The impact of a patient lifting equipment education program on the number of employee work-related injuries among health care workers at a for-profit hospital in North Texas: A case study
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Abstract
This case study examined the qualitative and quantitative effects of the introduction of an educational program combined with new patient handling equipment on the rates of work-related injuries and employee attitudes at a for-profit hospital in North Texas. Archival data for the years 2006 and 2007 were examined using statistical analyses including t-tests and ANOVA. No significant associations were found on the quantitative variables of rates of injuries, age and gender of employees, types of injuries, departments involved or frequency of lift equipment use among the injured pre and post intervention. Qualitative data was collected by written survey and oral interviews from hospital employees. All five inpatient units that received the educational and equipment based intervention were studied. The collected data reflected generalized employee dissatisfaction with the most common themes represented as follows: lack of confidence in individual ability to use the equipment, improper equipment for the unit's patient demographics, insufficient storage for the equipment and a general lack of time to implement the new equipment during care. Suggestions for further research include the development of alternative education programs for the equipment and testing this intervention on a larger pool of participants for increased power. Developing a comprehensive education and equipment program that is successful in increasing employee use of repositioning devices may help the health educator minimize the risk of work-related hospital injuries and their associated costs.