Every day, nurses and other caregivers must move, transport and reposition patients. Without proper equipment and training, there is an increased risk of injury to both staff and patients.
Since 2001, Sharp Grossmont Hospital has had a Lift Team and, in 2011, the hospital launched its Safe Patient Mobilization program in response to Assembly Bill 1136 (AB 1136), which requires all general acute care hospitals to maintain a safe patient handling policy and provide Lift Teams and other support staff trained in safe lifting techniques.
As part of the program, employees attend an annual two-hour training class to learn about AB 1136, body mechanics, Sharp HealthCare’s policy, and equipment specific to their unit. The hospital also has more than 100 transfer mobility coaches who attend an additional four-hour class where mentors teach them how to train and problem-solve for best outcomes. A dedicated Lift Team is available seven days a week to assist with more challenging cases.
Staff use more than a dozen different pieces of equipment to move patients up in bed, from one piece of furniture to another, in and out of vehicles, and off the ground, if necessary. The equipment is dependent on the weight and physical ability of the patient, not the employee. That means any employee, regardless of size or strength, can move patients without putting strain on their bodies.
Watch the video above to learn more about safe patient mobilization at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
