Template:
Equipment Proposal and Prioritization:
Safe Patient Handling Committee / Date:

Situation

·  Nursing injury rates from transferring and repositioning patients are linked to the national nursing shortage, and less time at the bedside, both of which have been scientifically linked to negative patient outcomes (AAOHN Journal, November, 2007)

·  Nurses and healthcare workers have been taught for decades that “proper body mechanics” would prevent injuries during transfers. However, 35 years of research show that there is no evidence that body mechanics alone will protect healthcare workers from injuries while lifting patients (Orthopaedic Nursing, 2006)

·  Several recent studies demonstrated that comprehensive safe patient handling programs can be highly effective in reducing the frequency, severity, and cost of caregiver injuries (Rehabilitation Nursing, January/February, 2008)

·  Research has also shown an increase in caregiver job satisfaction, a decrease in “unsafe” patient handling practices performed, and significant reductions in staff turnover (American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2003)

Background

·  Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nursing persist as the leading and most costly occupational health problem in the United States (Rehabilitation Nursing, January/February, 2008)

·  General medical and surgical hospitals reported more injuries and illnesses than any other industry in 2007 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008)

·  The leading cause of injuries in healthcare is the result of repeated manual lifting, transferring, and repositioning of patients (Occupational Environmental Medicine, 1995)

·  It is estimated that musculoskeletal injuries from patient handling tasks cost the healthcare industry approximately $20 billion each year (CDC, 2008)

·  38% of all nurses experience back injuries, 98% of which are to lifting patients manually (Ergonomic Standards and Implications for Nursing, 2001)

·  Injuries are under reported in healthcare with only 1 in 3 nurses with work-related back pain files an injury report with their employer (ANA, 2001)

·  The performance of high risk tasks by nurses is not a rare event; the cumulative weight lifted by a nurse in a typical 8-hour shift is equivalent to 1.8 tons, or 9 tons per week (Geriatriction, 1997)

·  According to recent research by NIOSH, when any patient handling task requires a single caregiver to lift more than 35 pound of the patients weight, mechanical equipment is to be utilized (AJN, August, 2007)

·  Workplace safety was cited as a major concern with 76% of nurses reporting unsafe working conditions interfered with their ability to provide high quality care, and 88% reported that health and safety concerns influenced their decisions to continue working in nursing (ANA, 2001)

·  The top reason nurses leave the profession, aside from retirement, is to seek a job that is less physically demanding (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002)

·  Recruitment and retention of nurses is an ongoing problem and the nursing shortage has been exacerbated by occupational injuries; nursing injury rates are directly connected to the national nursing shortage; directly related to reduction of nursing hours at the bedside; major reason nurses leave the profession (AAOHN Journal, November, 2007)

·  With an aging workforce (average age 46.8 years) and nursing shortage (and expected 20% shortage by 2015 and 30% by 2020), reducing back injuries in healthcare workers is critical (NIOSH, 2008)

·  According to NIOSH, mechanical lift equipment is the only effective way to prevent musculoskeletal injuries due to patient handling tasks including repositioning and transferring dependent patients. Estimates of the compressive forces on the L5/S1 disk associated with manually lifting patients exceeds the upper limit suggested by NIOSH (Applied Ergonomics, 2005)

Assessment

·  Results from the Safe Patient Handling Risk Assessment report that (Insert Details from Risk Assessment)

·  Caregiver time at the patient bedside is significantly decreased by lost and restricted time resulting from musculoskeletal injuries. From (Insert Dates) patient bedside cares resulting from staff injuries by (Insert #) lost days, and (Insert #) restricted days

·  Workers compensation direct expenses for Patient Handling Injuries from (Insert Dates) include:

·  Documented TPA costs: (Insert $)

·  Documented TPA: (Insert $)

·  Industry standards that more accurately reflect both direct workers compensation expenses and indirect costs for underreporting, training, administrative costs, case management, etc. are often calculated by multiplying direct costs by 2-3 times. Based upon this standard the workers compensation expenses for Patient Handling Injuries from (Insert Dates)

·  More likely scenario (doubling of costs): (Insert $)

·  High cost scenario (tripling of costs): (Insert $)

·  The predicted payback period for organizations implementing a comprehensive program including purchasing of adequate amounts of mechanical equipment to be within 1.98 and 3.85 years, considering direct and indirect costs, respectively (AAOHN Journal, 2002)

·  Using the more likely scenario (doubling of direct costs of $) from (Insert Dates) and a conservative estimate of 35% reduction in associated injury expenses for each of the first 3 years would equal (Insert $) savings per year with complete payback in (Insert #) years

·  Equipment is predicted to last 10 years and at a savings of (Insert $) per year, multiplied by the life of the equipment the total payback would be (Insert $) for the life of the equipment

RESPONSE

·  A decrease of patient handling workers compensation costs up to 75%; injury claims by 30-95%; lost workdays up to 66%; restricted workdays up to 38%, are reported by current research following implementation of a comprehensive safe patient handling program with adequate equipment including ceiling lifts

·  Ceiling lifts have been shown to be more effective than floor lifts by requiring less space, less time, reducing injuries, and improving patient comfort. 97% of surveyed employees prefer to use ceiling lifts over floor lifts to transfer and reposition patients (OSHAH, November, 2008)

·  The Safe Patient Handling Committee recommends the following plan to effectively provide safe patient handling equipment:

o  Focus on high risk units with appropriate type, amount¸ and availability of equipment to address high risk injury tasks of repositioning/boosting patients in bed, and transferring patients in/out of bed to chair/wheelchair

o  (Insert Injury Data)

o  (Insert Detailed Implementation Plan)

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