title: Reducing employee slips, trips, and falls during employee-assisted patient activities.
abstract: Following a remodeling of patient care rooms at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, the nursing staff reported frequent slipping in patient care areas. Data were analyzed and revealed that most slips were occurring during transfer of patients from shower chairs. An extensive literature review was done, and solutions to slipping were sought from areas outside of the healthcare industry. Specifically, ideas were borrowed from the commercial fishing industry and the restaurant industry. Both industries rely heavily on footwear to reduce slipping in the workplace. A trial was initiated with nursing staff members wearing positive-grip shoe covers that can be worn over regular footwear. No slips occurred during the trial. The purpose of this article is to motivate nurses who are involved in transferring patients from shower chairs (often used in rehabilitation settings) to consider the role their footwear has in reducing slips and potential injury.
authors.affiliation: Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA. cstaal@mfbrc.com
authors.forename: Collette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staal
authors.forename: Barbra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brasser
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: LeForge
authors.forename: Amie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dlouhy
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gabier
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001494:Baths / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings / Q000295:instrumentation; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D012775:Shoes; D013499:Surface Properties