Safe Patient Handling

At the conclusion of this continuing education activity, the participant will be able to:

• Define why MSDs occur at high rates for healthcare practitioners and why it’s been so difficult for professionals to alter their approach to the job
• State the environmental factors that lead to injury, including specific problems with staffing, organization, and physical obstructions
• Discuss the established body of evidence related to minimizing MSDs, and why the principles should no longer be used with healthcare workers of today
• Explain the protocol for different types of patients, depending on weight, available equipment, and whether the patient is available to assist with the movement
• Name different types of equipment and explain how each one relates to SPH
• Apply the techniques of SPH to a variety of scenarios, including unexpected emergencies (e.g., a patient falling, etc.)
• Recognize unsafe behavior even in seemingly undemanding tasks, such as feeding a patient on bed rest.
• Differentiate between different techniques based on the nature of the task, needs of the patient, and expectations of the worker
• Incorporate the basics of ergonomics into every aspect of the job