Safe Patient Lifting and Handling Act
Safe Lifting Legislation Prevents injury to Patients, RNs, & Health Care Workers Support HB 471 (Patronis) and SB 508 (Fasano)
Nurses and other Health Care workers confront a silent epidemic of severe back injury that is robbing our hospitals of caregivers and crippling tens of thousands of those critically needed health professionals upon whom we all depend. Almost all of these injuries can be avoided by introducing methods and equipment that will not only prevent injuries to RN and other health professionals but will protect patients from needless falls and skin tears. The cost of introducing these life saving changes are relatively minor and quickly recouped from the funds saved from workman's comp. It is important to get the facts out:
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Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants lead the nation in work related back injuries according to the 2000 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. They suffered 62,332 injuries, 37.5 percent more than truckers.
- RNs manually lift an estimated 1.8 tons or 3,600 pounds per 12 hours shift, according to William Charney, a nationally recognized occupational health advocate, consultant, and lift team expert. Each lift, according to the same expert, carries with it a 75% risk of (often unrecognized) back injury because manually moving 50 or more lbs can result in hairline tears of protective membrane around spinal disks. The cumulative result of many such lifts is what most often leads to disabling back injury.
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In the context of a continuing shortage of nurses willing to work at the hospital bedside, back injuries are cited by 12% of the RNs who leave the profession as the primary reason for leaving, and 46% of the RNs surveyed by the American Nurse Association report they are working with ongoing back pain.
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At an average cost in Florida of $8,400 strains and sprains affecting the back cost Florida health care employers $23,553,600 in direct costs in 2000 alone. Adding estimated indirect costs, the number grows to $94,214,400
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Both the financial cost and human toll are totally unnecessary given the level of knowledge and readily available machinery and techniques. Tampa General Hospital, has implemented a lift team approach utilizing mechanical lift equipment and eliminated almost all injuries to patient and to employees since implementation. Adopting the same or other zero manual lift approaches would save Florida tens of millions of dollars.
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The cost of replacing and orienting a new RN varies between $40,000 and $60,000. Any costs to implementing a no manual lifting policy, including the purchase of equipment, can be recouped in 12-24 months from the workmen's compensation and other related savings.
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The 2008 Safe Patient Lifting Bill, requires Hospitals to develop and implement plans to achieve a safe environment to avoid injuries to employees or patients. The bill requires the plans to be evidence based and specifies the various factors, such as mechanical lifting devices, specialized training, etc. that must be considered. The plans will be developed by committees that are in their majority clinicians and will be in place by 2009.