The safe administration of therapeutic substances involves the five R's - 'Right dose', 'Right Drug', 'Right Patient', 'Right Route' and 'Right time'. [WHO, (1997)] Attending to patient's comfort needs is one of the important nursing responsibilities. Patients may experience discomfort due to both environmental factors such as privacy requirements, lighting, noise, ventilation etc. As well as personal factors such as age, disease, surgery, stress etc. Nurses can help in many ways including helping patients change to comfortable positions in their bed, turn off lights, provide relaxation by playing music, provide emotional support by listening to patient's concerns, etc. Effective pain management is critical for improving the comfort levels of patients and in helping them to rest their bodies well. Nurses should take appropriate action to ensure optimal pain care. [Barbara R. Hegner, (2004) pg 128-135]

Healthcare Ergonomics

Healthcare ergonomics is a fast developing field. The increasing number of injuries sustained by nurses during manual patient handling procedures and the discomfort experienced by patients is forcing healthcare institutions to look forward to ergonomic solutions. Ergonomic ambulation and repositioning equipments can be utilized to greatly reduce patient and nurse discomfort. Providing custom-made support structures could prevent patient falls. For instance, the addition of a simple custom made handrails prevented patient falls and skin bruises (from scrapping on the side of the stools) when patients had to get on and off the scanning bed. [Dr. Merry Paech, (2007)] In a recent Canadian study, it was found that ergonomically designed ceiling lifts were more comfortable, patient friendly and less time consuming in doing routine patient transfers and repositioning tasks compared to floor lifts. [Alamgir, (2008)]

Conclusion

Occupational health risks are significant for nurses as they are faced with biological, chemical and mechanical hazards in delivering patient care. However, as primary...

From careful therapeutic administration to applying ergonomic principles to their work processes, nurses are entrusted with the responsibility of providing optimal care that increases patient comfort and decreases repetitive strain injuries. Nurses have a proactive role to play in ensuring compliance with the stipulated OHS legislative requirements and in improving the overall standards of healthcare delivery.
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