One Member’s Testimony Will Result in Safe Devices to Prevent Injuries in Others
Evelyn I. Bain M Ed, RN, COHN-S, Associate Director, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist in collaboration with Beth Piknick, RN, Member, Congress on Health and Safety

MNA member Beth Piknick testified in Washington, DC in June of this year,  about the back injury she sustained in February, 1992 (MassNurse, August 99, pg13).  This injury forced Beth to change the focus of her nursing career from tasks in critical care that required lifting and moving patients to tasks that are less physically demanding such as immunizations and health monitoring of hospital employees. 

Following Beth’s testimony in Washington, the local Cape Cod newspaper reported on the press conference. Shortly after the article appeared, her employer, Cape Cod Hospital started trialing lifting devices. This project was initiated by the employee health department of Cape Cod Hospital.  Beth, now a nurse in that department, has been given the responsibility for trialing and selecting lifting devices. 

Lifting and moving devices are designed to reduce or eliminate the actual physical lifting of patients and in the process, eliminate the stress and strain on the muscles and joints of nurses and other health care workers.  This repeated stress is responsible for the cumulative trauma, (repeated minor or major damage to muscles and joints), that causes many of the back and other musclo-skeletal injuries suffered by workers in the health care industry.  Workers in the health care industry now suffer more back injuries than workers in construction. 

Studies show that the lifting task that is most damaging to workers is moving patients from bed to chair, and the return trip, chair to bed is associated with the most injuries. Lifting devices are an example of hazard control technology.  Hazard control differs from injury prevention as it places the responsibility of eliminating hazards and providing safe working conditions on the employer.  The concept of injury prevention usually relates to working behavior of employees in the face of hazardous conditions. It is essential to move our thinking forward to eliminating hazards through the use of hazard control technology in the health care industry. 

It is important to trial new devices, as this process provides an opportunity to educate workers on the types of devices being considered and for their strengths and limitations to be identified in a controlled process.  Certain devices are more appropriate for certain patients. Trialing devices for worker input differs from the process in the past, when facilities purchased devices based on manufacturers recommendations.   When workers have no input a devices may be left in a closet to gather dust because there was no input or training prior to it’s purchase.  Trialing allows workers to select devices that are most appropriate for the patients and the environment in which they are working.

Patient lifting and moving devices range from slide boards to move patients from stretcher to bed or more complex devices that move patients from bed to chair.  New and innovative devices are hitting the medical market daily as the ergonomics issue and the cost of injuries become more of a concern to employers and their insurance carriers. 

Hazard controls, in the form of safe devices, are available, the process is rational and the results are cost effective While there are also cost issues to be considered with new devices, according to Hospital Employee Health, the average cost of a lifting device is about $7,000.00.  A single back injury to a worker costs $50,000.00.

Beth’s work demonstrates the importance of nurses being willing to speak up and speak out when they are confronted with occupational safety and health hazards at work.  She feels fortunate to have the opportunity to take an active role in a solution that is designed to prevent similar injuries. 

Members looking for information on back injury prevention can utilize MNA as a resource. 

Beth is a member of and can be reached through the MNA Congress on Health and Safety.  She can be contacted for information on various devices and her experience with the trialing process.  Call 781.830.5776 or 800.882.2056.