title: An observation instrument for the description and evaluation of patient transfer technique.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of an observation instrument for patient transfer. The instrument, which consisted of 23 items, was evaluated on five different patient transfer tasks. A weighted score was included to evaluate the performed transfer technique. Four observers were selected for the assessment of instrument intra- and inter-observer reliability. Instrument validity was evaluated by testing whether the instrument could detect a difference between use of a self-chosen and a recommended transfer technique. Furthermore, calculated compression values at L4-L5 were compared with the weighted score for the different transfer technique situations. Eleven items were reliable. Nine items deserve further attention and three items were not reliable. The weighted score was significantly higher for the recommended transfer technique situations (p < 0.01) and an association between the weighted score and the calculated compression values was observed (r = -0.589).
authors.affiliation: Clinical Unit of Health Promotion, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. sw01@bbh.hosp.dk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Warming
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Juul-Kristensen
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Ebbehøj
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schibye
mesh_terms: D001415:Back / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D009726:Nurses; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014187:Transportation of Patients