1 / 27

Zero Lift Policy Implementation in Nursing Homes: A Comprehensive Guide

Learn how to establish a successful zero lift policy in nursing homes, addressing ergonomic issues quickly with management commitment and employee involvement. Follow step-by-step processes to evaluate injuries, obtain funding, form a lifting committee, select equipment, and more. Cut costs, increase morale, and improve resident care with a well-planned strategy. Explore cost and injury reduction, employee testimonials, and performance measurement for successful outcomes.

cathal
Download Presentation

Zero Lift Policy Implementation in Nursing Homes: A Comprehensive Guide

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Ergo Blitz! How To Establish A Zero Lift Policy That Works

  2. Lessons • BLITZ! Nursing home ergonomic problems can be addressed QUICKLY • Payback is fast • Management commitment/employee involvement is the key to success

  3. OSHA Intervention? • Nursing Home Administrator attended OSHA Outreach Activity • Thereby motivated to avoid OSHA Nursing Home Programmed Inspection • State of Illinois OSHA On Site Consultants were used • No inspection by Federal OSHA

  4. The Facility • 207 bed long term care skilled nursing facility in Aurora, IL • 160 employees (65-70 aides) • 2002 injury/illness rate was high - 24.0! • Many lifting injuries • Beds • Chairs • Toileting

  5. The Process, Step By Step • Evaluate Injuries and Costs • Obtain Approval For Funding • Establish A Lifting Committee • Evaluate and Select Equipment • Resident/Family Notification • Receive and Prep Equipment • Training • Resident Assessment • Coordination with Other Staff • Enforcement • Performance Measurement • Evaluate Efforts Regularly

  6. Evaluate Injuries and Costs • OSHA recordables and non-recordables • Cost data from workman’s comp carrier • Resident injuries such as skin tears • Employee turnover rate and costs of turnover

  7. Obtain Approval For Funding • Present injury/cost data to owner • Ballpark estimate for buying lifting equipment • Note other expected results • Reduced risk of OSHA inspections/penalties • Reduced employee turnover, better morale • Injury reduction from dropping residents • Increased admissions from improved PR • Overall better resident care

  8. Establish A Lifting Committee • CNA based committee • Select outgoing CNAs • 45 minute meeting per week • Food, fun, praise • Leader has budget authority, is committed to project, and is a motivator

  9. Evaluate Equipment • Hold open house for several different vendors • Demo equipment never seen before • CNAs test equipment in the facility/provide feedback Four inch extenders added to bed legs so lift will fit under lowboy bed.

  10. Equipment Selection • Equipment feedback list from CNAs • Identify all different accessories needed for lifts such as scales and extra slings • Decision meeting with lifting committee • Final budget approval and purchase • Set date for zero lifting policy

  11. Resident/Family Notification • Send letter to families advising of change • Advise Resident’s Council

  12. Equipment Prep • Copy manufacturer instructions, laminate, and attach to equipment • Attach a warning sign that each lift must be checked prior to use • Charge battery operated equipment • Develop competency checklist on use of equipment

  13. Equipment Location • Right number of lifts in the appropriate locations • Lifts need to be available to aides, NOT the residents moved to be accessible to the equipment!

  14. Training • CNA one-on-one training for each employee • Employees competency checked on each piece of equipment • Competency check signed off by aide • Not use equipment until competency checked • 3 day suspension for not using lift

  15. Resident Assessment • Needs to identify the type of equipment needed for each resident • Develop assessment sheet • Review assessment sheet with staff

  16. Coordination • Maintenance staff – new equipment maintenance info • Laundry staff – sling cleaning information (some slings can’t be laundered). • Rehab staff – info on lift type(s) used with each resident (because lifts require use of muscles)

  17. Equipment Selection by this Nursing Home • 5 Sit to Stand Lifts • 4Hoyer Lifts • 3 Pivot Disks

  18. Sit To Stand Lift • Equip one sit-to-stand lift with a scale for weighing residents

  19. Hoyer Lift • Decision: Electric or Hydraulic • Purchase extra slings • Equip one lift with weigh scales to eliminate extra handling for resident weighing

  20. Pivot Disk • Like a Lazy Susan with handles • Great for bathrooms, can be rotated using little space

  21. Enforcement • 3 day suspension for not using lift • Policed by Lifting Committee members, empowered to recommend suspensions • Nine suspensions were levied here • Pick suspension days for best use of facility resources and less impact on employee’s paycheck at one time

  22. Results: Costs and Savings • Costs at this facility • $24K for lifting devices and slings • Time: 45 minutes weekly X approx 10 aides • Team leader time of approx 1 hour/week in addition to above meeting • Claims paid by comp carrier • 1/1/02 - 8/15/02 $67.5K paid 31 recordables • 1/1/03 - 8/15/03 $1215 paid 3 recordables

  23. Employee Testimonials • “I have much more energy at the end of the day. My quality of life is so much better when I am home.” • “If interviewing at another nursing home, I would ask them about the equipment they have and their lifting policies.”

  24. Performance Measurement • Worker’s comp costs • OSHA recordable and nonrecordable injuries • Employee satisfaction • Number of resident transfer injuries

  25. Evaluation • Continue regular committee meetings and solicit feedback • Make changes in equipment, procedures, or training where necessary

  26. Lessons Learned • Hazard Resolved: nursing home ergonomic problems addressed in less than 3 months! • Payback: almost immediate from a comp payout standpoint • Safety Management: Administrator involvement and employee lifting committee were the key to success.

  27. Contact October 2003 shields.charlie@dol.gov Charles J. Shields, MS, CIH, CSP U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA 365 Smoke Tree Plaza North Aurora, IL 60542 630-896-8700 • Six Year Anniversary of Aurora Area Office Electronic Mail Newsletters

More Related