Objective measures of adoption of patient lift and transfer devices to reduce nursing staff injuries in the hospital setting.

BACKGROUND Interventions to reduce patient-handling injuries in the hospital setting are often evaluated based on their effect on outcomes such as injury rates. Measuring intervention adoption could address how and why observed trends in the outcome occurred. METHODS Unit-level data related to adoption of patient lift equipment were systematically collected at several points in time over 5 years on nursing units at two hospitals, including hours of lift equipment use, equipment accessibility, and supply purchases and availability. RESULTS Various measures of adoption highlighted the adoption process' gradual nature and variability by hospital and between units. No single measure adequately assessed adoption. Certain measures appear well-correlated. CONCLUSION Future evaluation of primary preventive efforts designed to prevent patient-handling injuries would be strengthened by objective data on intermediate measures that reflect intervention implementation and adoption.

[1]  Thomas R Waters,et al.  Comparison of required operating forces between floor-based and overhead-mounted patient lifting devices † , 2009, Ergonomics.

[2]  H Hsiao,et al.  Psychophysical assessment of assistive devices for transferring patients/residents. , 2000, Applied ergonomics.

[3]  Charles Levenstein,et al.  Occupational injury and illness surveillance: conceptual filters explain underreporting. , 2002, American journal of public health.

[4]  Robert B Tate,et al.  Evaluation of the effectiveness of portable ceiling lifts in a new long-term care facility. , 2006, Applied ergonomics.

[5]  Shicheng Yu,et al.  Efficiency of overhead ceiling lifts in reducing musculoskeletal injury among carers working in long-term care institutions. , 2008, Injury.

[6]  A Garg,et al.  A biomechanical and ergonomic evaluation of patient transferring tasks: wheelchair to shower chair and shower chair to wheelchair. , 1991, Ergonomics.

[7]  Thomas R Waters,et al.  When is it safe to manually lift a patient? , 2007, The American journal of nursing.

[8]  Peter J Keir,et al.  Muscle activity during patient transfers: a preliminary study on the influence of lift assists and experience , 2004, Ergonomics.

[9]  D. Wegman,et al.  Wounding the Messenger: The New Economy Makes Occupational Health Indicators Too Good to Be True , 2004, International journal of health services : planning, administration, evaluation.

[10]  John D. Lloyd,et al.  Friction-Reducing Devices for Lateral Patient Transfers , 2006 .

[11]  M O Brophy,et al.  Reducing incidence of low-back injuries reduces cost. , 2001, AIHAJ : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety.

[12]  D. Richardson,et al.  Occupational injuries among aides and nurses in acute care. , 2009, American journal of industrial medicine.

[13]  M. A. Hudson.  Texas passes first law for safe patient handling in America: landmark legislation protects health-care workers and patients from injury related to manual patient lifting. , 2005, Journal of long-term effects of medical implants.

[14]  George Byrns,et al.  Risk Factors for Work-Related Low Back Pain in Registered Nurses, and Potential Obstacles in Using Mechanical Lifting Devices , 2004, Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene.

[15]  J. Skotte,et al.  Low back injury risk during repositioning of patients in bed: the influence of handling technique, patient weight and disability , 2008, Ergonomics.

[16]  H Hsiao,et al.  Biomechanical evaluation of assistive devices for transferring residents. , 1999, Applied ergonomics.

[17]  Mats Hagberg,et al.  Risk Indicators for Reported Over-Exertion Back Injuries among Female Nursing Personnel , 2000, Epidemiology.

[18]  Jennie Popay,et al.  Extending systematic reviews to include evidence on implementation: methodological work on a review of community-based initiatives to prevent injuries. , 2006, Social science & medicine.

[19]  M R Drost,et al.  An evaluation of patient lifting techniques. , 1994, Ergonomics.

[20]  L. Wolf,et al.  Reduction in injury rates in nursing personnel through introduction of mechanical lifts in the workplace. , 2003, American journal of industrial medicine.

[21]  A Garg,et al.  A biomechanical and ergonomic evaluation of patient transferring tasks: bed to wheelchair and wheelchair to bed. , 1991, Ergonomics.

[22]  R H Goldman,et al.  Prioritizing back injury risk in hospital employees: application and comparison of different injury rates. , 2000, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[23]  C. le Bon,et al.  An ergonomic evaluation of a patient handling device: the elevate and transfer vehicle. , 1997, Applied ergonomics.

[24]  Hester Lipscomb,et al.  Surveillance of Nail Gun Injuries by Journeymen Carpenters Provides Important Insight into Experiences of Apprentices , 2010, New solutions : a journal of environmental and occupational health policy : NS.

[25]  A. Yassi,et al.  Effectiveness of overhead lifting devices in reducing the risk of injury to care staff in extended care facilities , 2005, Ergonomics.

[26]  Ann Marie Dale,et al.  Challenges in residential fall prevention: insight from apprentice carpenters. , 2008, American journal of industrial medicine.

[27]  L. Wolf,et al.  Use of mechanical patient lifts decreased musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries among health care workers , 2004, Injury Prevention.

[28]  W. Marras,et al.  A comprehensive analysis of low-back disorder risk and spinal loading during the transferring and repositioning of patients using different techniques. , 1999, Ergonomics.

[29]  H. Lipscomb,et al.  Surveillance of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders in a diverse cohort of workers at a tertiary care medical center. , 2008, American journal of industrial medicine.

[30]  Robert B Tate,et al.  The three-year economic benefits of a ceiling lift intervention aimed to reduce healthcare worker injuries. , 2005, Applied ergonomics.

[31]  A. Nelson,et al.  Friction-Reducing Devices for Lateral Patient Transfers , 2006, AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.

[32]  Alison M Trinkoff,et al.  Workplace Prevention and Musculoskeletal Injuries in Nurses , 2003, Journal of Nursing Administration.

[33]  Hester J Lipscomb,et al.  Musculoskeletal injuries resulting from patient handling tasks among hospital workers. , 2009, American journal of industrial medicine.

[34]  W. Karwowski,et al.  Biomechanical evaluation of nursing tasks in a hospital setting , 2007, Ergonomics.

[35]  Hanneke Knibbe,et al.  Safer patient handling. , 2007, Nursing management.

[36]  A. J. Bailer,et al.  Impact of publicly sponsored interventions on musculoskeletal injury claims in nursing homes. , 2009, American journal of industrial medicine.

[37]  L. Wolf,et al.  An evaluation of a “best practices” musculoskeletal injury prevention program in nursing homes , 2004, Injury Prevention.

[38]  A Burdorf,et al.  Determinants of implementation of primary preventive interventions on patient handling in healthcare: a systematic review , 2009, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

[39]  Howard L Wardell.  Reduction of Injuries Associated with Patient Handling , 2007, AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.

[40]  T. Pellino,et al.  The Evaluation of Mechanical Devices for Lateral Transfers on Perceived Exertion and Patient Comfort , 2006, Orthopedic nursing.

[41]  Inga-Lill Engkvist,et al.  Back injuries among nurses : A comparison of the accident processes after a 10-year follow-up , 2008 .

[42]  Inga-Lill Engkvist.  Evaluation of an intervention comprising a no lifting policy in Australian hospitals. , 2006, Applied ergonomics.

[43]  J. Pinikahana,et al.  Manual handling activities and injuries among nurses: an Australian hospital study. , 2000, Journal of advanced nursing.