“SAFE PATIENT HANDLING "NO LIFT POLICY

“Safe Patient Handling "No Lift Policy

“Safe Patient Handling "No Lift Policy

Introduction

Every day nurses suffer career-ending and life-altering injuries from repeatedly lifting and moving patients. Healthcare workers are over represented specifically for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among worker's compensation claims. Injured nurses contribute to about one-fourth all claims and one-third of total compensation costs. (Nelson, A., Lloyd, J., Menzel, N., & Gross, 2003)

In order to prevent injury and protect nurses' wellbeing in the workplace, health care facilities need to implement sound ergonomics programs. Safe patient handling is the term referring to policies and programs that enable nurses to move patients in a way that does not cause strain or injury. NHS recommends that manual lifting of patients be minimized in all cases and eliminated when feasible and that employers should put an effective ergonomics process in place that provides management, involves employees, identifies problems, implements solutions, addresses injury reports, provides training, and evaluates ergonomic efforts. (Nelson, A., Lloyd, J., Menzel, N., & Gross, 2003)

Explanation

Policy Problem

Numerous studies have documented a high prevalence of back, knee, shoulder and other joint pain among healthcare workers. Based on workers' compensation claims for back injuries, nursing aides and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) ranked fifth and ninth, respectively, among all occupations as those most at risk for such injuries. Nursing aides are at a higher risk for back injuries than construction laborers, lumbermen, material handlers and laborers. (Menzel, 2008)

Historical Perspective

Lifting and transferring of patients are the most commonly reported causes of back pain and knee and shoulder injury among healthcare workers. Most programs for the prevention of back and joint injury to healthcare personnel tend to focus on proper lifting techniques, body mechanics and back care. But many researchers now recommend an ergonomics approach that focuses on workplace assessment of patient care areas, patient assessment criteria, algorithms for safe patient handling and movement, lifting and transfer equipment, peer-safety leaders, lifting teams, incident reviews and similar policies. These ergonomic approaches to safe patient handling and transfer policies are often called "no-lift" or "zero-lift" policies. Delegates to the 2004 convention of the UK Federation of Teachers passed a resolution requiring the Healthcare division to undertake a national campaign to establish safe lifting policies in all healthcare and educational settings. (Menzel, 2008)

Two decades of research have demonstrated that use of a single approach (ie, engineering controls, administrative changes, or worker training) to reduce the incidence of MSD has not worked. Recently, the shift is toward evidenced based practices such as a program within a facility that creates no lift policies; secures appropriate patient handling equipment and lifts and trains staff on usage; with a comprehensive tracking system of MSD injuries that includes ongoing evaluation of the program. While specific measures may vary between settings, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that: (Menzel, 2008)

Manual lifting of residents / patients be minimized in all cases and eliminated when feasible. Employers implement an effective ergonomics process that:

o provides management; involves employees; ...