In ancient Greece, the asclepion was a healing temple dedicated to Asclepius, the God of Medicine. Asclepius learned the art of surgery from the centaur Chiron and had the ability to raise the dead. The Rod of Asclepius is a roughhewn branch entwined with a single serpent.
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Ergonomics in the Operating Room
I find it a little ironic that in the operating room, we pay painstaking attention to positioning the patient to prevent nerve injuries yet I think I am developing a minor nerve palsy from poor ergonomic attention to myself. While a patient is anesthetized, they cannot protect their pressure points, so we pad their elbows, make sure the shoulder is not overly abducted, protect the radial and ulnar nerves. Yet I constantly find myself typing into the electronic record at an awkward angle, bending down to difficult-to-access drawers, and lifting heavy equipment. Now that I'm starting to get right shoulder pain and some carpal tunnel syndromes, I wish I was better aware of my occupational health hazards. We cannot care for patients if we do not care for ourselves.
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