Effects of a National Safe Patient Handling Program on Nursing Injury Incidence Rates

Gail Powell-Cope, PhD, ARNP, FAANPeter Toyinbo, PhDNitin Patel, MPHDeborah Rugs, PhDChristine Elnitsky, PhD, RNBridget Hahm, MA, MPHBryce Sutton, PhDRobert Campbell, PhDKaren Besterman-Dahan, PhDMary Matz, MSPH, CPE, CSPHPMichael Hodgson, MD, MPHOBJECTIVE: Theobjectiveofthestudywastoidentifywhichcomponentsof asystem-wide safepatienthand-ling(SPH)programreducedmusculoskeletalinjury(MSI) due to patient handling among nurses.METHODS: The3-yearlongitudinalstudyfrom2008to2011usedapretest-posttestdesign.ThestudywasconductedintheVeteransHealthAdministration,andallmedicalcentersparticipated.Theoutcomewas2011MSI incidence rates due to patient-related handlingfor nurses, expressed as injuries per 10000 full-timeemployees.RESULTS: Threeorganizationalriskfactors,beddaysof care, facility complexity level, and baseline MSIincidence rate, were significantly associated with MSIincidencerateandexplained21%ofitsvariation.FiveSPHcomponents,includingdeploymentofceilingliftsand other new technologies, peer leader effectiveness,competencyinSPHequipmentuse,facilitycoordinatorlink with safety committee, and peer leader training,uniquelyaccountedforanadditional23%ofthetotalvariation.CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide evidence to sup-port the effectiveness of a multicomponent approachto SPH programs given contextual considerations.Healthcare workers responsible for manual patienthandling,particularlynursesandnursingassistants(NAs), have among the highest rates of nonfatal occu-pational injuries requiring days away from work.