OR. He sees OR screens in the same light as all other surgical equip-
ment and offers the following advice to administrators: Buy and set
up the equipment how your surgeons want it. With instruments, some
surgeons prefer pistol grip while others prefer in-line. You can't force
a surgeon to use something he really doesn't want to use. That goes
for your screens, too. "When it comes to your monitors, those flat cor-
porate purchases for each and every OR simply don't work," says Dr.
Uchal.
Neutral position
Regardless of the size of your monitors, mounting or suspending them
"in a neutral position relative to the viewer's eyes" is critical not only
for efficiency and productivity, but also for preventing musculoskele-
tal injuries, according to AORN's "Guideline for Safe Patient
Handling and Movement" (osmag.net/Sz2AhB). A neutral position
means the height will varying according to the height of the OR team
member viewing the monitor.
Misplaced monitors can result in scrubbed perioperative team mem-
bers experiencing static neck flexion, extension and rotation ranging
from physical discomfort — such as fatigue and neck strain — to
musculoskeletal injury, says Mary J. Ogg, MSN, RN, CNOR, a senior
perioperative practice specialist with AORN.
Remember the "Rule of 2," adds Ms. Ogg. Just as a poorly positioned
monitor can increase the chances of injury, so too can using only a
single monitor. For all minimally invasive procedures, there should be
a minimum of 2 monitors. This gives team members on each side of
the OR bed an unobstructed line of vision without twisting or turning
their necks, says Ms. Ogg.
HD or 4K?
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