Engineering Prone Patient Positioning for Spine Surgery to Reduce Risk of Clinician Injury

Author(s):  
Bethany R. Lowndes ◽  
Sarah Kraft ◽  
Gladys B. Asiedu ◽  
Sandra Woolley ◽  
Lynn Loynes ◽  
...  

Operating room throughput variability with spinal procedures revealed task inefficiency and potential safety concerns. Using the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), a transdisciplinary team conducted a quality improvement (QI) research project to identify and address safety concerns with prone patient positioning. The main problem with patient positioning was undefined standard practice. Clinicians reported prone patient positioning for spinal surgery patients is physically demanding. Thus, the team conducted a rapid upper limb assessment for injury risk during patient positioning and identified a greater risk of clinician injury in the manual transfer process. The QI research team recommended the mechanical process of rotating patients with the Jackson Table to improve workload for the Surgical Team and developed training and design enhancements to support this workflow. The DMAIC quality framework enabled clinician collaboration with researchers to develop interventions to support a standardized process during prone patient positioning with the Jackson Table.

Author(s):  
Sean Peckover ◽  
Aldo Raineri ◽  
Aaron T Scanlan

This study aimed to examine the views of runners regarding their experiences with congestion during running events, including its prevalence, its impact on their safety and satisfaction, and their preferred controls to mitigate congestion. Runners (n = 222) with varied experience participating in running events (1-5+ years, 5-km races to Ultramarathons, and a mixture of road, trail, and cross-country events) completed an electronic survey. The survey was developed to assess the characteristics of respondents, whether they have experienced congestion during running events, the impact of congestion they have experienced during running events on their safety and satisfaction, and their preferred controls for congestion during running events. Survey data indicated runners had experienced some form of congestion prior to the race in the start corrals (93% of respondents), as the race started (97% of respondents), and during the race while running (88% of respondents). In turn, 73% of respondents indicated their experiences with congestion somewhat to extremely (i.e., rating of at least 3 on a 5-point Likert scale) negatively impacted their satisfaction with an event, while 43% of respondents indicated congestion somewhat to extremely negatively impacted their safety during an event. Regarding the impact of congestion on runner safety, 38% of respondents indicated they had slipped, while 27% of respondents indicated they had fallen during running events due to congestion. Further, congestion was attributed to injuries sustained (9%) and not finishing a race due to sustaining an injury (5%) during running events in some respondents. Respondents identified seeding runners based on previous run times (91%), use of wave starts (91%), and designing courses with limited pinch points, U-turns, and narrow paths (89%) as their most preferred controls to mitigate congestion during running events. Respondents resoundingly indicated self-seeding is not an effective method of managing congestion during running events. This study provides novel evidence that congestion is an issue for runners during running events, subsequently diminishing their satisfaction with events and posing safety concerns. In this way, race directors should involve runners in their decision-making processes when implementing appropriate controls to combat congestion for minimising injury risk to runners and ensuring a viable participant base remains attracted to their events in the future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 417-426
Author(s):  
Bao-Zhong DUAN ◽  
Hai-Lan FANG ◽  
Xi-Wen LI ◽  
Lin-Fang HUANG ◽  
WANG Ping ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Bokyung Kye ◽  
Nara Han ◽  
Eunji Kim ◽  
Yeonjeong Park ◽  
Soyoung Jo

This review aims to define the 4 types of the metaverse and to explain the potential and limitations of its educational applications. The metaverse roadmap categorizes the metaverse into 4 types: augmented reality, lifelogging, mirror world, and virtual reality. An example of the application of augmented reality in medical education would be an augmented reality T-shirt that allows students to examine the inside of the human body as an anatomy lab. Furthermore, a research team in a hospital in Seoul developed a spinal surgery platform that applied augmented reality technology. The potential of the metaverse as a new educational environment is suggested to be as follows: a space for new social communication; a higher degree of freedom to create and share; and the provision of new experiences and high immersion through virtualization. Some of its limitations may be weaker social connections and the possibility of privacy impingement; the commission of various crimes due to the virtual space and anonymity of the metaverse; and maladaptation to the real world for students whose identity has not been established. The metaverse is predicted to change our daily life and economy beyond the realm of games and entertainment. The metaverse has infinite potential as a new social communication space. The following future tasks are suggested for the educational use of the metaverse: first, teachers should carefully analyze how students understand the metaverse; second, teachers should design classes for students to solve problems or perform projects cooperatively and creatively; third, educational metaverse platforms should be developed that prevent misuse of student data.


2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 552-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan S. Uribe ◽  
Jaya Kolla ◽  
Hesham Omar ◽  
Elias Dakwar ◽  
Naomi Abel ◽  
...  

Object In the present study, the authors identified the etiology, precipitating factors, and outcomes of perioperative brachial plexus injuries following spine surgery. Methods We reviewed all the available literature regarding postoperative/perioperative brachial plexus injuries, with special concern for the patient's position during surgery, duration of surgery, the procedure performed, neurological outcome, and prognosis. We also reviewed the utility of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring for prevention of these complications. Results Patient malpositioning during surgery is the main determining factor for the development of postoperative brachial plexus injury. Recovery occurs in the majority of cases but may require weeks to months of therapy after initial presentation. Conclusion Brachial plexus injuries are an increasingly recognized complication following spinal surgery. Proper attention to patient positioning with the use of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring techniques could minimize injury.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 046103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suad Alateeq ◽  
Dmitry Ovchinnikov ◽  
Timothy Tracey ◽  
Deanne Whitworth ◽  
Abdullah Al-Rubaish ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashleigh E Butler ◽  
Beverley Copnell ◽  
Helen Hall

Conducting qualitative research, especially in areas considered ‘sensitive’, presents many challenges. The processes involved in such research often expose both participants and the research team to a vast array of risks, which may cause damage to their personal, professional, social and cultural worlds. Historically, these risks have been considered independent of each other, with most studies exploring only the risks to participants or only risks to researchers. Additionally, most researchers only consider risks during data collection, frequently overlooking risks that might be present during other phases of the research project. We aim, therefore, to bring together this fractured literature to enable an integrated exploration of the current academic discourse relating to risks to participants with the literature exploring risks to researchers across all phases of the research process. This article draws on personal experiences to highlight ethical issues and risks encountered by both participants and researchers throughout all phases of a research project. Beginning in recruitment, we discuss the risk of secondary distress in participants arising from researcher contact and then explore the concept of informed consent during grief and bereavement research. We then focus on risks present during data collection, examining risks for participants, such as emotional distress, and potential safety risks for the research team. Finally, we consider the risks which arise in data analysis, including both confidentiality and the possibility of researcher burnout. Previous recommendations are summarised, with new management strategies suggested based on lessons learned along the way.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Ed Daly ◽  
Adam White ◽  
Alexander D. Blackett ◽  
Lisa Ryan

This study interviewed retired professional rugby union players (≤10 years since retirement) to discuss their careers in the game of rugby union. The primary aim of the study was to document their understanding of concussion knowledge and the analogies they use to describe concussion. In addition, these interviews were used to determine any explicit and implicit pressures of playing professional rugby as described by ex-professional rugby players. Overall, 23 retired professional rugby players were interviewed. The participants had played the game of rugby union (n = 23) at elite professional standard. A semi-structured individual interview design was conducted with participants between June to August 2020. The research team reviewed the transcripts to identify the major themes from the interviews using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Four major themes were identified: (1) medical and theoretical understanding of concussion, (2) descriptions of concussion and disassociated language, (3) personal concussion experience, and (4) peer influences on concussion within the sport. These were further divided into categories and subcategories. The interviews highlighted that players did not fully understand the ramifications of concussive injury and other injury risk, as it became normalised as part of their sport. This normalisation was supported by trivialising the seriousness of concussions and using dismissive language amongst themselves as players, or with coaching staff. As many of these ex-professional players are currently coaching rugby (48%), these interviews could assist coaches in treating concussion as a significant injury and not downplaying the seriousness of concussion in contact sports.


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