
		September / October 2011

Dear Subscriber,

Welcome to this Special Issue of Safe Lifting News. As our loyal readers know, this newsletter's mission has always been to keep everyone informed about what's happening in the world of safe patient handling and caregiver injury prevention. Toward that end, we believe the newly chartered Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals (ASPHP) has taken a giant step toward establishing and advancing safe patient handling as a bona fide specialty track within the medical profession. We hope you will take a few moments from your busy day to read these brief materials and seriously consider joining the association and/or becoming certified. It's a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a truly important advancement in healthcare!

Sincerely,

Katie Osborne, Editor
812.934.8702
Katie.Osborne@Hill-Rom.com

What is the ASPHP?

"The Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals is a non-profit association that brings together like-minded individuals who want to share ideas, support research, and advocate for sound regulatory activity that improves and promotes a safer working environment for all caregivers. The Association also seeks to establish standards and practices for both the practitioner and the facilities where they work." To visit the ASPHP Web site, go here.

The VALUE of ASPHP Certification

There are numerous ways an individual can benefit from becoming a Certified Safe Patient Handing Associate (CSPHA) or a Certified Safe Patient Handling Professional (CSPHP). In addition to being able to display those industry-sanctioned letters after your name, you'll also benefit in the following ways: 1) advancement in the vocational marketplace and 2) personal growth and satisfaction. By earning an ASPHP Certification, you signify to your management and peers that you are working to elevate your standing in the field. To read more about the various benefits of ASPHP certification, go here.

If you are interested in Safe Patient Handling, MEMBERSHIP IN ASPHP is an effective way to support this movement

The field of Safe Patient Handling is populated by many different types of individuals who are passionate about SPH and who are devoted to the advancement of both the practice and the profession. NOW is an ideal time to join the Association. Whether you are employed in Acute Care, Long Term Care, Home Care, Pre-Hospital Care, Rehabilitation, or an associated field, you'll find yourself in the company of clinicians, educators, researchers, ergonomists, and caregivers who are dedicated to preventing these needless injuries. In many ways, this is a very disparate group. In other ways, members are "one with much in common and much to share for the good of the many." Read more about why you should consider joining here.

Certification: Who is it for?

Certification isn't for everyone. It is for those people who want to distinguish themselves and their achievements, and for those who want to enhance their capabilities, year after year. The ASPHP is interested in so much more than just operation of equipment or general knowledge regarding how to safely move people. We are interested in how the person applies their skills and knowledge in a way that is meaningful to their institution, their colleagues and to the persons they are moving. Go here for more information.

Talking with the ASPHP Board

A representative of the Safe Lifting Portal recently interviewed members of the ASPHP Board about the organization and its foundation. The Board members were Kent Wilson, Colin Brigham, Catherine Gouvin, Rick Barker and Bob Williamson, each of whom was part of the core group that first discussed the possibilities of forming the Association. Go here to read about the thoughts and goals they shared.

Thanks for your support!

Do you have other ideas that might help to assist the new ASPHP association in preventing caregiver injuries? Give us your ideas and we will happily share them with our readers in an upcoming issue of Safe Lifting News. Go here to access a convenient input form.


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