Automated and Manual Measurement of the Forces Required to Use Retractable Intramuscular Syringes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the forces required to activate retractable intramuscular safety syringes using healthcare worker researchers vs. a computer-controlled system. The force required to activate three commercially available retractable safety syringes was measured using two methods:(1) a manually-operated digital force gauge (DFG) and (2) a completely automatic computer-controlled universal testing machine (UTM). To simulate the clinical setting, saline was drawn into the barrel of each syringe before testing and ejected either during or before force measurements were recorded. There was a statistically significant difference in activation force between the two researchers and the UTM (p < 0:001) for 2/3 devices tested. There was a wide discrepancy in activation forces between the three brands of devices regardless of the testing method. The results imply that a human element exists in the injection process that cannot be discounted. Future studies should explore the sum of forces involved with an injection, the notion of training HCWs to modify these forces, and the relationship between force and occupationally-acquired hand and wrist injuries. 65 J. Musculoskelet. Res. 2010.13:65-74. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES on 08/10/15. For personal use only.healthcare worker who may give hundreds of injections per day with these syringes should be a priority for those involved in the health field.

Prevalensi dan Faktor Risiko Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pada Perawat

“…Tindakan tersebut merupakan faktor risiko carpal tunnel syndrome. 5 Sebuah studi di Malaysia menjelaskan bahwa lama bekerja (lebih dari 10 tahun) pada perawat di rumah sakit dapat menjadi risiko kejadian carpal tunnel syndrome.…”