Safe Lifting Culture Change

Lisa Murphy, R.N.Jesse Brown VA Medical CenterFacility Safe Patient Handling

Coordinator312-569-7896

Lisa.Murphy2@va.gov

Safe Lifting Culture ChangeNecessary components for organizational change!

Setting goals - Where do we want to be? - What elements of the current culture have to change to get

there? What cultural elements support the success of your

organization and what do not? Innovation vs.

comfort in present practices?

What are your organizations values for staff in

particular? Numbers, time, costs savings, loyalty?

Safe Lifting Culture ChangeKey elements for creating organizational changeExecutive supportKnow your audience – business case scenario is helpful at this level.

Training/FacilitatingKnow your audience – adult learners… Visual, tactile, small groups, unit level, relationships, age groups, technology. What are their conflicting duties, do they have to complete all assignments and get

trained?Is the time to train going to create more work that day for staff?

Safe Lifting Culture ChangeIf you build it they will come!Essential elements True Believer! Team of fanatics! Steering Committee! (Don’t be the lone nut)

Logistics is what kills many a small business! Not about buy-in, rather it’s the people who are doing the work making decisions of what’s needed, how things can get done and who

best to do it(ceiling lifts, lateral transfer devices, where/when). Clear processes between all departments (including operations). Clear expectations. Rounds – be available if you are the Facility Champion – look for usage,

evaluate processes, on the spot problem solving with staff (if you don’t know what’s going on you can’t effectuate change).

Safe Lifting Culture Change

Jesse Brown Safe Patient Handling (SPH) Program. Program initiated summer 2008.

Unit hazard Assessments completed with staff input in summer 2007.

Decisions on equipment purchases made with staff input after equipment trials.

Ceiling lifts installed and equipment purchased. UPL’s (Unit Peer Leader) assigned and trained Spring 2008 prior to

opening BTP. Staff in Nursing, Radiology and Rehabilitation service trained on

equipment use(Unit Peer Leaders assisted with this). Processes between departments were developed. Program rolled out corresponding with the opening of the Bed Tower

Pavilion. Services and processes added with additional equipment , and the

policy written to follow processes once efficacy determined. Equipment is located in all areas of the Medical Center and CBOCS

where patient handling occurs, including ceiling lifts, floor based lifts, lateral transfer devices, and power stretchers. ICU has all motorized beds.

UPL’s for all Inpatient and Outpatient Nursing, ER, Rehab, Radiology, Vascular, Cardiac Cath, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, Dental, OR. Future plans include installation of ceiling lifts in many new

Outpatient areas with construction contracts.

Safe Lifting Culture ChangeMonthly New Employee SPH classes provided.Annual competency training in work areas by

UPL’s.Monthly UPL meetings held to discuss issues,

concerns, assess problem areas and determine intervention strategies.

Monthly SPH Committee meetings (now quarterly).Patient information shown 3x/day on CLC TV as

well as brochure distribution.Processes for everything with input from users and

constant feedback.Injuries reduced by 75% since program initiation.

Safe Lifting Culture ChangeSafe Patient Handling Coordinator…….Murphy’s Life!  Thank you….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO8MwBZl-Vc