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Surgical Safety in Motion [Part 1]

Surgical Safety in Motion [Part 1]

Prioritizing Ergonomics With Your Surgical Table Positioning

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Which is more likely to dictate your most passionate surgical teams’ postures and practices: patient access or ergonomics? Often times, surgical teams sacrifice their own health and safety to provide optimal patient care, which can increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Ensuring that the patient is positioned appropriately may take a significant toll on surgical teams.

Non-ergonomic surgical practices can have lasting effects on healthcare teams — from strike rising back injuries to musculoskeletal issues and beyond. One important way to support good ergonomic practice is utilizing surgical equipment and accessories that have been designed with staff safety in mind.

What Goes Into an Ergonomically Designed Surgical Table and Accessories?

To protect your surgical teams while they protect the patients, ergonomic design is a must. Here are some key features to look for:

Adjustable Table Height

Different procedures require different surgical table heights. Choose a table that helps your team work safely and comfortably with quick and easy height adjustment. Some models will even put surgical table positioning right at your fingertips with easy-to-use remote controls.

Under-Table Access

Ergonomics often start at the bottom. Look for an elevated table base giving your teams under-the-table foot access. This ergonomic design supports better posture by allowing them to stand closer to the patient – and it improves their access, too.

Lightweight Accessories

The right surgical positioning accessories can help prepare your OR for the procedures your community needs — and the new revenue streams that come along with them. When they’re ergonomically designed, they can benefit your surgical teams as well. Lightweight accessories can help them position patients safely without risking strain or injury.

Easy Attachments

And it’s not just accessories’ weight that can cause strain — it’s also the movement involved in attaching and detaching them from the surgical table. Look for attaching components that are easy to use and support ergonomic motions. For example, many Hillrom surgical tables feature a unique hook coupler system that makes the process of attaching and detaching components quick, simple and safe.

Your surgical teams will always put their patients first. But with ergonomic surgical table positioning and accessories, you can protect your team while they protect their patients. We can help. Explore our portfolios of surgical tables and precision positioning table accessories to find the best, most ergonomic fit for your team today.

Author photo of Heather Kooiker

By Heather Kooiker DNP, MSN, RN, CNL, CNOR, CRNFA

Global Director Medical Affairs
Perioperative Professor of Nursing, Davenport University