The American Nurses Association announced the release of national standards for safe patient handling and mobility to improve safety for both healthcare workers and patients.
The ANA convened an interprofessional group of subject matter experts to develop patient handling and mobility standards based on evidence of effectiveness in improving patient outcomes and reducing workers' musculoskeletal disorders, according to the news release. The resulting publication, "Safe Patient Handling and Mobility: Interprofessional National Standards," includes eight principles to create a program to eliminate manual handling of patients:
1. Establish a culture of safety.
2. Create a sustainable program.
3. Incorporate ergonomic design principles.
4. Develop a technology plan.
5. Educate and train healthcare workers.
6. Assess patients to plan care for their individual needs.
7. Set reasonable accommodations for employees' return to work post-injury.
8. Implement a comprehensive evaluation system.
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