dwetherelt

As a manager, I have written policy in two hospitals forbidding nurses to hold legs, just due to nurse injury -- I know several nurses who have had either shoulder or back surgery from this practice. Families can hold legs, or the leg rests (don't use the word "stirrups" ) can be used, but nurses can NOT hold them. In one place I had some push back so used the hospital's Risk Manager to help push the policy through, along with the Employee Health Manager, who wanted the practice stopped due to the high cost of Workman's Comp injuries. When docs object I tell them of the risk for nursing injuries and ask them to hold the patient's legs for awhile - it usually ends there.

I managed a unit several years ago; when the BON said it did fall within the scope of RNs to perform amniotomy we initiated an education program and then let the RNs perform the amniotomy (we also inserted IUPCs and applied FSE's). BUT, I told the staff there would be no excuse accepted if there was ever a cord prolapse when they did the amniotomy. Long story short, staff sometimes refused to do the AROM, insisting the docs do it the presenting part wasn't well applied or was too high and in the ten years I was there we had 2 cord prolapses with AROM. . . BOTH when an MD did the AROM. Other posters are correct, you need to know what your BON allows, then ensure you have adequate training for safe performance.