Injury/Illness In The EMS Workplace

One problem which may arise from incorrect lifting techniques is the development of pressure ulcers. Effective moving and handling has a great role to play in the prevention of pressure ulcers and this is why training is so important (Hall, 2001). Inappropriate moving and handling techniques may result in skin damage. Pressure ulcers can be caused by pressure, friction and shear (NICE, 2003). For example, if a patient is dragged rather than lifted when using a slide sheet, this could cause friction and could potentially lead to skin damage. Consequently this could result in the Patient having to stay in hospital longer which could impact on a Patients psychological state.

Major injuries including fractures, dislocations, loss of sight, poisoning, unconsciousness and any injury resulting in someone needing resuscitation, any incidents leading to someone having to take a leave of absence from work for more than three days, Reportable injuries such as hepatitis, HIV, meningitis and tuberculosis. Or any potential dangerous occurrences that may not have lead to injury or disease such as fires, needle-stick injury and collapse of lifting equipment. Reporting all these incidents allows the council or HSE to investigate why and how they occurred and ways in which to prevent them happening again in the future.

Paramedics are emergency medical technicians more commonly known as EMT’s. EMT’s provide emergency treatment for the ill or injured on a scene and during en route to a medical facility. EMT’s are called upon at all hours of the day or night; typically the first medical specialist that a patient will call upon in an emergency. Paramedics are trained to provide lifesaving pre-hospital care in emergency situations. The range of medical services varies according to the level of training and/or certification.

1. Describe different types of accidents and sudden illness that may occur in own work setting.

If you are injured on the job, you may be eligible for workers' compensation. For a long term injury, you may be eligible for disability, but in either case, it usually ends with this type of payment. However, there are certain situations when you may be able to file a lawsuit because of your injury. The following are four of these possible situations.

By definition the term progressive mobility means a “series of planned movements in a sequential manner beginning at a patient’s current mobility status with a goal of returning to his/her baseline” (Vollman, 2010). Much simpler explained it means for us nurses to get our patients moving. Challenging nurses to use the patient’s current musculoskeletal abilities and help them progress towards their old or new individual baseline has many benefits other than the building of physical strength. This brief summary will explore the purpose, benefits, costs and target population involved in a progressive mobility project in the Intensive Care Unit including the basis upon which the program will be evaluated. Progressive Mobility benefits the

Management in healthcare institutions obtains presentations that pertain to workers’ injuries and illness costs. The figures acquire adequate support from the management provided that the data cites credible and the right references. However, researchers lack adequate hard data and research backing to defend direct and indirect cost ratios that they frequently utilize in relation to the safety-related literature.

This application paper provides a summary of Professional Liability for a Paramedic and EMS personnel in general. We forget (omissions) to perform a needed task or skill and we make mistakes or professional errors for whatever reason when performing our duty in the name of doing no harm. The incident (the liable act) may be minor and reversible; on the other hand it might just be hell’s payday with lawsuits and court dates. A professional liability can cause severe injury to a patient, both patient and care provider and might also include a civilian or two in the mix. Professional Liability can lead to

In conclusion, as a transporter for 20 years, I transported patients up and down hills on a stretcher and beds the patient's weight varied to 150 to 600 pounds. I'm not able to hold objects in my right hand at all even if I had carpal tunnel surgery my medical conditions have not improved at all.

Accidents: slips, trips, falls, burns, chocking, misuse of equipment etc.; illnesses: food-borne, flue, influenza, colds, asthma, seizures, convulsions, fainting, cardiac arrest, allergic reactions etc.

Prior to the 1970’s, ambulances were staffed as basic life support (BLS) type units. They would transfer people on a basic level of transport performing “non invasive” interventions. The people who staffed this units were not called EMT’s at this time however were called Ambulance Attendants. They were severed with little medical training and only performed routine interventions. In 1966 there was an article called “The Accidental Death and Disability Report” also called “White Paper”. In this report The National Academy of Sciences Did studies on trauma and shock. This project was a federally funded report of their research which came to the conclusion that both the public and government were "insensitive to the magnitude

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIP). Web-based injury statistics query and reporting system (WISQARS) [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars

Nurses report approximately 40,000 back-related injuries each year (O’Malley et al., 2007). Nurses proudly work on the front lines of health care. Service and sacrifice mark the occupation. However, the labor-intensive requirements of the job can compromise their own health, placing nurses at a 76% risk of injury (Charney, Simmons, Lary, & Metz, 2006). Aside from exposure to communicative pathogens, the more subtle danger to nurses is in the basic nursing task of manually handling patients. Schools and hospitals can teach proper lifting techniques, but the reality is that the pressure on nurses to act quickly and decisively can force them to revert to awkward postures and positions (Resnick & Sanchez, 2009). The increasingly heavier patient demographic and aging nurse population compounds these issues (Resnick & Sanchez, 2009; Wardell, 2007). In a 2001 survey, the American Journal of Nursing reported that 38% of nurses suffered from back pain severe enough to miss days of work, and up to 12% actually leave the profession for the primary reason of back pain (de Castro, 2004; Wardell, 2007). Back injuries are a product of professional nursing practice through the years. Discovering ways to reduce the frequency and severity of back injuries in nurses will be crucial moving forward.

I agree that back injuries continue to be a topic of concern in health care. It is estimated that over 9,000 injuries occur daily to healthcare providers (Brown, 2003). Hospital have made attempts to reduce the number of back and other injuries with the introduction of lift equipment, but this has caused little improvement in injuries. I work on a psychiatric unit and there are no over the bed lift systems or even portable Hoyer lifts on the unit. This causes staff to use physical power and strength to move patients. Injuries in healthcare are 4 times higher than any other field (Medical New Today, 2013). Annual training of lift equipment and proper body mechanics needs to be done to ensure that healthcare staff are up to date and knowledgeable

Although there are patients who got their injuries from tragic incidents, emergency physicians often have to handle more "difficult" patients. 99% of the time, patients and their families are under strain from their severe injuries; and so will treat the emergency physician inappropriately, especially when the two have never met before. Many patients tend to be intoxicated or have serious issues mentally. The