The epidural positioning device is used in Labor and Delivery Unit to improve the positioning of patients during epidurals and in the surgical area for spinal blocks. Its main function is to provide support for the patient during the procedure and to minimize risk of injury to the caregiver. Epidural pain relief provides comfort for patients by reducing back pain by positioning them properly. It also helps in increasing the speed and accuracy of epidural injections. The device can be used in sitting, reclining, standing, or lying down.
Risks of Epidurals and Spinal Block Procedure to Patients
The surgery department is using the EPD to position patients for Spinal Blocks. Surgeons are now opting to use Spinal Blocks for their patients and many common surgical procedures due to the fast recovery time. Perioperative staff are now busier than every administering them. In addition to the manual patient handling required by surgical staff to position patients without them moving suddenly, Spinal Block procedures involve many risks to patients. These risks are often caused by wrong positioning during the procedure. Patients can be positioned in any way. However, if they are not placed correctly, there is a risk of injuring some parts of the body, like nerve endings and blood vessels that transport oxygen to different parts of the body.
The risks include:
a) Nerve damage
Injury to nerve endings is the most common problem during epidural injections procedures. The damage can cause numbness and pain in patients’ legs, arms, or spine.
b) Blood vessel damage
Direct injury to blood vessels that provide oxygen to different body parts occurs by wrong positioning during the procedure. The damage can cause problems with blood flow and lead to severe medical conditions.
c) Back pain and discomfort
Inaccuracy of injections can cause back ligaments, tendons, or muscle tissues. This may lead to severe pain in these parts. There is a risk of injuries if patients lie down while they get epidurals instead of sitting upright position where weight distribution favors the accuracy of epidural needle placement.
d) Procedure time increase
Incorrect patient positioning during the procedure causes slow speed and accuracy in injecting medicine into the body or blocking the spinal cord. It increases the actual procedures time, which hospitals have to pay more money for longer treatments, which is mostly not affordable.
Benefits of Proper Positioning During Epidurals
The use of epidural positioning device in the surgery department helps position patients precisely so that the risks associated with incorrect positioning and stability are minimized.
The benefits of using this device are:
a)Increased accuracy of injections
EPD helps properly place an epidural needle into the spinal cord, which results in more accurate injections. This means a faster procedure with less pain and discomfort for patients.
b) Reduced back pain
The device helps in reducing back pain and discomfort by comfortably positioning patients. It makes the procedure less painful for them, and they can relax during the treatment.
c) Reduced risk of nerve and blood vessel damage
When patients are positioned correctly with the epidural chair, there is a reduced risk of injuring nerve endings or blood vessels. This decreases the chances of injury that might cause numbness, pain, or lesions.
d) Reduced procedure time
The device helps reduce the duration of epidural injection procedures by increasing the accuracy of injections. It reduces costs for patients as the hospital will not charge them more money for more extended treatment. Also, it is beneficial from hospitals’ point because they don’t have to pay more money for more lengthy procedures.
e) Improved patient comfort and satisfaction
The use of epidural positioning device during epidurals provides the maximum possible comfort level for patients during the procedure. The epidural pain relief device improves patients’ overall experience with this treatment to be satisfied with it. Also, increased injections accuracy helps them reduce back pain and discomfort, which makes them feel better during the treatment.
Risks to Nurses
Nurses are also at risk during both the epidural and the spinal block procedures if the patient is not positioned correctly and supported well to avoid movement.
Some of the risks to nurse are:
- Back pain and discomfort
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Strains and Sprains
- Severe musculoskeletal injuries that affect their ability to work in the future
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition where the nerves around the wrist get compressed and results in pain, numbness, and tingling sensation in the fingers.
Nurses Leaders are recommending that their nurses should use the EPD to minimize these risks and provide better patient care. The device helps in the safe and accurate positioning of patients, which reduces the chances of any injury or discomfort. It makes their job easier, and they can provide better care to patients with less risk.
The epidural chair helps in improving safety and comfort for patients getting an epidural injection in the surgery department. It helps reduce back pain and discomfort by positioning patients correctly, improving procedure time by increasing the accuracy of injections, and overall patient satisfaction.
The EPD should be appropriately used to avoid risks related to incorrect patient positioning. Nurses in the labor and delivery unit can also use this device to position themselves correctly while working so that they are less likely to get injured during the procedure.