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Strategies for Health Promotion in the Operating Room

Operating room staff face many challenges and stressors in their daily activities, and it is important to provide them with opportunities to manage their own personal health and fitness. Operating room staff who perform critical medical procedures often neglect their own health and welfare. Strategies that promote healthy lifestyles and improve mental and physical well-being are an important benefit for medical professionals.

  1. Fitness Programs

    • Fitness programs offer health advantages for operating room personnel and provide multiple benefits that include improved physical health, better mental health and increased employee morale. An effective strategy is to establish special areas for exercise such as gymnasiums or exercise facilities. Hospitals must make the facilities and programs easily accessible so operating room staff are more engaged and willing to participate.

    Supportive Environment

    • Create a supportive environment for healthy lifestyles and communicate support to operating room staff in multiple ways. Operating room leaders promote a healthy environment by participating in fitness programs, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, demonstrating a positive work/family balance and encouraging staff interaction. The operating room leaders and environment must support healthy lifestyles and provide opportunities for staff to communicate, de-stress and participate in easily accessible, healthy activities.

    Audio Cues

    • A stress-management and relaxation strategy that promotes better physical and mental health for operating room staff includes the use of audio cues for relaxation and improved focus. Doctors, nurses and surgical assistants benefit from listening to background music before, during and after medical procedures. Music must be carefully selected to ensure it is therapeutic and calming, and it should only be played at low volumes in the background.

    Training

    • Health promotion strategies should include seminars and educational programs that focus on improved nutrition, stress management, heart health and preventive care. Strategies that train operating room professionals to take better care of themselves and provide them with effective techniques to positively manage stress offer numerous health-related benefits. Operating room staff can learn to develop healthy coping skills that help them maintain better health and make better lifestyle choices.

    Professional Alliances

    • Operating room staff should develop alliances and communications with similar health-care professionals, associations and professional organizations. A strategy that encourages interaction with professionals who experience similar challenges and stressors can help staff create better coping skills and enhance their understanding of the operating room environment. Operating room health promotion strategies should also encourage and influence community interactions and participation in community action groups.

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