3 Ways to Plan Ahead for Workplace Safety

Workplace safety for perioperative nurses should encompass all aspects of a nurse’s health— from implementing protections against injuries while lifting and sharps injuries to ensuring access to hydration, exercise and stress reduction, according to Carol Ann Devlin, MSN, RN, CNOR, a RWJF Scholar funded PhD student, nursing professor and longtime RNFA and perioperative nurse, and Heidi Nanavati, MSN, CRNP, CNOR, Nurse Practitioner, RN First Assistant, educator, and member of AORN’s Nominating Committee.

Devlin and Nanavati say they see too many perioperative nurses who are aware but not mindfully taking action to avoid the wide range of workplace dangers. This mindfulness should begin with an inventory of personal health risks that a perioperative nurse experiences on the job and making a plan for short- and long-term safety.

Recognize the Risks

“With staffing so tight in many perioperative settings, a nurse is more likely to take on tasks that require additional help, such as transferring a patient or moving heavy equipment,” Nanavati says. She also notes that actions such as rushing during a room turnover can lead to harmful exposure to sharps or biohazardous materials.

This can-do attitude also may translate to poor personal health habits such as not drinking enough water or eating enough regular, healthy meals during the work day. Other common nursing habits, such as working long shifts under high-stress without getting enough sleep can boost cortisol levels leading to heart disease and other serious health dangers, explains Devlin. “Higher rates of cancer among nurses signal the deeper and detrimental health effects of pushing ourselves too far and avoidable environmental exposures.”

Nanavati fears that nursing performance and longevity are being impacted when nurses make unsafe choices at work. “Something as simple as working while dehydrated because we are too busy or don’t have access to drinking water can hamper our ability to make critical thinking decisions for safe patient care.”

She also fears that the high rate of nursing occupational injuries, such as back strain and other musculoskeletal injuries from improper lifting, which is estimated at 11,000–12,000 injuries annually, is jeopardizing perioperative nurses’ career longevity.

Devlin advocates for workplace safety down the road for her nursing students. “I stress with my future nurses the need to make workplace safety and wellness a professional habit for safety and optimum health for our patients and ourselves.  Healthy nurses are more prepared and capable to support our patients.”

Plan for Safety Actions

Reducing exposure to workplace harm is possible for perioperative nurses, if they take individual responsibility for their health, have the courage to ask for support, and support all teammates, Devlin and Nanavati stress.

They believe planning ahead is a simple, yet powerful action that nurses can take to improve their health on the job. Here are several ways to be proactive in planning for perioperative work place safety:

1. Line-up Devices for Heavy Lifting

   Look at the surgical schedule a day early to make sure lifting supports and other patient movement devices are on hand and ready to be used when you will need them. This early scheduling of patient movement devices can also be completed by team members on the night shift to support safe patient handling and movement for the next day.

    

2. Coordinate Timing for Support

   When the surgical schedule is confirmed for the day, coordinate with surgical team members and other support colleagues such as scrub techs or OR techs before the first case to estimate specific timing for staff support during the day. For example, look at length of case data for a surgeon’s orthopedic surgery schedule to estimate when a patient will need to be transferred so staff support can plan to be there. This is particularly important for obese patients still under the effects of anesthesia, which will require multiple team members to transfer the patient without staff strain or injury (as well as potential patient injury).

    

3. Schedule Personal Health Actions Into Your Day

   Devlin and Nanavati make dedicated time before their work day to drink lots of water, and pack healthy meals and snacks, including protein, vegetables and fruit. They also make time after work to catch up on water, food, exercise and especially sleep to ensure their work/life balance includes personal health. 

   A healthful mindset for a perioperative nurse is one that focuses on mindful actions to reduce the risk of workplace injuries of any kind, Nanavati stresses. “When we collectively act toward these healthful goals, we can inspire our colleagues and future nurses to follow.”

Learn more workplace safety insights from Devlin and Nanavati in their education presentation on April 6 at the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo in Nashville.

Additional Resources

Learn more about healthful nursing through the ANA’s Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™ grand challenge and Harvard University’s ongoing Nurses’ Health Studies.

Free Resources for Members

ANA Affiliate Membership - AORN members receive a complimentary ANA affiliate membership to participate in the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™ grand challenge.