NYIARP Webinar: The Key to Getting Finger and Partial-Hand Amputees Back to Work

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Speaker: 
Molly Ratliff

Cost:
Members-$20, Non-members-$25

Credits:
1.0 CRCC CEU

Presentation Summary: 

Over 94% of upper extremity amputations in the United States occur at the finger and partial-hand level, leaving 75% of heavy manual laborers unable to return to the position they had when the injury occurred and 26% of those 75% had to leave the workforce entirely.

Workplace amputations involving the finger account for 90% of all nonfatal injuries, translating to an estimated 21,000 amputations occurring at work in the US each year. Research shows that those with partial-finger and hand amputations wind up experiencing more mental health issues, more pain, and less function than a forearm amputee. This leaves workers compensation programs bearing the brunt of substantial job retraining costs, the cost of depression, loss of productivity, and long-term health problems associated with self-medication. Functional prosthetic intervention negates the need for many of those costs.

This course will explore outcomes of digit amputation, emphasizing how innovative prosthesis adaptation has the potential to positively impact a person’s recovery and safe return to work and everyday activities they enjoy. It will also highlight the importance of creating a collaborative interprofessional approach in helping this highly underserved amputee community obtain the care and support they so desperately need to regain independence and functionality. As key members of a patient’s rehabilitation team, Life Care Planners & other rehabilitation professionals are uniquely positioned as the navigator to excellence in ensuring finger and partial-hand amputees seek the quality and level of prosthetic and rehabilitation care they deserve.

Learning Objectives: 

  • Compare the percentage of finger amputations to that of other upper extremity amputations while recognizing the impact finger amputations have on those affected Identify the current prosthetic interventions available for partial-hand amputations
  • Recognize the important role Nurse Life Care Planners play in creating successful patient outcomes with body-driven prostheses.

Speaker Bio: 

Molly Ratliff is the Northeast Education Outreach Specialist for Naked Prosthetics. Her role consists of spreading awareness via educational opportunities curated for prosthetists, therapists, doctors, and other industry professionals who work closely with this type of patient. She has been with NP since 2019, and enjoys bridging the information gap between these medical professionals and shedding light on this underserved population.

If you have questions regarding the event contact Angela Eskandar and email her at angela.eskandar@gmail.com directly.

Event Date(s)

When:  Feb 14, 2022 from 12:00 to 13:00 (ET)
Associated with  New York Chapter