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Biomedical subjects

B D Owen

Publications and source records attributed to B D Owen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

What are we teaching about lifting and transferring patients?

Lifting patients under the axilla has been found to be physically stressful for nurses and uncomfortable for patients. The goals of this study were to find out: how often educators teach this method and observe it in the clinical field; which assistive devices are used in teaching; and what authors of textbooks teach about the under-axilla method. A questionnaire was sent to 546 baccalaureate (BS) and associate (AD) degree programs; 358 educators responded and 337 responses were analyzed. Eighty-three percent of the educators teach the under-axilla method for in- and out-of-bed transfers; 94% observe it used in the clinical field. For lifting up in bed, 56% teach the under-axilla method; 86% observe it in the clinical field. When assistive devices are included in teaching, the hydraulic lift and gait belt are taught most often; less stressful and more comfortable devices are not taught or observed by most respondents. None of the authors of the 3 most frequently used textbooks describe the use of the under-axilla method; authors of 2 textbooks state patients should not have pressure placed on the axilla area.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Blood lead concentrations in marine mammals validate estimates of 10(2)- to 10(3)-fold increase in human blood lead concentrations.

Measurements of ultra-low ambient blood lead (PbB) concentrations (mean +/- SD = 0.13 +/- 0.06 micrograms/dL) in Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) validate previous estimates of ultra-low PbB levels in preindustrial humans. These estimates had been unsubstantiated, since PbB levels in this range had never been measured in any organisms prior to this study. Similarities in PbB levels among these contemporary and preindustrial mammals are consistent with similarities in their measured and estimated lead exposures, respectively. The marginally higher PbB levels and rates of lead exposure in contemporary marine mammals are, also, consistent with lead isotopic composition analyses that indicate their PbB levels have been elevated from exposure to industrial lead. Consequently, these analyses substantiate concerns that current baseline PbB levels in humans, which are estimated to be two to three orders of magnitude above natural levels, may still constitute public health risks.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

NIOSH research initiatives to prevent back injuries to nursing assistants, aides, and orderlies in nursing homes.

Over the past 100 years, advances in nutrition, modern medicine, public health, and a multitude of public health improvements have increased the life expectancy of U.S. residents. The fact that Americans are living longer has resulted in extensive growth in our elderly population and a rapid employment growth that delivered about 2 million new jobs between 1980 and 1989 in the health care workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Injury and Illness Data for nursing homes rose from 10.7 to 18.6 injuries or illnesses per 100 full-time workers between 1980 and 1992. The injury and illness rates among nursing home workers are partly due to the physical stress of providing round-the-clock assistance with the basic activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of a bed or chair, as well as bathing and toileting. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is conducting a series of research studies to identify strategies to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries to workers in nursing homes. NIOSH has funded two laboratory evaluations of resident transferring methods and one field study in an actual nursing home. The purpose of this paper is to describe the key findings from past NIOSH research initiatives and to present an overview of future research.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Reducing back stress through an ergonomic approach: weighing a patient.

Back problems are prevalent in nursing personnel. Nursing assistants in a nursing home stated weighing dependent patients was a very stressful task; they manually lifted patients up onto a chair scale. The task was redesigned in two ways: the use of a ramp scale and use of a hoist with a digital scale. With the new methods, perceived physical stress to shoulder, back and body was reduced, compressive force to L5S1 and shear force were reduced (wheelchair scale method), and "patient" feelings of comfort and security were increased.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

An ergonomic evaluation of nursing assistants' job in a nursing home.

Thirty-eight nursing assistants (NAs) in a nursing home ranked and rated 16 different patient handling tasks for perceived stresses to the low back. The nursing assistants were observed for 79 4 h shifts and were videotaped for 14 4 h shifts to describe a typical workday and to determine the number of patient-handling tasks performed per shift, the use of assistive devices, and biomechanical stresses to the low back. In addition, data were collected on nursing assistants' and patients' characteristics. The top eight ranked tasks included transferring patient from toilet to wheelchair (WC), WC to toilet, WC to bed, bed to WC, bathtub to WC, chairlift to WC, weighing patients and lifting patients up in bed. The mean ratings of perceived exertion for these tasks were between 'somewhat hard' and 'hard'. The estimated compressive force on L5/S1 disc for the 50th percentile patient weight ranged from 3.7 to 4.9 KN. Nursing assistants worked in teams of two and performed 24 patient transfers per 8 h shift by manually lifting and carrying patients. Assistive devices (a hydraulic lift and gait belt) were used less than 2% of the time. Patient safety and comfort, lack of accessibility, physical stresses associated with the devices, lack of skill, increased transfer time, and lack of staffing were some of the reasons for not using these assistive devices. Environmental barriers (such as confined workplaces, an uneven floor surface, lack of adjustability of beds, stationary railings around the toilet, etc.) made the job more difficult. Nursing assistants had a high prevalence of low-back pain and 51% of nursing assistants visited a health care provider in the last three years for work related low-back pain.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1991

Reducing risk for back pain in nursing personnel.

Transferring the clients from toilet to wheelchair was the task ranked as most stressful by nursing assistants in a nursing home. The compressive force to the L5S1 disc by client weight during the toilet to wheelchair transfer exceeded the action limit permitted as safe by NIOSH. Two of the three mechanical hoists were perceived to be as stressful or more stressful than the moment transfer methods with the walking belt. Of the five manual methods for transferring, the use of the walking belt was determined to be least stressful and most comfortable for nursing subjects and clients.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1984

Personal characteristics and back injury among hospital nursing personnel.

Since back injury is the largest workman's compensation claim in most industries, the relationship between selected personal characteristics and back injury in hospital nursing personnel were studied. The sample included 64 female nursing personnel, half back injured and half not. Demographic: Workers were more likely to be back injured if they were older, worked longer on nursing units requiring frequent lifting, had family members with back problems, and had family members whose back problems began at an early age. Physical: The back injured had less muscle flexibility, less keen proprioception, and greater unequal leg length. Life style: Back injured were more vulnerable to frustration and stress overload (overstimulation), smoked more cigarettes, spent fewer hours exercising, and rated their physical condition lower. The variables with the greatest discriminatory power to predict back injury were a sense of overload, muscle flexibility, proprioception, family history of back problems, difference in leg length, years of risk in nursing practice, and smoking.

Adult↗