Ohio Occupational Safety and Health Research Program

I.                   Project Summary

            Estimates of the incidence of back pain among nurses and other health care workers are alarming.   Over half of all nurses complain of chronic back pain, with life time prevalence up to eighty percent.  Over one-third of nurses report having occupational-related back pain severe enough to require leave from work.  Multiple patient-handling tasks have been identified that place nurses and nurse’s aides at risk for musculoskeletal injuries.  Equipment and ergonomic training programs have been developed and examined, with resultant best practice safe handling guidelines.  However, in practice, multiple barriers have been identified preventing full implementation of these guidelines and compliance remains problematic. The proposed project will develop an innovative model to update and improve an existing safe handling program, specifically addressing issues of compliance.  The project has two novel components. First, it will provide a thorough program evaluation including qualitative components lacking in previous work. Second, it will employ new inexpensive technology in the form of a sensor-based monitoring system capable of providing real-time and summative feedback to caregivers.

Using an interprofessional team, six faculty members from Cleveland State University (CSU) with backgrounds in nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and engineering will provide the resources to implement the proposed project in collaboration with the Jennings Center for Older Adults and one external partner.  The CSU team has experience in program evaluation as well as technology development and implementation.  Jennings Center already has an established safe movement program that includes lifting equipment and a full training program.  It is an ideal site for the proposed study with an upper administration committed to worker safety and a culture promoting excellent staff working conditions.  Our outside consultant, Steve Vojtko, is an occupational therapist and owner of Health & Occupational Preventative Solutions Inc. who specializes in providing ergonomic training to health care professionals.  We plan to:

1.       Develop an innovative real time monitoring system with haptic feedback to help STNA’s to recognize correct and incorrect postures and movements while performing patient handling tasks at bedside;

2.       Utilize a program evaluation/ mixed methods methodology (Concurrent Triangulation Strategy) that includes extensive qualitative components previously lacking in patient handling studies, and incorporates Ohio BWC, OSHA, and ANA best practice guidelines to recommend improvements in the facility’s existing patient handling program;

3.       Design and implement a pilot safe handling program that integrates the new monitoring system and recommended program improvements into the facility’s current patient handling program;

4.       Study the effectiveness of both the new system and the integrated program from the perspective of the stakeholders and  from data collected such as lost work days, reported injuries, and compliance with safe movement. 

 

This proposed project addresses the following focus areas provided in the grant guidelines of the Ohio Occupational Safety and Health Research Program, and the mission of the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation:

1.       Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, especially those associated with back, shoulder, or knee;

2.       Prevention of injuries in the health care sector including safe patient handling interventions;

3.       Development and validation of innovative solutions to quantify the effectiveness and return on investment for implementing occupational safety and health and/or ergonomics interventions in the workplace;

Development of innovative tools to improve occupational safety and health management.