Safety tips for nurses

Introduction

Nurses are working in not so pleasant conditions. They have to do a heavy job, lift patients, change their sheets and wash them. Additionally, they have to assist and feed the patients who are not able to feed themselves. Apart from that, nurses are exposed to bodily secretions of patients that may contain numerous infective agents. Exposure to patients' secretions can result in infection. This makes nurses job rather dangerous. Even an accidental prick on the needle can result in some kind of infection.

Safety Tips for Working Safely Possible InfectionsToday needles have safety caps which are removed when the needle is used and then placed back onto the needles making them safe to be thrown away. Apart from that, gloves have to be used all of the time. Gloves are the perfect protection against infection. Even if someone is not wearing gloves all the time, they are obligatory when a nurse is manipulating with bodily excretions of a patient and injection of medicines. Nurses who work overtime are tired and sometimes may neglect the need for proper protection. This may be fatal. Therefore proper rest and good sleep is essential for these people prior to going to work. Back InjuriesFrequent lifting of patients can result in back pain and even some serious conditions such as ishias. The nurses are generally allowed to lift patients who are not heavier than 50 pounds. But majority of patients are way too heavy. Still the nurses continue lifting even the obese patients and they risk possible back injuries. The stress onto the back can be effectively reduced if a nurse pushes a patient instead of pulling him/her. They are supposed to use both arms and each time when something is lifted from the floor level the spine must be straight and the lift must start from squat position. During the lifting the spine must stay straight all the time. This way the strain is reversed from the spine onto the legs. In some cases it is better to call for a help as this way two nurses will be less exposed to the pressure than a single one.Violent PatientsNurses have to pay full attention to each and every patient. Unfortunately, sometimes there is not enough staff and this can irritate certain patients who then yell at nurses and even try to attack them. These patients cannot understand that in case of shortage of personnel the patients in worst condition come first. Patients cannot tolerate this and the actual problem is that they do not understand that a nurse cannot be at two places at the same time. The best way to avoid these situations is if a nurse explains to patients who complain why they have to serve the sicker patients first.Latex AllergyLatex allergy is possible in case that gloves are made of latex. They can cause rash and even anaphylactic shock. It is better if nurses use gloves without powder but if they are not available then after every usage of gloves a nurse should simply wash her hands.