CATEGORY: Ergonomics

Aug 27, 2024

Understanding Ergonomic Injuries in the Sterile Processing Department: A Critical Issue in Healthcare

Unless you’ve worked in a healthcare setting or know someone who’s worked in a sterile processing department (SPD), you don’t have a true understanding of how vital and instrumental this department is to their hospital. The sterile processing department is the number one resource center for patient safety and infection control. Sterile processing is usually a 24-hour, 7-day a week department that enables all the other ancillary departments of the hospital to continuously run safely and efficiently. Sterile processing supplies instrumentation to ancillary units, including all scheduled and emergent surgical cases. SPD is solely responsible for meticulously following all processes and procedures outlined in every instrument manufacturer IFU’s (instructions for use). Doing this ensures proper high-level disinfection, decontamination, sorting, counting, inspection, and sterilization of every individual surgical instrument used in the operating room.   The sterile processing department faces many challenges in their everyday responsibilities that can put them at risk for an ergonomic injury. In fact, most technicians will spend over 75% of their working hours either standing at tables to assemble and wrap surgical trays or hunched over at decontamination sinks, most of which are not ergonomically designed. Staff are normally standing, bending, picking up heavy trays, pushing, pulling, and performing other repetitive movements that may put each individual worker at an elevated risk for ergonomic injuries. Ergonomic Risks and Challenges Healthcare workers are at risk for multiple types of ergonomic injuries due to the daily work challenges. The sterile processing department is no exception.   SPD technicians’ awkward postures during instrument handling and cleaning, along with the repetitive motions during sorting, inspecting, and packaging can lead to various ergonomic injuries. The lifting and carrying of heavy instrument trays and containers also leave room for more injuries. The impact of having to fulfill these responsibilities and not having the ergonomic equipment or support from your leadership can cause avoidable injuries to take place.   If one or more of your workers are out on leave or seeking workers’ compensation due to an ergonomic injury, this can be very costly to the department.  This not only affects the individual who suffered an injury, but the entire department. When an SPD technician is injured on the job and requires time off, this can put a higher demand on other workers to produce more with less staff, and thus put them at a higher risk for injury themselves.   In my personal experience, I’ve seen the effects on departmental productivity due to ergonomic injuries. With one to two technicians out in a department of 20-30 FTEs for a month at a time can cause a decrease in surgical tray turnaround by at least 10-20%. Leadership may also have to hire contract staff to fill these productivity gaps.   The morale of your department and the struggle to produce will also affect your ability to meet the demands and needs of the operating room. The need to improve musculoskeletal health over time is a crucial cost savings initiative for you and your department.   Common Ergonomic Injuries The most common injuries seen in sterile processing departments are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as back pain, shoulder strains, and carpal tunnel syndrome.  Soft tissue injuries are another highly reported injury due to repetitive movements and poor ergonomic practices. This is common with lifting heavy trays, syringe flushing, and constant back bending at non-adjustable sinks or tables.   Contributing Factors There are a multitude of factors within sterile processing environments that contribute to ergonomic injuries. One example is inadequate workstation design and layout. Insufficient training and education on proper lifting techniques and ergonomic principles is another factor. High workload and time pressures leading to rushed tasks with minimal staffing equally contribute to injuries and non-compliance concerns.   Strategies for Prevention Initiative is key to resolving ergonomic concerns. There are a couple strategies to get started: Implementing ergonomic assessments and regular evaluations is one strategy for identifying these issues. Providing ergonomic training and education for staff members. Investing in ergonomic equipment and tools to reduce strain and improve efficiency. Height adjustable sinks and workstations improve ergonomics where 75% of repetitive-motion injuries occur.   Moving Towards Sustainable Solutions Healthcare institutions should prioritize ergonomic safety in sterile processing departments for the future of its staff. The importance of collaboration between healthcare providers, administrators, and ergonomic specialists must be at the forefront of our designs and future investment planning.   SPD leaders must keep ergonomic safety at the center for capital purchases involving equipment and department layout to ensure a healthy and safe workplace. Sterile processing employees dedicate so much of their life to this vital role within healthcare, and as leaders within the industry, we must put emphasis on continuous improvement and adaptation of practices to prevent future injuries and promote a healthier workplace. Looking for ways to immediately improve ergonomics in your department? Contact us today to get a free Ergonomics assessment of your space! 

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