Getting a High Risk Profession To...

[fireyangel76]

Wow what a hard thing to try to change the habits and mind set of nurses!
I know myself personally, if some one would have taken me aside and confided a personal story of a nurse who could no longer work due to multiple back injuries, I would have listened and been sympathetic. I at the same time would have said to myself it won't happen to me!

After my first few injuries I did take a job with the State of Calif as a health facilities Evaluator Nurse. I had no lifting or direct patient care. Sounds perfect. I hated it! I could not just be serious all the time and write facilities up for stupid stuff. There were things that I felt very strongly about and had no problem sticking it to the hospital...it was just so far removed from being an actual nurse that I ran back to my med/surg telemetry floor.

Unfortunately I went back thinking I was all better and continued the same things that got me injured in the first place. So here I am now fighting Social Sec for a measly disability check as I am unable to go back to work. I would probably last a shift or two but then I would be in bed for 7.
I never thought it would happen to me! It did happen to me! It happens to many nurses!
Maybe you can print this and post it on a board where your nurses can read it.
My advice to all nurses is ...work smarter...work together...work safely...take care of each other. If every injured non working nurse was still in the work force maybe the shortage would not be so profound!
Good luck with the no lift policy! That and lift teams are the only way to go !

[Maria]

Sue,
Having worked in management long ago in nursing I can attest to the much longer work hours than expected let alone the need to show leadership and lack of weakness.

The best facility I worked at in terms of utilizing lifting devices for patients was the VA in SF. The night shift had it down moving from one patient to the next as a team. It was actually the best team effort I have ever seen when it came to lifting/moving patients. I do believe all VA's are equipped more or less the same and it seemed that was one environment that was definately into protecting the spinal health of their employees. Again, it's been some time since I've been in these settings so the devices may have improved greatly or they may be dinosaurs that are still being utilized (that wouldn't surprise me in health care).

Having worked in a number of neurosurgical settings the belts and lift and move devices were also utilized for full body lifts. Of course when I injured my spine there was this thing called "Primary Nursing" and we had to do it all and there was no equipment such as this (mind you at UCSF in Neurosurgery at the time).

I am completely with you in terms of educating the nursing and allied health staff re spinal health and in facilities I worked at there were classes that included how to lift and move patients safely.

If you'd ever like a guest speaker and can afford the 3 seats to fly me out there~ I'd be happy to tell your nurses my story and help in an educational process!

BTW, congrats on your position and wishing you continued good spinal health!

[sahuaro]

While waiting for my eye appointment, I found a brief article about a program for saving nurses' spines at Yavapai Medical Center in Arizona, and thought you might be interested. It was in a magazine put out by an employee insurance firm. Their website is www.scfaz.com.