Because of incapacitation due to age, illness or injury, patients in health care settings often need help performing normal daily tasks like sitting up or walking. Helping patients with these tasks requires significant physical demands, putting employees in danger of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
MSDs — such as muscle strains, lower back injuries, rotator cuff injuries and tendinitis — are the most common workplace injuries suffered by nurses and other health care workers. Risk factors include repeated and forceful movements associated with patient care, such as lifting, transferring and repositioning.
The good news is that MSDs, especially back injuries, can be prevented by implementing a safe patient handling program and by using mechanical lift equipment. Use of lifting equipment is essential for a successful safe patient handling program and has been shown to reduce exposure to manual lifting injuries by up to 95 per cent.
Benefits of a Safe Patient Handling Program
Safe patient handling programs reduce the risk of injury for both health care workers and patients while improving the quality of patient care. Other benefits of safe patient handling programs include:
Elements of a Successful Safe Patient Handling Program
The key elements of a safe lifting program include the following;
Establish safe patient handling policies that are based on patients’ physical and medical conditions and the availability of lifting equipment and lift teams.
Select appropriate lifting equipment in accordance with the hazard assessment, and install and maintain lifting devices according to manufacturer recommendations. The best proactive approach is through proper design of the work environment, including incorporating health hazard controls into the design of facilities during construction and remodeling.The Axis Insurance Group is pleased to offer customized risk management solutions to meet the needs of our health care clients. To see how we can provide you with the broadest coverage for the most value, contact our team of dedicated brokers today.
Looking for health care safety policies and procedures that support a safety-conscious work environment? Download our free Health Care Employee Safety Manual!