5 8 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
O
ver the course of my career, I've
seen a number of colleagues fall
prey to on-the-job injuries. One
stands out. A nurse hurried across
the OR to grab an urgently needed
supply, tripped on a cord and broke her ankle. She
was out of work and lost a portion of her wages for
months. Her time off meant her colleagues had to
work overtime and extra call shifts to cover her
absence, which heightened their stress levels. Sound
familiar? It might, considering slips, trips and falls
are the second most common cause of lost workday
For the surgical team, safety starts from the ground up.
Chris Eggert-Rosenthal,
MSN, RN, CNOR
Two Rivers, Wisc.
Keep OR Floors Clear and Dry
• WRONG WAY DOWN Slips, trips and
falls are a leading cause of lost workday
injuries among healthcare professionals.
injuries in health care,
according to the CDC,
which says the mishaps
are more likely to result
in fractures and multiple
injuries than other types
of workers' compensa-
tion claims. There's more
than the personal health
of your employees at
stake when it comes to
following these tips to
keep staff upright and
injury-free.
• Organize the space.
I've only ever worked in
1 or 2 operating rooms
that were less than 15
years old. As you know,
the trouble with old ORs
is new technology.
Adding equipment
crowds the workspace
and clutters the floor
with power cords and
data cables, which poses
a significant occupation-