Mobilizing patients safely | What's ergonomics got to do with it?

Manual patient handling tasks such as repositioning a patient in bed and transferring a patient between bed, chair, and commode, require caregivers to repeatedly exert excessive force and work in extreme awkward postures.

Over 40 years of evidence has demonstrated why exposure to these risk factors is hazardous and significantly increases the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) such as low back strains, to caregivers.  Research has also clearly defined that the use of ‘proper body mechanics’ is not sufficient to mitigate the risk of WMSDs.

Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) programs that include the use of mechanical lift equipment and other assistive technology, have been shown to decrease caregiver injuries associated with patient handling tasks and improve patient outcomes.

However, although the use of SPHM technology can significantly reduce the force exerted by caregivers when lifting and mobilizing patients, awkward postures (static and dynamic) e.g., bending over a bed that is not raised to place a lift sling or friction reducing sheet, are still observed.

Reducing exposure to awkward postures requires that caregivers adopt ergonomics best practices when performing their work, i.e., requires a change in behavior or how they perform their work.

This session provides a review of ‘real-world’ ergonomics work practices that can reduce exposure to awkward postures and overall force exerted when lifting and mobilizing patients with and without SPHM technology.