NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Differences among nursing homes in outcomes of a safe resident handling program.

Kurowski A; Gore R; Buchholz B; Punnett L

J Healthc Risk Manag 2012 Jul; 32(1):35-51

https://doi.org/10.1002/jhrm.21083

20041875

A large nursing home corporation implemented a safe resident handling program (SRHP) in 2004-2007. We evaluated its efficacy over a 2-year period by examining differences among 5 centers in program outcomes and potential predictors of those differences. We observed nursing assistants (NAs), recording activities and body postures at 60-second intervals on personal digital assistants at baseline and at 3-month, 12-month, and 24-month follow-ups. The two outcomes computed were change in equipment use during resident handling and change in a physical workload index that estimated spinal loading due to body postures and handled loads. Potential explanatory factors were extracted from post-observation interviews, investigator surveys of the workforce, from administrative data, and employee satisfaction surveys. The facility with the most positive outcome measures was associated with many positive changes in explanatory factors and the facility with the fewest positive outcome measures experienced negative changes in the same factors. These findings suggest greater SRHP benefits where there was lower NA turnover and agency staffing; less time pressure; and better teamwork, staff communication, and supervisory support.

Health-care; Health-care-facilities; Nurses; Nursing; Manual-lifting; Safety-equipment; Hoisting-equipment; Hospital-equipment; Ergonomics; Human-factors-engineering; Posture; Body-mechanics; Body-regions; Biomechanics; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Musculoskeletal-system; Total-Worker-Health

Alicia Kurowski, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854

20120725

Journal Article

Cooperative Agreement

2012

Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U19-OH-008857; B20121218D

1

1074-4797

Healthcare and Social Assistance

Journal of Healthcare Risk Management

MA

University of Massachusetts, Lowell