Achieving Legislative and Regulatory Buy-In

« Back
MARYLAND

House Bill 585 - Safe Patient Handling Bill for Nursing Homes - passed.

This bill requires each nursing home in the State to establish a safe patient lifting
workgroup by December 1, 2008 and a safe patient lifting policy to reduce employee
injuries associated with patient lifting by July 1, 2009.

Click Here to view bill.

Maryland passed a safe patient handling law on April 10, 2007 requiring Maryland hospitals to develop a safe patient lifting committee, with equal numbers of managers and employees by December 1, 2007, and a safe patient lifting policy to reduce employee injuries with patient lifting by July 1, 2008.  Consideration is to be given to patient handling hazard assessment; enhanced use of mechanical lifting devices; development of specialized lift teams; training programs for safe patient lifting; incorporating space and construction design for mechanical lifting devices in architectural plans; and evaluating effectiveness of the safe lifting policy which is to take effect October 1, 2007.       
Click here to view bill.