The lift team's importance to a successful safe patient handling program.
Nurses continue to experience injuries related to patient handling. These injuries are costly to hospitals in both direct and indirect costs and intangible costs such as staff morale. The need for hospitals to establish safe patient handling programs is growing and is now mandated by legislation in several states. The authors describe the development, implementation, and 6-year outcomes of a lift team that is part of successful safe patient handling program.
Kutash
Mary
M
Tampa General Hospital, 2 Columbia Dr, Tampa FL 33606, USA. mkutash@tgh.org
Short
Manon
M
Shea
Joann
J
Martinez
Marisa
M
D000041:Absenteeism; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006804:Ergonomics; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D055805:Moving and Lifting Patients / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data