Ergonomics: Forgotten at Nursing Stations

“Ergonomics are often forgotten at nursing stations,” states Hannah Sprott, RN. “The obvious ergonomic issues in hospitals are related to lifting and transfers, but I rarely saw ergonomic implementations at nursing stations in the hospitals I have worked at.”

This problem is widespread, as many decision makers figure nurses will just be up and down so quickly that they won’t need adjustability. This view couldn’t be more wrong. Hannah explains, “Nurses may have to document or review charts from anywhere from a few minutes to 30 or 45 minutes at a time, multiple times throughout the day.”

While 20 minutes may not seem like a lot of time, over the day it really adds up. Musculoskeletal Disorders, or MSDs, occur from a imbalance or excess of any of the following: repetition, stress, force, abnormal posture, and exposure (time). 

Nursing stations that have chairs that don’t adjust or lack spinal support contribute to back pain. Surfaces that are too high cause forearm, wrist, neck, and shoulder problems. Monitors that are too low, small, or far away cause neck, eye, and jaw strain.                                                            

The answer? Consider simple ergonomic chairs (up/down only with sacral support), height adjustable surfaces, and monitor arms at your nursing stations. With ergonomic tools, your team will be working safely and injury free and therefore more productive and effective. This is better not only for their own minds and bodies, but for their patients too!

Email me to find out how to make your nursing stations ergonomic: Claire_Wilson@hermanmiller.com