/eye damage from being in the sun, heart issues from stress, mental health issues, voice problems (disciplining students), eye/muscle strains from sitting to mark, exposure to student illnesses, injuries from sport or helping disabled students, breaking up fights etc. (some more/less likely to worry about but they are risks). 

But - knowing how to look after yourself or seeking help will reduce your risks. 

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Mary3010 said:

I know that any career has potential risks and that if you follow safety protocols then it will decrease the likelihood of it impacting upon you. Would you say that it's like if I followed them in nursing? I just want to know if it's  more of an inevitable thing or just as common of a risk as other jobs? 
 

To understand where I'm getting at - A teacher could develop:  skin/eye damage from being in the sun, heart issues from stress, mental health issues, voice problems (disciplining students), eye/muscle strains from sitting to mark, exposure to student illnesses, injuries from sport or helping disabled students, breaking up fights etc. (some more/less likely to worry about but they are risks). 

But - knowing how to look after yourself or seeking help will reduce your risks. 

I'm going to go with inevitable risk with nursing. With the lifting, even with assisting devices, there can be fails or nonexistent equipment (if moving a medical device), there's also bending, reaching, moreso than most other occupations. Add in the risk factors of family/patient violence upon staff and infection risk, it can be quite precarious. Yes we take precautions, but as Kitiger pointed out, body parts age and immune systems can weaken at times, and facility safety systems at times are not at 100%  

I'm not trying to dissuade you from nursing in any way, shape, or form, but anyone considering going into nursing needs to 100% have their eyes wide open going in. It's not like on TV, where everyone gets the great patients that can almost do self care. It's risky, and corporations that own facilities only care about their bottom line. Putting staff at risk is a casualty factor that they are willing to take, as a fresh face can take your place. Schools continue to pump them out each semester. I hope this gives you some food for thought 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Mary3010 said:

I know that any career has potential risks and that if you follow safety protocols then it will decrease the likelihood of it impacting upon you. Would you say that it's like if I followed them in nursing? I just want to know if it's  more of an inevitable thing or just as common of a risk as other jobs? 
 

To understand where I'm getting at - A teacher could develop:  skin/eye damage from being in the sun, heart issues from stress, mental health issues, voice problems (disciplining students), eye/muscle strains from sitting to mark, exposure to student illnesses, injuries from sport or helping disabled students, breaking up fights etc. (some more/less likely to worry about but they are risks). 

But - knowing how to look after yourself or seeking help will reduce your risks. 

Sunburn?  Voice problems?  I taught elementary school and sunburn was never a concern.  If you have to yell in class, you've already lost control of the class.  There's rarely a need to yell during a class, especially with little ones.  If you are so risk adverse, perhaps you should be working remotely from home.  IMHO, you would be bringing your generalized anxiety to the job.  Every job is stressful if you let it be.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
Hoosier_RN said:

I'm going to go with inevitable risk with nursing. With the lifting, even with assisting devices, there can be fails or nonexistent equipment (if moving a medical device), there's also bending, reaching, moreso than most other occupations. Add in the risk factors of family/patient violence upon staff and infection risk, it can be quite precarious. Yes we take precautions, but as Kitiger pointed out, body parts age and immune systems can weaken at times, and facility safety systems at times are not at 100%  



So, to decrease your risk:

1. Protect your back; exercise, keep yourself strong and in shape, always use the correct lifting technique, and get help and/or use mechanical aides when available.

2. Protect against infection; follow specific isolation guidelines (Contact Precautions, Airborne Precautions, etc.), COVID mitigation in the community, strengthen your immune system, etc.

3. Take a class on workplace violence (general safety - like not allowing the potentially violent person between you and the door, de-escalation training).

4. And relax. As Subee said, every job is stressful if you let it be.

 

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It's more just wanting to know what I am getting into because as Hoosier mentioned it's not like on TV and because I'm not really well at the moment. 

Would you recommend areas such as radiology nursing, nurse educator, neonatal, paediatrics, mental health, urgent care, practice nurse etc. for more low-risk work?

I just mentioned teaching risks as an example (whether high/low risk). If you teach sport or just being on playground duty that's what I meant. Also the raising of your voice not necessarily in a class and particularly to older kids - it's just an example ☺️ 

Thank you so much everyone! 

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Kitiger said:

every job is stressful if you let it be

Did you have any suggestions based off my previous post? Thank you!! ?

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Mary3010 said:

Did you have any suggestions based off my previous post? Thank you!! ?

A nurse educator is preferred to have nursing experience; mental health is anything but low risk, as patients can become violent in the blink of an eye. I know more than 1 nurse who has become permanently injured in the mental health setting. The other settings may be more suitable if you can find an opening, as some don't take new grads, and other openings are just location dependent 

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