Safe patient handling programs first entered the healthcare landscape in the early 2000s, spurred by a critical need to reduce workplace injuries and improve patient safety. Since then, several states have enacted safe patient handling legislation mandating these programs in their healthcare settings.
In long-term care and post-acute settings, safe patient handling implementation remains variable. Some facilities do not have programs, and the ones that do may have robust training and quality equipment or may struggle with developing a formalized program.
Because these programs have shown significant benefit, as long-term and post-acute care organizations look to adapt to the changing demands of today’s healthcare industry, safe patient handling programs should be a key priority in operational and clinical workflows.
Staffing shortages are front and center in the healthcare industry, with essential personnel in critically short supply. In long-term and post-acute care, workplace injuries related to patient handling have significant impact: back injuries alone cost the industry an estimated $20 billion per year.
Certified nursing assistants, who represent some of the most commonly injured caregivers, leave their positions in nursing homes at a rate of 78% each year. And while retention is a concern, days lost to injury also play a role in staffing issues and the ability to provide efficient care.
Safe patient handling programs can help mitigate these concerns. In Minnesota, implementation of safe patient handling legislation resulted in a 38% reduction in lost-time worker’s compensation claims and 55% of nursing homes reduced patient handling injury claims. Safe patient handling with the right equipment is more efficient as well — requiring fewer personnel and less time.
For long-term care residents and post-acute patients, safe patient handling offers benefits that drive higher patient satisfaction: increased comfort and dignity, reduced risk of injuries during transfers (such as falls and skin tears), improved mobility (reducing risk of pressure injuries), shorter lengths of stay, and better rehabilitation outcomes.
Advanced technology in patient handling equipment is the foundation of a robust safe patient handling program. Equipment design should incorporate the latest medical research, technology, and clinical advancements.
When an organization invests in equipment, choosing equipment with superior function and durability helps safeguard that investment: equipment downtime is a known barrier to successful safe patient handling programs. High-quality equipment equals reliable functionality and fewer costly caregiver injuries.
A high-quality safe patient handling program with research-driven, evidence-based use of equipment should be incorporated into planning for new facilities, and as existing facilities modernize as well. Building a successful program is greatly enhanced by leaning into the expertise of safe patient handling providers who offer comprehensive support and change management. Some key elements facilities should be looking for include:
Integrating equipment like ceiling lifts requires a partner who understands the complexities of working with architects and builders through the design and planning phase and utilizes the latest Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. A safe patient handling provider should offer a dedicated project manager to ensure customization and the highest quality outcomes.
Driving change management at a caregiver level is easier when workflows make sense and training is developed based on clinical best practices. It’s important for safe patient handling equipment providers to go beyond just offering the tools needed to provide safe care — showing caregivers how to use them is critical. When a safe patient handling provider’s team of clinical experts provides tailored clinical programs for healthcare professionals in a facility, safe patient handling is more successful.
Preventative maintenance and expert troubleshooting supports facilities in ensuring safe patient handling equipment is available when it’s needed. Having trained specialists available means facilities experience less downtime, staff can rely on the program to operate as intended (encouraging consistent use), and investments are protected.
By supporting better patient outcomes, reducing caregiver injury, increasing workplace satisfaction, and driving improved financial performance, safe patient handling programs remain a core part successful performance for long-term and post-acute care facilities.
Choosing the right equipment and partnering with a high-quality safe patient handling provider has significant impact on the success of any safe patient handling initiative. In a rapidly evolving healthcare industry, Savaria Patient Care offers best-in-class expertise, guidance and research-backed equipment to meet these needs across the long-term and post-acute landscape.
Repositioning patients in bed frequently is critical to reducing the incidence of skin breakdown and pressure injuries, and a variety of tools exist to help both patients and caregiving staff improve the ease and comfort of repositioning and transfers.
One common strategy is the use of sliding sheets. However, they may pose barriers for safe and effective repositioning, leading to increased risk of injury to staff and patients as well as decreased patient and staff satisfaction.
The WendyLett Repositioning System offers a unique solution to traditional repositioning methods, maximizing both efficiency and comfort for all involved.
Sliding sheets are often used to overcome the friction of traditional bed linens that prevent easily moving a person in any direction in bed when they require repositioning. Although this approach reduces physical strain and fatigue for staff, it requires significantly more time, discouraging use.
Sliding sheets must be stored, retrieved, and moved into position under a patient. Additionally, if they are left in bed, they pose a risk of allowing a patient to slide off the bed.
Implementing more effective tools to encourage compliance with recommended repositioning intervals can help reduce caregiver burnout, improve patient outcomes, and avoid costly pressure injuries.
The WendyLett Repositioning system was designed with efficiency and comfort in mind. A premium product that uses superior fabric technology, it is comprised of three parts:
The WendyLett Repositioning System comes in a variety of sizes to fit different bed dimensions, as well as aesthetically pleasing patterns to create a less institutional feel. Because they are designed for everyday use and remain on the bed, there is no time wasted locating and applying them for use or returning to storage when complete.
The bottom fitted layer also helps reduce resistance so that patients who are more mobile can turn themselves more easily, rather than waiting for assistance. Integrated handles in the top layer not only facilitate manual lifting and transfers of immobile patients but can also be used seamlessly with mechanical lifts.
This ease of use extends beyond everyday needs as well. With staffing shortages on the rise and training time at a premium, healthcare facilities need products that are intuitive, effective, and easy to implement, even for staff that may have never touched the product.
The WendyLett system is designed with built-in visuals that aid in correct use by caregivers. The fabric pattern itself doubles as instructions: the slide sheet has a pattern of white stripes on a grey background, indicating the direction of glide. The 4-way draw sheet has a sliding surface underneath and a grey-checked pattern illustrating the direction of draw.
These features mean that new employees, float staff, and temporary staff can use the WendyLett system effectively without hours of specialized training.
The high-quality fabric used in the WendyLett system helps avoid the friction and shearing damage of resistance against standard bed coverings during repositioning. They can be used on top of a pressure-relieving mattress without compromising the pressure-relieving properties of the mattress.
To provide the user with maximum comfort, all seams have been eliminated across the layers, and the design of the joint seams has been minimized. Made with a combination of soft cotton and durable polyester, the double-fabric design helps prevent patients from sliding out of bed while at the same time lasting longer than other products.
Investing in the WendyLett Repositioning System facilitates comfort and efficient, safe repositioning and transfers for patients with limited mobility. Using this product in place of traditional repositioning aids can help remove barriers to effective repositioning, improving both patient and financial outcomes. To learn more about how you can include the WendyLett Repositioning System in your facility’s quality care, contact us today.
Providing high-quality care in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) includes more than just prioritizing excellence in the healthcare delivered. For the more than one million older adults residing in long-term care, these facilities are often home. To offer premium services and foster a strong reputation, it’s important to pay attention to the details that bring comfort and the aesthetic of a home-like setting.
Recently, a national committee reviewing the quality of care in LTC settings recommended renovation of existing facilities to create more home-like environments. The largest and most obvious component of creating this environment is the furniture chosen by a long-term care facility.
Along with choosing furniture that creates a sense of familiarity and comfort, these items are subject to other considerations: compliance with anti-tip regulations, the durability and reliability of the furniture and whether it can be easily customized to suit facility-specific needs.
At Savaria Patient Care, we’ve released two case goods collections, the Luxe Collection and the Elegance Collection, that meet all these requirements while setting the industry standard for what high-quality long-term care furnishings should be.
Both resident and caregivers alike are impacted by the environment they spend their days in. Those who choose long-term care need their room to create a connection to their life before the facility. When they are admitted, one of their first interactions with their room is storing personal items in the room’s furnishings. Imagine the impression made by outdated, unsightly or even damaged furnishings.
Attracting and retaining residents calls for a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of care offered, and that includes the environment. In a recent survey, Americans gave nursing homes a D+ rating for quality of care, highlighting the importance of shifting this perception.
Long-term care facilities place unique demands on furnishings. In the healthcare setting, frequent sanitation is a must, exposing surfaces regularly to cleaning products and moisture. Resident use of mobility equipment can expose furnishings to frequent bumps and impacts. Drawers are often used frequently and must hold heavy belongings.
Purchasing high-quality case goods represents an opportunity to avoid frequently replacing broken furniture. Savaria’s case goods collections were developed with durability in mind and are built to withstand the rigors of daily use in a healthcare setting. You can expect features like:
This approach to durability helps ensure longevity not only with routine exposure to moisture, but also heat — in smaller resident rooms, furniture may be close to heating units, and facilities often use high-heat treatment to eliminate bedbugs.
Substandard materials do not hold up to these conditions, leading to furniture that may look nice at first, but quickly deteriorates. This is reflected in typically short warranties on long-term care furniture, unlike the longer five-year warranty offered by Savaria.
Durability is one part of equation, but seamless design is another. The wrong design elements can result in a sterile, unwelcoming environment. In contrast, attention to details can enhance resident dignity and comfort by creating a caring environment with polished, warm furnishings that feel like home.
Savaria’s collections offer a variety of options for finishes and hardware, allowing a facility’s interior designer to customize furniture choices to the facility’s chosen brand aesthetic.
The Luxe Collection offers:
The Elegance Collection offers:
Both lines offer upgrade options — furniture locks with individual keys and master access, ADA wardrobe lift and flush-mount USB outlets.
This versatility provides a more seamless aesthetic in resident rooms, for example, allowing facilities to match case goods furnishings with existing headboards and footboards to create a more pleasing environment.
As we’ve illustrated, durability and design are both important, but it’s also crucial to ensure any case goods are compliant with regulations as well. The STURDY Act (ASTM F2057-23) is new anti-tip legislation affecting freestanding clothing storage units.
Older furniture that was not built to these specifications opens facilities up to liability if a resident is injured by unstable furniture. Given the likelihood of residents relying on furniture for balance and support, it is critical that it is not prone to tipping over.
Savaria’s case goods lines are compliant with the STURDY Act, giving facilities a competitive advantage when it comes to safety.
If your organization is ready to upgrade their environment to reflect a sense of quality and home, positively impacting resident satisfaction and safety, choosing Savaria Patient Care’s case goods gives facilities a variety of design options and durable furnishings backed by a best-in-class warranty. To learn more, get in touch with us today for personalized assistance including a quote.
