Proper Body Mechanics wont protect you from Injury.

[Eru Ilúvatar]

Hi there folks,

Here is the link to the second part of the NPR investigation into injuries nurses get at the workplace.

via npr: Even 'Proper' Technique Exposes Nurses' Spines To Dangerous Forces Even 'Proper' Technique Exposes Nurses' Spines To Dangerous Forces : NPR

This second part focuses on how proper body mechanics are useless to prevent back and spine injuries when lifting and moving patients.

This is an interesting investigation and the findings by a researcher interviewed are alarming.

What do you think about this situation? I am a student nurse and would like to decline to be put on danger for a back injury, what would you suggest as a way to refuse to lift a heavy patient if asked to? I am a male so I foresee I will be used as the human crane of the team. My health and back safety is more important that any backslash this may cause for me as a student.

Please share your opinions...

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Try to find a job in a "no lift" facility.

[Eru Ilúvatar]

Try to find a job in a "no lift" facility.

How do nursing students will go about it during their clinical rotations?

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

I don't know what I thought about that article. On one hand, it's wonderful that a journalist is focusing his concern on nurses (and by extension CNAs, especially how hard the job is on the back. My previous employer was a 'no lift' facility, with lift tracks installed in every patient room. Four rooms meant for higher acuity patients had the lifts in the room, and then we had two or three portables we could hook to the gear in the room.

They even tried to get us to keep heavier care patients ON the lift 'linen', a very thick nylon mesh that I wouldn't want under anyone's bottom. That did not last long. So, minimum four minutes to get lift blanket under and hook up to the lift. You still have to lean over the bed. You can't NOT lean over a patient's bed, and you can crank it up to your chin to lean LESS but you are still leaning and stretching and 'lifting' just to reposition a pillow or a knee.

There's no escape. It 'feels' like a looooong time to get a patient up in a lift, and it feels like a short time to grunt and pull them to sitting (and then to the wheelchair, to the commode, back to the wc and lift the legs back into bed). Bend bend bend.

Nursing is going to wear out your back, period. And some people are going to reach for a pillow and all those years of lifting will hit them and their disc will rupture. Some like me have a back ache relieved by Ibuprofen and/or stretching once in a while and then nothing for a while. With age my 'nothing' times are getting pretty short.

I don't know how nurses can be 'fully' protected and still do bedside nursing, and I don't even mean that angrily. Probably every job has some body part it uses up Even desk work gets you carpal tunnel braces or surgery. Or whatever. Nursing's body part is your back.

For the younger folks, I'd suggest keeping yourself in good shape, not necessarily weight but strong, especially your 'core'. Elevate the beds to lessen the leaning/stretching strain. Use the bed lifts, get in the habit. The system is far from perfect, but if you do throw your back out you might wish you'd taken the time to get the lift. Some people are more prone than others. Take care of yourself. Don't freak out about this, just take care of yourself and utilize body mechanics anyway, as well as the lifts. Don't be a hero, ask for help to move a big person.

The way this guy wrote the article made it sound like nurse's backs are gonna explode at any moment. I knew plenty of folks with back strain that went on light duty for a couple of months, but hardly anyone with long term back damage and surgery. They are definitely there! And not all that rare. Just saying don't freak yourself out about it.

[Eru Ilúvatar]

I don't know what I thought about that article. On one hand, it's wonderful that a journalist is focusing his concern on nurses (and by extension CNAs, especially how hard the job is on the back. My previous employer was a 'no lift' facility, with lift tracks installed in every patient room. Four rooms meant for higher acuity patients had the lifts in the room, and then we had two or three portables we could hook to the gear in the room.

They even tried to get us to keep heavier care patients ON the lift 'linen', a very thick nylon mesh that I wouldn't want under anyone's bottom. That did not last long. So, minimum four minutes to get lift blanket under and hook up to the lift. You still have to lean over the bed. You can't NOT lean over a patient's bed, and you can crank it up to your chin to lean LESS but you are still leaning and stretching and 'lifting' just to reposition a pillow or a knee.

There's no escape. It 'feels' like a looooong time to get a patient up in a lift, and it feels like a short time to grunt and pull them to sitting (and then to the wheelchair, to the commode, back to the wc and lift the legs back into bed). Bend bend bend.

Nursing is going to wear out your back, period. And some people are going to reach for a pillow and all those years of lifting will hit them and their disc will rupture. Some like me have a back ache relieved by Ibuprofen and/or stretching once in a while and then nothing for a while. With age my 'nothing' times are getting pretty short.

I don't know how nurses can be 'fully' protected and still do bedside nursing, and I don't even mean that angrily. Probably every job has some body part it uses up Even desk work gets you carpal tunnel braces or surgery. Or whatever. Nursing's body part is your back.

For the younger folks, I'd suggest keeping yourself in good shape, not necessarily weight but strong, especially your 'core'. Elevate the beds to lessen the leaning/stretching strain. Use the bed lifts, get in the habit. The system is far from perfect, but if you do throw your back out you might wish you'd taken the time to get the lift. Some people are more prone than others. Take care of yourself. Don't freak out about this, just take care of yourself and utilize body mechanics anyway, as well as the lifts. Don't be a hero, ask for help to move a big person.

The way this guy wrote the article made it sound like nurse's backs are gonna explode at any moment. I knew plenty of folks with back strain that went on light duty for a couple of months, but hardly anyone with long term back damage and surgery. They are definitely there! And not all that rare. Just saying don't freak yourself out about it.

Thank you for your response. I see the point that you make, even by using lift equipment you are at risk of eventually wearing out your back through ROM damage. The bending and twisting are inevitable, but can be reduced to manageable levels.

I think the main focus of the article is not so much about these kind of damages caused by these movements, but how the extra exertion necessary, combined with these movements lead to really bad injuries; no matter how much " safe mechanics" you use. The objective finding is that our spine cant handle the forces that lifting heavy stuff exerts. Heck if like they point out "macho-man" that work in manufacturing are expected to use lifting equipment, so should nurses.