Safe Patient Handling

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, skilled nursing and residential care facilities experienced one of the highest rates of lost workdays due to injuries and illnesses of all major American industries. Therefore in 2012, OSHA announced a national program targeting facilities with a Days Away, Restricted, Transfer (DART) rate of 10 or higher per 100 full-time workers.

Through the Select Medical WorkStrategies® Program, a wide range of customized services are available to assist in developing plans to lower DART rates and assist in reducing injuries of caregivers. Our team of professionals has the skills needed to assist in enhancement of current safe patient handling programs and in the development of new programs.

Safe Patient Handling Services | Prevention/Pre-Loss Services

• No Lift Services: The creation of a "No Lift Environment" requires assessment of each patient/resident by a trained clinician who can create a specific and safe mobility plan.
• WorkTask Analysis: Identify, analyze and objectively document the essential job functions to compliment the job description. The WorkTask Analysis will determine the job-specific physical demands that include lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling force and frequency. Positional tolerance functions, sensory functions, and environmental conditions are objectively measured and documented.
• Post-Offer Employment Testing: Using compliant and effective post-offer testing policies and procedures enables Human Resources (HR) and Safety professionals to hire physically capable employees creating a safer environment for patients/residents as well as employees.

Safe Patient Handling Services | Injury Management/Post-Loss Services

• Return-to-Work Programs: Custom return-to-work programs are developed based on the needs of the employee and the specific job requirements.
• Acute Rehabilitation: Injured workers are treated by physical therapists and occupational therapists who are experts in the management of musculoskeletal injuries and the biomechanics of patient handling techniques.
• Work Conditioning/Work Hardening: Given the high physical demands placed on care givers in nursing and residential living environments, those who have had a significant absence from work which results in loss of strength and potential loss of aerobic capacity, many benefit from a period of reconditioning through a work conditioning program.
• Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE): FCEs are specific to patient handling job functions and are based on the physical demands determined through a WorkTask Analysis conducted for these specific positions.