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Dear Subscriber,
Welcome to the latest Issue of Safe Lifting News. As we’ve stated many times, our mission is to keep you informed about what’s happening in the world of safe patient lifting and caregiver injury prevention. If you feel others in your organization might benefit from receiving Safe Lifting News on a regular basis, please forward along so that they can sign up!
Sincerely,
Alex White
Editor
812.931.3492
Alex.White@hill-rom.com
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Take our July Poll
Based on your overall awareness of the safe patient handling field, over the past twelve months do you believe momentum has shifted toward acceptance of safe patient handling programs on the part of:
- direct care nurses and other direct care personnel?
- nursing managers and administrators?
- risk and safety managers?
- executive management?
- state and federal regulatory agencies?
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Focus on safe patient handling for physical therapists...
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders affecting UK physiotherapists
The authors of this authoritative study examined the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders from a sample of members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) in the UK. In addition to weighing different variables such as age of therapist, years in practice, and clinical specialty, they also investigated the job tasks that injured physiotherapists associated with their complaint and attempted to identify any preventive strategies that injured physiotherapists adopted to prevent re-injury. Visit
here.
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Therapeutic Reference Guides
Click here to receive documents from our sponsor entitled, “Therapy Reference Guide,” and “Therapeutic Interventions.”
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Safe Patient Movement for Therapists
It bears repeating that North America’s population is aging, getting physically larger, and becoming ever more demanding when it comes to issues of mobility, rehabilitation, and personal independence. As a result, rehab and acute care facilities are finding it more and more difficult to employ conventional “manual” techniques when lifting, repositioning, and rehabilitating their patients. The problem is going to get worse, not better, according to most health care experts. Read this informative article here.
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From the Reading Room
New toolkit provides tools to practice safe patient handling
AORN, the Association of Operating Room Nurses, has released a new toolkit entitled, “Safe Patient Handling and Movement in the Perioperative Setting.” Designed to provide the resources necessary for perioperative nurses to safely handle patients, while protecting themselves, the toolkit includes a pocket reference guide for use in the clinical practice setting, an educational PowerPoint presentation with continuing education credits, awareness posters, a gap analysis template, and a bibliography of supporting articles and research that is based on information in the AORN Guidance Statement: Safe Patient Handling and Movement in the Perioperative Setting. Visit here.
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3-Step process to reduce caregiver error in the selection of safe patient handling equipment
One of the most common problems in safe patient handling programs is the inconsistent or incorrect selection of safe patient handling equipment by caregivers. Programs typically don't have a consistent and standardized decision making process that is used and understood by all caregivers involved in the patient’s or resident’s care. This article presents the key reasons for “error” in the selection of safe patient handling equipment and recommends specific areas of assessment to minimize the risk of harm and injury to the patient or caregiver. Visit here.
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A Lighter Load...Lifts and slings improve safety for nurses caring for obese patients in nursing homes.
Bariatric patients in nursing homes require unique care to maximize their functioning and independence. Beyond proper nutrition and education on healthy food choices, these patients need appropriate exercise, regular body repositioning and careful handling. This type of care can involve strenuous physical effort from nurses and other staff. Read this article here.
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Heavy lifting: Medical first responders pay price for helping obese patients
According to the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, there is no information available to show the rate of injury in paramedics and emergency medical technicians. EMTs may be at risk to the same extent as nurses and other caregivers. Read more here.
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Leaving repositioning sheets under patients |
| We use the Hill-Rom® TotalCare® bed and have a full complement of Liko® patient handling equipment. A question that is asked regularly is whether there is documentation showing that leaving the standard green cotton repositioning sheet under the patient is safe. Can you provide any research or share your thoughts on this? |
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Lori Zinnecker, OTR/L, MBA
Northwestern Memorial Hospital |
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How to transport a patient in Contact Isolation Precautions |
| How do you properly transport a patient that is in Contact Isolation Precautions who requires a cart transport? I know you need clean linen under the patient, is there an easy way to get clean linen under the patient and what transport devices do you recommend, i.e. slide board, Air Pal etc. Thanks for your answer! |
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Donna Villagran
Yavapai Regional medical Center |
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Using a gait belt with a walker |
| What role does a walker play in safe patient handling? I see a number of comments on gait belts but none on walkers. Should gait belts be used when using a walker? |
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Mary-Jane Yacovone
PMA Management |
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Crossing the patient’s arms when using a sit-to-stand |
| It has been recommended that when the EZStand or a Sit-to-Stand Mechanical lift is used, the resident should cross their arms so the bruising or injury under the arm is avoided. What do you think about this? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks. |
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Linda Corken, RN MS
Dupage Convalescent Center |
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Preventing sit-to-stand sling from riding up |
| I have the Sabina™ II lift and sling model #410660 without the padding. How do I prevent the sling from riding uncomfortably up around the patient’s breasts? |
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Christine Ravish
PSHCC |
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*The Lift Doctor is actually a panel of clinical and bioengineering lift specialists at Liko |
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This Web newsletter is sponsored by Liko, a Hill-Rom company, and is provided as a service to subscribers. Articles and information available from third parties through links to this Web newsletter are provided "as is." Liko is not responsible for the content of linked articles or news items resident on Websites owned or maintained by third parties, nor for content openly accessible via internet search engines, and makes no warranty, express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, or the clinical or financial utility of such information. Users should check the terms and conditions of use of each third party Website accessed via links provided by Liko. |
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© 2010 Liko. All Rights Reserved
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