title: Preventing Workplace Injuries Among Perinatal Nurses.
abstract: Many aspects of perinatal nursing put nurses at risk for injuries, including frequent repetitive bending, lifting of clients, and exposure to potentially large amounts of body fluids such as blood and amniotic fluid. Violence is also a potential risk with stressful family situations that may arise around childbirth. Workplace injuries put a health care facility at risk for staff turnover, decreases in the number of skilled nurses, client dissatisfaction, workers' compensation payouts, and employee lawsuits. Through the use of safety equipment, improved safety and violence training programs, "no manual lift" policies, reinforcement of personal protective equipment usage, and diligent staff training to improve awareness, these risks can be minimized.
authors.affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA. Electronic address: lbh2231@louisiana.edu.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harolds
authors.affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hurst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: perinatal nursing; safety; violence; workplace injuries