What are the causative factors of MSD? Identify at least three different healthcare professionals and discuss how these factors affect each profession?
Factors that cause MSD are inert and uncomfortable positions, repetitive movements, poor physical postures during work, and unhealthy occupational practices. The professionals that are exposed to this illness are dentists and dental hygiene practitioners. The dental professionals experience pain, numbness, and swelling in the areas of the backbone, wrists, and neck support system.
List the different dental health workers. What kind of work does each dental health worker perform? How do musculoskeletal disorders affect each dental health worker?
The specialties of dental health professionals include orthodontics, periodontics, special needs dentistry, geriatric dentistry, endodontics, pediatric dentistry. The workers of each of these professions are undergoing the same factors that serve as causes of MSD. They all are exposed to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which affects the wrists, pains in fingers and elbows, lower back problems, compressed nerves in the shoulders, and bursitis. Besides, these specialists often experience cervical spondylosis and myofascial pain disorder.
Define the term occupational health? What are some of the occupational health problems in dentistry?
Occupational health is responsible for the health factors that have the capacity to prevent individuals from performing their professional specialties. Dental health workers are at risk of receiving infections such as viral hepatitis and HIV, disorders such as MSD or psychological issues, and eye insults. Other hazards a dentist may be exposed to are noise and radiation.
Analyze the prevalence and incidence rates of musculoskeletal disorders among dentists, dental hygienists, and dental students. Discuss trends in MSDs and identify reasons for the rising or declining rates among each group.
Prevalence rates of MSD symptoms reported by the dental health workers are very high. Currently, more than eighty-seven percent of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental students complain to have at least one symptom of MSD every year. The rising and declining of the symptoms are caused by the attitude towards the illness and symptoms from the side of the patients. Dental students tend to have more severe symptoms and risks than older specialists.
What are the risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders? What are the symptoms of MSD? Apart from constant pain and discomfort, what other effects do musculoskeletal disorders have on healthcare professionals?
Risk factors normally appear in cases when dental workers are exposed to hazardous situations. For example, the dentists that work long hours, make repetitive motions, and use various vibrating instruments are undergoing a large risk. The dentists that work with unsupported forearms and put a lot of pressure on their lower back and spine are more likely to develop a disorder. Apart from pain and discomfort, MSD is able to affect the quality of work of the professional.
Identify existing strategies for preventing musculoskeletal disorders. How effective are these strategies in eliminating musculoskeletal problems? Are there negative effects associated with some of these strategies? If so, explain.
There are several prevention strategies designed to minimize the risk of MSD. In order to avoid having neck and shoulder problems, dentists need to be aware of the alignment of their spine. The professional’s seat must be made of a rigid cast frame and should not be affected by use and time. The equipment of the dental worker plays a big role in the prevention of health problems. The negative side of these strategies is their price.
What is the economic burden associated with musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare? Identify and discuss musculoskeletal disorder treatment and management options.
Many of the dental health specialists are unable to afford special equipment and tools that help to avoid or postpone the occurrence of the symptoms of MSD. Such instruments are very expensive, and purchasing them may create an economic burden for the workers. The options that are the most available are exercises, correct postures, massages.
Discuss the benefits and dangers associated with ergonomics. How can the dangers be prevented?
Ergonomics is responsible for creating a comfortable workplace for individuals with different needs and involved in various occupations. Ergonomics is able to reduce the risk factors of many professionals significantly. The bad quality or errors in ergonomics are able to increase the risk of work injuries and damage to occupational health. These dangers can be prevented through the proper quality control of the ergonomics at the workplace.
What agencies are concerned with worker health and safety involving musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare? Identify each agency and discuss how their roles complement (or duplicate) the roles of other agencies.
The agencies that are responsible for health and safety at the workplace are the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FSA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and Office of Workers’ Compensation Program. MSHA is specialized in mine workers and issues related to my industry employees. FSA deals with young workers, the ones that are under the age of eighteen years. OSHA is responsible for nearly all the country’s employees’ health and safety
What workplace practices and training programs are available for healthcare professionals that contribute to the prevention of workplace musculoskeletal disorders? What, if any, measures have your organization put in place? Discuss the effectiveness of each measure.
There are multiple programs that are designed to train health care workers and supervise their work process in order to eliminate potential dangers and risk factors that may influence the occurrence of health issues in the future. The programs provide health care workers with safety education and training in order to avoid hazards.
Discuss why musculoskeletal disorders are an occupational health issue. Should the local, state, or national government intervene by adopting regulations to prevent or minimize musculoskeletal disorders within the workplace? Support your answers.
MSD is caused by high and constant pressure on some of the parts of the human body, which may only occur if the person’s everyday occupation requires awkward postures and repetitive motions. This is why MSD is considered an occupational health issue. The symptoms of MSD occur among the professionals of any sphere and severely affect human health and the quality of the work of the employees suffering from this disorder. The state or national government has to perform measures and employ policies and programs directed to reduce the hazards of MSD.
What kinds of actions should be put in place to raise awareness of the dangers of musculoskeletal disorders among health professionals? Do you believe the actions are efficient and cost-effective?
The actions that raise awareness of MSD risks are educational programs and demonstrations of the techniques and prevention strategies that can be applied at the workplace. Besides, the quality of ergonomics at the workplaces can be monitored by the state representatives. These measures are worth the costs because they will prevent the organizations from losing their professionals because of health issues.
Recommend and defend two new prevention and two new treatment strategies addressing musculoskeletal disorders among health care professionals.
The strategy of hiring assistants for health care professionals helps avoid unnecessary motions and reduce the physical pressure on the professional’s body. The second strategy is working with better seats and using tools with adjustable surfaces. This helps increase the range of angles and make the devices more useful.
Identify at least three different types of occupations, besides healthcare professionals, that may experience musculoskeletal disorders as a result of their work. What kind of work do they perform? How do musculoskeletal disorders affect these workers?
Representatives of many different occupations are exposed to MSD. Some of such occupations are construction work, mining, and the beauty sphere. The employees of mines undergo a lot of pressure and stress every day; they have to stand in awkward positions, use drilling tools, and lift heavy objects. Construction workers make repetitive motions, overload their backs, thighs, knees, and shoulders. Beauty sphere employees such as masseurs overload their hands, wrists, and fingers; stand in awkward positions with high pressure on their spine and lower back.
Medications are commonly prescribed for the relief of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. What types of medications are most often prescribed, and what are their uses? Are these drugs beneficial? Are there adverse effects or dangers associated with the use of these drugs? Defend your position.
Medications used to numb the MSD pains are anesthetics and anti-inflammatory injections, acetaminophen, and opioids. Injections are most often prescribed for severe pains. Dangers associated with the use of these drugs are addictions.
What is the prevalence and incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in the United States? Compare and contrast the prevalence and incidence of musculoskeletal disorders of the United States with three other countries. What do you think accounts for the differences or similarities between these countries?
In the USA every second adult suffers from MSD symptoms. The prevalence rate is similar in Denmark, Israel and Australia. These similarities are caused by the major types of workers and developed industries in these countries.
Describe at least two educational programs or campaigns that have been developed to address musculoskeletal health. Give an overview of the program/ campaign and its goals. Who is the target of the program/ campaign? What are the best methods to implement an education campaign about the impact of musculoskeletal conditions? What are the barriers and measures of success?
In 2002 president Bush started the National Bone and Joint program targeting MSD patients and designed to solve this public health issue through research and education. NIOSH Cross-Sector Program for MSDs targets manufacture workers, health care service employees, construction workers. The program’s goal is to reduce work-related MSDs. The success of these programs will be measured statistically by means of data collection and analysis.