Nursing: A Pain in the Back
Posted by York RN on January 13, 2010
Nurses suffer from back pain more than any other profession. That list includes construction workers.
The two main risks for back injury are the usual suspects; lifting and transferring patients.
When one considers that most patients weigh over 100lbs, and then considers that nurses move and reposition patients by pushing, pulling, turning and lifting multiple times over a 12-hour shift, it comes as no surprise that back injuries are so common.
As for interventions, a 2007 systematic review found that there was “a lack of high quality studies and infrequent trial replication resulted in no strong evidence for or against any intervention method. Whilst no definitive statements can be made, moderate evidence from multiple trials suggests that multidimensional strategies are effective.”
Most likely the hospital you work for has a policy for lifting and transferring patients that may be worth taking a look at.
A few of the interventions that the study points to, include exercise strategies and ongoing education on proper lift and transfer techniques.
However, from my experience so far, nurses I’ve worked with know how to protect their backs but often fall into bad habits.
For example, we had repositioned a patient a little too far to the head of the bed then all grimaced when an experienced nurse suddenly stepped to the bottom of the stretcher and proceeded to drag the patient back, using the bed sheet, on their own.
I am no different. I have often found myself taking on a poor transfer or lift simply by not thinking about it first.
Some of the nurses I work with who have been working for multiple years already have severe back pain. I know one nurses, under 30, who will no longer be able to work for much longer in our area. Another has lost sensation in her parts of her legs and feet due to a recent back injury.
After waking up from a number of shifts now already with a stiff back, I have adopted to take on an exercise routine that includes strengthening my core muscles. I hope it helps.
I also plan not to fall into bad transfer /lift habits as it doesn’t take much to injure one’s back.
