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Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants in hospitals and other treatment facilities are relied on to lend a helping hand daily. Concern for the safety and well-being of patients is their top priority, but this often comes at the expense of their own health. Keeping staffs healthy is critical to a hospital’s efficiency and the level of care they can provide.
The Toll of Helping Out
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 1995-2004, the aforementioned occupations reported the third-highest number of injuries and illnesses. The Bureau reported that 53% of these cases were due to overexertion on the job, and 65% of these overexertion cases were attributed to patient lifting.
Back, neck and shoulder strain are common maladies experienced during the day-to-day duties of nurses and orderlies, and typically, these caregivers work non-stop with very few breaks to recover. A solution to this bodily stress is a soft rollboard. These are proven strain-relievers, especially compared to air-assisted devices. In fact, rollboards can produce as much as 15% less force than air-assisted applications.
Creating a Better Work Environment
Recently, a study was performed to better understand the dynamic biomechanical demands of a caregiver while laterally transferring a patient. To apprehend the strains on the caregivers’ lower backs and shoulders, operators performed tests using six lateral transfer assistance tools, measuring the peak force on the different areas at the 50th and 95th percentile of anthropomorphic test dummy weight to simulate average and heavier patient weights.
When compared to the other five lateral transfer solutions—incontinent pad/draw sheets, incontinent pad over slide boards, friction reducing sheets, slide boards and air-assisted devices—the rollboard was ranked the second-best tool for the lower back and the best solution for shoulders with a peak force of 154.10 Newtons.
The Right Rollboard Solution
AliMed soft rollboards employ conveyor-belt mechanics to allow for smooth patient transfers. Because no lifting is required, strain on the caregiver’s lower back and shoulders is significantly reduced. Featuring a soft core to provide comfort for patients during the transport process, both short and long board options are available, with wide options available in both lengths. All AliMed soft rollboards include handles for even easier transport, and Gold rollboards come equipped with Ultra-Fresh ionic-silver antimicrobial protection on fabric covers to prevent odors and stains.
Keeping Hospital Staffs Safe
For nearly 50 years, AliMed has been pioneering solutions that “help people help people”. As an industry leader in medical, healthcare and ergonomic products, AliMed understands that the safety and health of caregivers are paramount to the treatment of patients. As such, they are committed to developing innovative and unique healthcare products designed to help caregivers reduce the pains and aches related to their daily tasks while improving patient outcomes.
To learn more about AliMed’s soft rollboards, click here.
