Work Smarter
Occupational health conference offers tips on how to stay healthy on the job

By Scott Williams
November 1, 2004

Could a mouse put you in the hospital? It can if it’s the kind hooked up to your computer. Using a mouse for four or more hours a day can result in strains and sprains of the hand, arm, shoulder, neck, and back, and that can lead to reduced productivity, lost work time, and even surgery.

One solution is to learn a few simple computer keystrokes to reduce “mousing” and cut down on the strain placed on the body, according to two nurses who spoke at a recent occupational health conference. The conference, held in Kansas City, Mo., April 30 to May 7, was sponsored by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN).

Margie LaBarge, RN, MSN, and Kristine Metz, RN, MSN, FNP-C, presented “Innovative Nursing Intervention in Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders.” Their presentation included research that compares the use of keystrokes to mousing and whether mousing is more harmful.

“We did find quite a bit of evidence in the literature that using a mouse did put more of a strain on your muscles,” says Metz, a nurse practitioner at SAINTS Health Services for Business, a Stevens Point, Wis., company that provides health care to workers.

Metz and LaBarge, director of SAINTS Health Services for Business, searched literature about ergonomics and industrial hygiene through the Medline and Cinahl databases for studies that compared keystroke usage and computer mousing. They found that people who sit at a computer for more than four hours a day and who use a mouse suffer from sprains and strains that eventually can lead to tendonitis of the forearm, inflammation of the muscles, microscopic muscle tears, and, eventually, more serious health problems.

Create better mind-sets

LaBarge says studies show that using computer keystrokes in place of mousing reduced the incidence of such ailments. She suggests that widespread use of keystrokes could reduce employer health care costs and contribute to a healthier workforce. The problem is weaning people from their mousing addiction.

“A majority of the audience didn’t have any previous experience with keyboarding shortcuts,” LaBarge says. She estimates that no more than 10% of the 200 people in attendance were even aware they could use the keyboard in place of the mouse for certain computer commands. “What we’ve discovered is that many of the baby boom generation are not familiar with these.”

Metz says people are resistant to using the keyboard because they generally take the path of least resistance. “People are resistant because they have to use their brain to figure out which shortcut to use,” she says.

But once people learn the keystrokes, they often find them easier and quicker than using a mouse, LaBarge says. It’s also possible to use macro commands that link a combination of commands together and can be activated with the push of one button.

The stress of stress

Joan Cantwell, RN, BSN, MA, COHN-S, a self-employed Chicago nurse, presented “Creative Stress Management” during the conference. Cantwell, owner of Mindful Living Productions and an adjunct professor at DePaul University and Roosevelt University, says nurses who attended her presentation came up with many creative ideas for dealing with stress that they could share and take back to the workplace.

Cantwell says stress in the workplace is not something to be ignored or downplayed. She says an AAOHN survey conducted in 2002 among more than 1,000 men and women showed 85% were interested in learning more about stress management. “Stress was also one of the top reasons that was driving personal concerns and health and safety concerns at work,” she says.

Cantwell says job stress is estimated to cost U.S. employers as much as $200 billion to $300 billion a year due to absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, accidents, and medical costs.

“The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that stress disorders are quickly becoming the most prevalent reason for disability,” she says.

She adds that chronic suppression of stress can lead to migraine headaches, backaches, ulcers, and will affect chronic diseases and our immune systems.

Among her suggestions for dealing with stress are living in the moment, making healthier choices, journaling, cognitive restructuring (a way of looking at thoughts and how you respond to situations), and mindful walking (placing all your attention on your feet and breath).

LaBarge, Metz, and Cantwell say nurses can make positive changes in the workplace. To do so, they need help from upper management.

“You need upper-management support because they’re the ones who are going to give you the budget,” Cantwell says.