Evaluation of Interventions for Safe Patient Handling and Movement in the Healthcare Sector

Summary

There are several situations in the workplace in which both healthcare workers and patients are at risk of injury. Frequent patient transfers, heavy lifting and patient mobilization are proven risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare workers. Falls and patient transfers are frequently reported causes of patient injuries. Swedish occupational safety and health legislation and the Patient Safety Act require employers to provide good, safe care and to conduct risk assessments to prevent risks and injuries in the healthcare sector. It has been suggested that a combination of workplace interventions is needed to facilitate safe patient handling and movement and to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and injuries among healthcare workers and patients.

The main aim of the cluster randomized and controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate a multifactorial intervention strategy that includes risk assessment instruments as well as guidelines and training. This strategy will be compared with a single intervention strategy for safe patient handling and movement in workplaces in the Swedish regional and municipal healthcare system. All healthcare workers in the care units recruited to this RCT will be invited to participate. The study will evaluate the intervention strategies with regard to primary outcome measures given equal priority according to a hybrid 2 design of the RCT. These are: 1) the implementation process (acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility), here called the implementation outcome, and 2) the effect of the applied strategies (measured with regard to the workplace safety climate and additional questions about safety for patient handling and movement), here called intervention effectiveness.

This RCT is part of the Swedish Patient and Workers Safety Study (PAWSS). The aim of the PAWSS project is to contribute to a regional and municipal healthcare that is evidence-based and organized for both patient safety and a safe working environment for healthcare workers. The long-term goal is to facilitate safe patient handling and movement practices which prevent both care injuries and work injuries.

Conditions

• Occupational Health

Interventions

OTHER

Arm A) Multifactorial intervention strategy

Implementation of the multifactorial intervention strategy will be supported by the following components: 1\) An implementation team at each intervention unit consisting of 5-6 HCWs is responsible for informing and engaging all HCWs at the unit. For implementing the various components of the strategy. They will have the role of planning regular workplace meetings. 2) One or two internal facilitators will be the link between the external facilitator and the care unit. The internal facilitator will give support with material, information and will be able to ask questions of the external facilitator. 3\) External facilitator will ensure that the implementation process works according to plan. The research team will present the results of SMET to the implementation team. 4\) The research group will be project leaders and support the external facilitators. They will provide workshops and will also be responsible for data collection.

OTHER

Arm B) Single intervention strategy

No further interventions other than access to the Swedish guideline for patient handling and movement and the results from the SMET questionnaire will be presented to the manager. Arm B will be assigned an external facilitator who provides information, is present at the start-up meeting and will be the contact person during the study period. No further support will be given to the care units in arm B.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Linkoeping University

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Region Östergötland

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• charlotte Wåhlin, Ass. prof. · Arbets- och miljömedicin, Region Östergötland/Linköpings Universitet

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

67 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-02-01

Primary Completion

2024-03-15

Completion

2024-04-30

Countries

• Sweden

Study Locations