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Caregivers are looking for meaningful work

Ergotron EMEA discusses how they can support organisations to make caregivers’ work meaningful and promote better wellbeing.

Caregivers always focus on sharing their dedication to their patients. However, this choice is unfortunately not always up to expectations: the lack of staff, the demanding workload, the system’s digitalization lead to less time spent at the patients’ bedsides.

In addition, these constraints have consequences on the wellbeing of the caregivers, because they accentuate the fatigue related to the physical requirements of the job. It is time to take a stand and offer nurses the tools to help them spend more time with patients and reclaim the meaning in their job. Afterall, caring should not be a painful task: there are solutions to facilitate the nurses’ work.

Ergonomics play a major role in creating healthy work environments. Without its implementation in the hospital, workers are left with no choice but to use inadequate devices and opt for working positions causing pain and symptoms that sometimes evolve into musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

In the UK, musculoskeletal conditions affect 1 in 4 of the adult population.

However, preventive measures can be set up using appropriate equipment and raising awareness among hospital staff. For example, back and neck pain can be easily diminished or may even disappear when ergonomic solutions are adopted.

Most of the computer work done today by nurses to create and update Electronic Health Records (EHR) can be easily improved by installing ergonomic workstations in patient rooms and frequently used spaces.

Ergotron, a company specialized in healthcare IT ergonomics, offers sit-stand workstations that not only allow frequent posture changes but are also height-adjustable, and can be customized to the user’s needs. Ergotron also offers height-adjustable solutions for wall-mounted screens and keyboards to further support healthy working for the caregivers when connecting with the patients.

Furthermore, ergonomic workstations have a second advantage to a healthy workstyle: bringing nurses closer to patients.

How? Their compact design and ability to fold back close to the wall frees up space, making their installation possible in patients' rooms. Caregivers can therefore stay at the bedside and complete an EHR while providing additional explanations to the patient.

This way of working brings caregivers and patients closer, cater the needs of a modern hospital and improves productivity throughout the entire organization. Nurses who can work on a computer at the point of care optimize their workflow in the hospital and spend more quality time with patients.

These simple adjustments to the hospital work environment can therefore have a great impact on caregivers’ well-being and patient’s healing process.

For more information, contact the Ergotron EMEA marketing team through email at: [email protected].