 Injuries
to Patients
Unsafe patient handling procedures can adversely affect many
aspects of patient quality care including an increased length
of stay due to patient falls, impaired patient mobility, skin
tears and bruising, and musculo skeletal injuries.
Patient falls may result in skin tears, fractures and even
death due to complications. A typical 100 bed nursing home
can report between 100 and 200 falls annually.
Without access to appropriate equipment and mobility aids,
a patient's mobility and therapy outcomes can be diminished.
Patients and residents vulnerable to skin tears and bruising
are at increased risk when exposed to inappropriate and unsafe
patient handling procedures.
Injuries to Health Care Workers
The U.S. has seen an increase in the numbers of occupational
injuries. Health care workers, in particular, face a wide
range of on-the-job hazards. Patient handling is one type
of activity that can lead to a musculoskeletal disorder ("MSD")
or aggravate an existing condition.
MSDs involve the nerves, tendons, muscles, and supporting
structures such as invertebrate discs. They can differ in
severity from mild periodic symptoms to severe chronic and
debilitating conditions. They include low back pain, sciatica,
tension neck syndrome, rotator cuff injuries and carpal tunnel
syndrome.
They result in reduced productivity, lost time from work,
temporary or permanent disability, increased workers compensation
costs and an inability to perform assigned jobs.
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