title: Reduction of injuries associated with patient handling.
abstract: Nurses experience more back injuries than the general population due to their physically demanding work. Research indicates that the implementation of a comprehensive patient-handling program will reduce the number of patient-handling injuries and associated sequelae. A significant barrier to the effectiveness of safe patient-handling programs includes lack of appropriate and easily accessible equipment for caregivers. Caregivers were questioned to identify changes in the use of and perceptions about patient-handling equipment following the implementation of a patient-handling program at a medium-sized nonprofit community hospital. The study found an increased use of patient-handling equipment by caregivers following the implementation of a patient-handling program, with a significant improvement in the perception of patient-handling equipment. Effective planning to adequately address each of the elements of a comprehensive patient-handling program is essential to program success.
authors.affiliation: Huntington Hospital, Pasadena, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Hal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wardell
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019567:Back Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006804:Ergonomics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D016134:Organizational Policy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires