"Lessons learned" from successful safe patient handling programs contribute to many proven best practices to consider when starting a new safe patient handling program or evaluating an existing program. For example, having a written policy facilitates complete implementation and sustained success, while consistent management leadership can "set the tone" and make safe patient handling a visible priority. Also, a program is more likely to be successful if nurse managers and frontline staff are involved early in the development of the program.

Safe patient handling policies establish expectations that staff will use the safest techniques to accomplish patient handling tasks, and that administrators will provide equipment and resources to support staff efforts. In addition, proper training on equipment use is necessary, as are accountability and a commitment to the overall culture of safety. Policies should address the importance of using lift equipment correctly and following proper handling procedures to ensure both patient and worker safety. Safe patient handling policies should be designed as a pledge from administrators and staff to protect patients and workers, and should include clearly articulated goals and expectations.

How-to Guides

The following resources may be useful for hospitals interested in starting a safe patient handling program:

• In 2011 (in a previous Alliance with OSHA), the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare published Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting. This resource guide identifies the basic steps and processes for developing and implementing a comprehensive safe patient handling program. It also includes a sample safe patient handling policy, a product evaluation tool, worker acknowledgement of safety/injury prevention, potential types of equipment by hospital department, and a comparison of implementation plans. While this guide focuses on occupational healthcare providers, much of the information is transferrable and can be easily augmented to address safe patient handling programs in other healthcare fields.
• In 2001, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs published Patient Care Ergonomics Resource Guide: Safe Patient Handling and Movement, Part 1 and Part 2. This resource provides program elements and user-friendly tools that have been tested within the Veterans Health Administration and fully implemented in 25 nursing home care units and spinal cord injury units.

More Resources

The following resources may be useful for hospitals interested in starting a safe patient handling program:

• The Minnesota Hospital Association created a Road Map to a Comprehensive Safe Patient Handling Program and a Tool Kit for Hospital Staff that include best practices for implementing safe patient handling recommendations in hospitals. The Sample Minnesota Safe-Patient-Handling Program for Hospitals provides a sample schedule for implementing a safe patient handling program.
• The State of Washington has produced a "Getting Started" guide with a step-by-step procedure for implementing a safe patient handling program. Safe Patient Handling Programs: A Best Practices Guide for Washington Hospitals contains resources, stories, and case studies to help hospitals implement evidence-based safe patient handling programs.
• The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration created A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Providers, which discusses how to analyze the workplace to find work activities that may contribute to the development of back injuries, identify and implement improvements, and evaluate the results.
• The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses' Safe Patient Handling Toolkit can be used to implement a safe patient handling program in a rehabilitation setting.