remind everyone that there's plenty of work remaining in order to pre-
vent tragic injuries that continue to occur."
Some speculate that surgeons and staff neglect their own safety
because they're so intent on caring for patients. But staff and patient
safety "have to align," says Dr. Foley. "Otherwise, staff might think
patients matter more and they'll settle for less when it comes to their
own well-being. That's when people get hurt."
Only 11% of our survey respondents say a member of the OR team
hasn't gotten hurt on their watch (see survey results on p. 66). Why
do caregivers continue to put themselves in harm's way? Some blame
the long history in health care of workers' thinking patient care
trumps their own personal safety.
"In the back of their minds they continue to be aware of the haz-
ards, but it's very difficult to get them to change their practice pat-
terns," says Dr. Foley. "Good habits, when formed early, are the expec-
tation, but bad habits remain forever."
Slightly more than 4 out of 5 respondents (81%) say someone on their
staff has been poked or sliced by a sharp, a little more than half have had
to deal with slipping and tripping mishaps, and one-third say a member of
their team has suffered an ergonomic injury.
1 0 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 6
• ERGONOMICS Laparoscopic instruments can wreak havoc on a surgeon's joints. • DUAL PROTECTION Fatigue mats keep floors dry and decrease staff discomfort.
Jason
Meehan
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
