should therefore explore organizational factors that contribute to this
concern, and establish strong policies to promote the health and safe-
ty of workers in the trenches. Having someone in a leadership posi-
tion who is trusted and viewed as empathetic could lead to more
nurses reporting injuries before injury rates get worse.
Do your part by observing nurses in action to identify potential dan-
gers they might not realize they face. Distribute department- or unit-
specific (pre-op, OR, PACU) confidential surveys. Ask team members
about areas of discomfort or pain (lower back, upper back, neck,
shoulders, legs) associated with specific actions and physically diffi-
cult tasks that cause them the most discomfort or that they consider
the highest risk.
Musculoskeletal injuries are a recurring problem among OR nurses,
with as many as 66.1% suffering from musculoskeletal disorders
(osmag.net/YUS3tv). Holding a patient's limb in place for extended
periods can even take a toll. A patient's leg typically weighs about 16%
of their total body weight. If a patient weighs 250 lbs., a nurse may be
required to lift and hold about 39 lbs., which is beyond a safe limit,
especially if the nurse has to bend forward when grasping the leg.
Slips and falls also continue to be a recurring problem. I investigat-
ed one case where an anesthesiology technician was working
between 2 ORs. She walked quickly out of one OR and into the hall-
way, which had just been mopped, slipped and fell and tore her
meniscus. Unfortunately, her surgery and recovery did not go well.
• Take action. Review the findings of the surveys and share your
observations with clinical managers, then develop, prioritize and
implement injury prevention action items. This process should
include asking staff who participated in the surveys for their feedback
and suggestions for feasible safety-related solutions. Establish short-
and long-term goals, identify barriers and challenges to achieving
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 7
