1. Safe Patient
Handling
EED/NTDD
2015
Lisa Affatato, MSN, RN-BC
Maureen Ibrahim MS, RN, CCRN, CEN

2. At the end of this class the learner will be able to :
• Define safe patient handling.
• List the benefits of safe patient
handling and mobility technology.
• Describe why manual handling of
patients causes injuries.

3. In 2004, Nelson & Baptiste stated:
• “Nursing can no longer afford the
“human sacrifice” approach to
patient handling defined as replacing
the steady stream of injured nurses
with newly recruited nurses.”
Crit Care Nurs Clin N Am 19 (2007) 213-222

4. Did You Know?
• 52% of RN’s complain of chronic back pain lasting >2
weeks within past 6 months
• 12% of RN’s have left profession due to back pain
• Nurses Aids & RN’s suffered highest prevalence 16.6%
of work-related back pain involving lost work days
• In 2005 Texas was first state to implement legislation
requiring HCF to implement SPH programs to protect
HCW’s from preventable injuries from manual patient
lifting
• 49% reduction in falls in one study R/T use of lifting
equipment

5. Risk:
• The single greatest risk factor for
musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in
Health Care Worker is manual
handling of patients (lifting,
repositioning, & transferring)!
• Risk of injury can be significantly
reduced or eliminated through use
of assistive devices and equipment.

6. Exercise: Use of SPH Equipment

7. Employee Resistance Regarding Use of SPH Equipment
Employee comments What would you say?
1. “I’ve been a healthcare worker for 25 years
and I’ve never injured my back yet. I don’t
see why I have to start doing things
differently now.”
*Back pain reoccurrence rate 90%
2. “I’m in good shape. I don’t need that fancy
equipment to do this.”
3. “This patient has already been through
quite a lot. I don’t want to burden him any
further. Let’s skip the lifter-you and I can
just lift him together.”
4. “I find it takes a lot longer to use this piece
of equipment even when it’s readily
accessible.”
5. “I don’t use that piece of equipment
enough to remember how exactly it works
so it’s easier to just do a manual lift.”
6. “I don’t have enough time to hunt for the
equipment.”
3/29/2016 Educational Enrichment Day 2015

8. Mobility Cooperation
Size Aggression
Weight Balance
Predictability Diagnoses
Cognition
Patient
RISK FACTORS:
3/29/2016

9. Why Caregivers Get Hurt:
• Always lifting, moving & turning patients
which tires your muscles putting you at risk for
injury
• Patients can’t be held close to body like a box
• Patients are bulky
• Patients don’t have handles
• Don’t always know if patient can help
• You can’t predict!!!

10. Risk- Load Increasing:
• OBESITY is a growing population
• In 1983 one in 200 people had a BMI > 40
• In 2000 one in 50 people had a BMI > 40
• In 2010 one third of all Americans
have a BMI > 40
• One study found < 10% of patient census was
bariatric patients & patient-handling injuries
accounted for 29.8% of staff-reported injuries

11. Risk- Repetition:
• 1995 study at one hospital
• Found nursing staff pulled patients up in their
bed an average of 9.9 times/shift.

12. Safe Patient Handling:
• Definition: Use of engineering controls, lifting
and transfer aids, or devices to perform acts of
lifting, transferring and repositioning patients

13. NYS Safe Patient Handling Act
NY SB 6914
• Public interest for Health Care Facility (HCF) to
implement safe patient handling policies
• Caregivers will reduce risk of injury
• Safe Patient Handling Workgroup to develop
policy & training materials; submit report by July
1, 2015
• Each HCF will have a SPH Committee by January
1, 2016
• Program must be implemented by January 1,
2017

14. National Institute of Occupational
Safety & Health (NIOSH)
• Calculates maximum load for manual lifting,
pushing, pulling and carrying using a range of
variables
• Maximum load for a box with handles is 51
pounds (23 kg.) – load is lower if lifter has to
reach, lift near the floor or undertake an
awkward position
• 35 pounds (15 kg) safe patient-
lifting limit for HCW’s

15. Safe Patient Handling & Mobility:
• For lifts above the SPH limit, there is no such
thing as “Safe Lifting” using our bodies as the
lifting mechanism
• Body Mechanics – important, but again if load is
above the SPH limit, injuries will occur
• We must change our mindset!
• Get in habit of using Safe Patient Handling &
Mobility (SPHM) technology
• This will keep both our patients & ourselves safe
from harm!

16. Ergonomics
• Design of workplace or equipment
• Those factors or qualities in the design of
something, especially a workplace or equipment
used by people at work, that contribute to
comfort, efficiency, safety, and ease of use
• Greek word; Ergon = work, Nomos = Laws;
• “laws of work”
• Fit the task to the worker – not fitting the worker
to the task

17. Equipment available at
Huntington Hospital:
• Lift – Invacare (2 North), Prism
(Med/Surg) & Golvo (CCU/ICU)
–For Prism; reusable sling is blue,
disposable sling is white
–Slings are par leveled on every
unit
• Transfer boards

18. Slipper Slide Sheets

19. Transfer Board

20. Transfer Board

21. Safe Patient Handling: Equipment
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lTA1ZoB
h_w

22. Culture Change: Never Lift Alone
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v3CYuQ
nxok

23. Benefits of SPH:
• Reduced injuries
• Less re-injury
• Pregnant/Older workers can work longer
• Reduced workman's compensation medical and
insurance costs
• Reduction of lost days worked
• Improved recruitment and retention
• Improved employee satisfaction
• Increased patient referrals; feel more dignified
transferring with use of equipment

24. Benefits of Safe Patient Handling
WHAT
CAN IT DO
FOR YOU?
Reduce injury
to healthcare
workers
Increase
quality of care
for patients
Decrease
patient injury
during
transfers and
handling
during care
Lower workers
compensation
and insurance
costs
Reduce lost
work days
Increase in
nursing
retention
Lower Hospital
and Nursing
Home costs
Return on
investment in
1-3 years

25. What Should be Looked At:
• Is the patient dependent?
• Is the patient minimally to moderately dependent?
• Is the patient independent?
• Weight-bearing capability?
• Upper extremity strength?
• Level of cooperation and comprehension?
• Medications?
• Other conditions; stoma, fractures, severe edema or
joint replacement?
• Equipment i.e. foley, oxygen mask, IV

26. Communication of Patient’s Mobility Status:
• Handoffs
• After procedures
• Administration of medication or medication
changes

27. ANA Recommendations:

28. Suggestions?
• Have you worked with equipment elsewhere
that you think would be beneficial for us to
trial?
• Send suggestions to:
– Lisa Affatato RN, Nurse Manager, 2 Southwest
– Kevin M. Cerrone, DPT, MHA, MS, CSCS
Director Physical Therapy & Orthopedics

29. References
• Cadmus, E., Brigley, P. & Pearson, M. (2011). Safe patient handling:Is your
facility ready for a culture change? Nursing Management. Retrieved
from www.nursingmanagement.com
• Fitzpatrick, M.A. (2014). Safe patient handling and mobility: A call to
action. Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility.
• Gallagher, S. (2013). Implementation guide to the safe patient
handling and mobility interprofessional national standards. ANA:
Silver Springs, MD
• Garcia, A. Standards to protect nurses from handling and mobility injuries.
Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility.
• Kumpar, D. (2014). Prepare to care for patients of size. Current Topics in Safe
Patient Handling and Mobility.
• Ryan, L. (2014). Safe patient handling leadership briefing. Greater New
York Hospital Association.

30. References
• Stenger, K., Montgomery, L.A. & Briesemeister, E. (2007). Creating a culture of
change through implementation of a safe patient handling program. Crit
Care Nurs Clin N Am 19 (2007) 213-222
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
(2014). http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.t01.htm
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
(2014).http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/os/osch0052.pdf
• Zitkus, B.S. (2010). Obesity management workbook. Retrieved
from http://www.zitkus.com