Proposed law prohibits most manual lifting
The Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2009 would require "the elimination of manual lifting of patients by direct care registered nurses and all other health care workers, through the use of mechanical devices to the greatest degree feasible except where the use of safe patient handling practices can be demonstrated to compromise patient care." Health care employers would be required to:
develop an injury prevention plan, including hazard identification, risk assessments, and control measures;
purchase, use, maintain, and have accessible "an adequate number" of lift devices;
include input from frontline nurses and other health care workers;
track and analyze injuries related to safe patient handling;
document and report on incidents in which safe patient handling equipment was not used due to "legitimate concerns" about patient care;
train nurses and other health care workers at least annually on safe patient handling, injury prevention, and use of device. Training must be interactive, classroom-based, and "hands- on."
The Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2009 would require "the elimination of manual lifting of patients by direct care registered nurses and all other health care workers, through the use of mechanical devices to the greatest degree feasible except where the use of safe patient handling practices can be demonstrated to compromise patient care."You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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