PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E H Atkins

Publications and source records attributed to E H Atkins.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Prioritizing back injury risk in hospital employees: application and comparison of different injury rates.

To identify high risk areas for back injury in a large teaching hospital, we calculated standard injury rates and newly developed composite statistics for nursing and non-nursing work groups. Data were extracted from the hospital's workers' compensation database. The hospital-wide total injury rate was 4.6 reports per 100 full-time equivalents (FTE); Compensation Case Rate, 1.4 cases per 100 FTE; Compensation Severity Rate, 76 days lost per 100 FTE; and the Cost Rate, $3742 per 100 FTE. The Total Injury Reports Rate for nursing varied from 14.2 per 100 FTE for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nursing to 3.8 per 100 FTE for Pediatric Nursing. Non-nursing areas also demonstrated increased rates for back injury. Individual statistical rates ranked areas differently in risk, whereas composite statistical measures consistently ranked ICU Nursing, Buildings and Grounds, and Orthopedics/Neurological Nursing as the top three. Patient handling was the precipitating event in the majority of nursing back injuries, indicating the need for ergonomic intervention. The use of combined statistical measures provided a more integrative measure for describing and following back injury risk over time.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1997

Methods of prioritizing and measuring occupational health risks utilizing hospital back injury data. Development of composite comparative statistics.

The employee health service of a Boston hospital wanted a method to prioritize the risk of occupational injury or illness among its employees as the first step in developing a comprehensive ergonomics program. Data from the safety office and workers' compensation third-party administrator (TPA) was combined with hospital payroll data to create rates that compared all work areas based on the common denominator of 100 full-time equivalents (FTE). Rates for four different aspects of injury experience were calculated: incidence of total reported injuries, incidence of serious injuries, level of severity of injuries, and cost. The use of these simple rates alone was inadequate to accurately prioritize risk. Because most work areas ranked differently from one rate scale to the next, it was unclear which, if any, single rate most accurately defined risk. Composite statistics that combined all of the rates were needed. The Composite Risk Indicator (CRI), the Average Relative Risk (ARR), and the Justified Average Relative Risk (JARR) were developed and examined for their utility. The JARR emerged as the best choice in this setting because it captured all available information about injury or illness experience and provided a meaningful single indicator of risk that could be followed over time.

Back Injuries↗
PubMed1985

Exacerbation of coronary artery disease by occupational carbon monoxide exposure: a report to two fatalities and a review of the literature.

The recent deaths of two workers with coronary artery disease (CAD) following exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) at work reinforced our appreciation of the hazard of this exposure to individuals with preexisting heart disease. Carbon monoxide acts to precipitate ischemia by reducing oxygen delivery to the myocardium. Animal and in vitro experiments suggest that CO may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis, particularly if exposure is in association with other risk factors. Thus, persons with known CAD who are exposed to CO at work are at risk for both the acceleration of the course of the underlying disease and for precipitation of acute ischemia or infarction following excessive exposure. Particular attention should be given to control of CO exposures in light of this hazard. For various reasons, preplacement evaluations or other job selection procedures do not adequately address his hazard. In view of the high prevalence of CAD in the U.S. and the high frequency of workplace exposure to CO, particular attention should be given to control of CO exposure through industrial hygiene measures.

Carbon Monoxide↗