Better assessment can improve safe patient handling

At a recent meeting of the American Society of Safety Professionals, ergonomics specialists from Duke University Health System and Hill-Rom described the benefits of implementing a safe patient handling and mobility program to avert workplace injuries and improve patient care. According to the presenters, such programs are more likely to succeed if they are integrated with patient-centered assessment and care planning. To facilitate this approach, Duke is developing a mobility assessment tool that empowers nurses to determine patients’ level of mobility by engaging them in a variety of tasks. The protocol helps nurses avoid ergonomic injuries and improve care by selecting the most appropriate equipment for assisting patients. (Safety.BLR.com story, 6/12/19)