ARTICLE
It shouldn't hurt to be a nurse
W
orking in the healthcare service is very strenuous and sometimes also stressful, especially for nurses, considering that 90 percent of nurses are women. Occasionally, the nursing staff has to lift up to 1,8 tons during one shift. Koen De Doncker, ergonomist and product manager, helps nurses with ergonomic moving and handling patients. His goal is to share tips and instructions for ergonomic execution of daily nursing routines. “Many nursing activities have a common problem. They are carried out in a posture when the nurse is bent forward. This unfavorable angle places excessive physical strain on the body and often leads to back pain and other musculoskeletal complications. When the body is in the normal, neutral and recommended position, even larger loads can be moved,” explains Koen de Doncker.
JULY.AUG 2021
90
The right bed can make a difference Notably for activities during basic care, nurses often have to lean forward, for example to be able to wash the patient's legs or feet. Patients with high weight often need to be moved and the body reacts to unfavorable working angles in the medium and long term
