Hospitals can be hectic, but you must always remember to promote healthy ergonomics in your staff members. Individuals are in charge of their own bodies, but you can provide the tools and promote the right practices to help doctors and nurses make the healthiest choices. Take a closer look at your work environment with these tips for improving ergonomics in a hospital to find the best changes for you.
Proper Posture
Data entry is integral to healthcare facilities because doctors and nurses must complete progress notes and other comments for the medical record. Healthcare professionals can use devices like computers and tablets for record-keeping purposes, but improperly using these devices can lead to damaging side effects. Poor posture when using tablets or computers can irritate various areas of the body depending on your position.
Provide your medical staff with the workstations they need to operate responsibly. After all, better ergonomics is one of the primary ways a medical tablet cart improves patient care. It doesn’t hurt to post signage regarding good posture in a workplace, so don’t hesitate to promote proper posture that way, too.
Adjustable Workstations
Speaking of comfortable workstations, you should supply your staff with adjustable designs. Installing adjustable chairs, computers, and mobile workstations ensures nurses and doctors optimize their setup for the most comfortable experience every time.
Adjustable equipment dissuades the staff from holding their arms, neck, and other areas of the body in uncomfortable positions. Likewise, if two different people must use the same chair, workstation, etc., then both can find the most optimal position; no ergonomic sacrifices needed.
Responsible Lifting
Lifting equipment and patients is something medical staff must do responsibly to prioritize ergonomics, and the safety of who or what they’re lifting. For instance, lifting heavy equipment can put excessive strain on a nurse or doctor’s body. That said, using lifting equipment or partnering with other professionals for assistance can reduce that strain, creating a more ergonomic experience.
The same principle applies to patients. Provide your staff with the training and resources they need to learn how to carefully lift people and objects whenever necessary. Your medical staff is focused on healing people, but their health is equally important to anyone in the building, so prioritize proper lifting whenever applicable. Enforce these tips for improving ergonomics in a hospital today to keep the workplace responsible and efficient.
