'We need to look after the workers who look after us', says mental health fund

Nurses put their lives and mental health at risk practically every single day – they endure long and irregular hours in hectic environments, they're frequently exposed to infectious diseases and they physically exert their bodies whilst caring for countless people in dire need.

Because of this, the debilitating levels of acute stress and human suffering that nurses experience on a daily basis are beyond incomprehensible.

With the hopes of alleviating this unimaginable stress, that's where the Safety Sensescaping Project comes into volition. Backed by WorkSafe's WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund, the project aims to create safe and mentally healthy environments for all struggling healthcare workers.

Dr Oliver Cotsaftis, project leader and RMIT senior lecturer, previously worked with doctors, nurses and clinicians at Peninsula Health for three years, primarily to understand the various hazards that healthcare workers at exposed to. From his research, Dr Cotsaftis quickly got to work and began designing solutions to prevent mental injury and discomfort among the staff.

One key observation that Dr Cotsaftis made was of the hospital scrubs that healthcare workers are universally known for wearing – specifically towards how uncomfortable, and even suffocating, they can really be.

For example, hospital scrubs are typically made from coarse synthetic materials, which can cause the wearer to quickly overheat. Additionally, these scrubs are known for not being particularly accommodating to a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

"Many workers don't realise how being uncomfortable in scrubs can add extra stress to an already stressful job.

In a job where there is little control over what you do, feeling comfortable in your uniform and how you present yourself can help a person reclaim a sense of their identity."

Dr Oliver Cotsaftis.

By using body-scanning technology to map out body measurements and 3D-knitting technology to create new synthetic material, Dr Cotsaftis was able to craft a new uniform for healthcare workers that proved to be significantly more comfortable than previous designs.

These new scrubs were fashioned by using a yarn made from a blend of organic cotton and Seacell, an algae-based cellulose material, with the final prototype being a comfortable, well-fitted set of scrubs, that were also easier to breathe in and greatly reduced the risk of overheating.

Nurse Erin Colgan favourably vouched for the comfortable fit of her new uniform, stating: "This project has made me understand the impact scrubs and uniforms have on mental health and I have decided to change how my scrubs make me feel."

Another observation that Dr Cotsaftis made involved the unremitting noise pollution that is highly prevalent in hospital wards, along with the lack of private resting spaces which prevented the staff from taking restful breaks.

From this, sustainable and cost-effective 3D-printed furniture was designed purposefully to absorb noise pollution. These prototypes were made using a corn-based acid, a carbon-neutral plastic and recycled paper, with the furniture's design including rounded patterns, allowing the sound to travel through the furniture instead of bouncing off it.

According to WorkSafe, hazards ranging from low job control, poor environmental conditions and traumatic events in the workplace can also serve as factors that greatly increase the risk of work-related stress, and can even lead to physical or psychological harm.

"Thriving in Health's prevention-focused initiatives will share knowledge and resources to support more than 100,000 frontline healthcare workers across Victoria.

As a community we need to look after the workers who look after us, sadly healthcare workers face increased risk of mental illness and injury – especially those who provide frontline care."

Sam Jenkin, WorkSafe Victoria Executive Director of External Affairs.