One of the major issues facing nurses today is the frequent heavy lifting and repositioning of patients. Patients often exceed the lifting capacity of many nurses.

“Two Bon Secours patient mobility team technicians, Crystal Jones (left) and Mandy Robinson (right), participate in a training exercise with team leader Robin Gordon. The equipment is the Sara-Lift, made by Arjo, Inc., and it is a sit-to-stand device designed to assist patients from a sitting to a standing position. The Sara Lift can then roll to other parts of the room where the patient can be lowered.

Crystal Jones (left) and Mandy Robinson (right), participate in a training exercise with team leader Robin Gordon. The Maxi-Move, designed by Arjo, Inc., is a total lift device used to transfer patients who are not able to bear their own weight.

Patient Mobility Team Leader Robin Gordon assists in a training exercise with two technicians, Mandy Robinson (left) and LaTonya Christian (right). The team demonstrates two-hour turns, which are used with patients who are not able to turn themselves. The repositioning technique reduces the probability of skin breakdowns caused by long-term bedrest.

“Studies have shown that the number one reason nurses leave the profession is because of the demands of the job,” said Cindy Stutts, administrative director of Employee Wellness for Bon Secours. “It’s important to keep our experienced nurses healthy and able to perform their jobs. Improving the worker conditions helps keep them efficient and safe.”

Bon Secours has implemented a Patient Lift Mobility Team, designed to improve working conditions for its nursing staffs. The lifting program has been added at Memorial Regional Medical Center, St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center. Since they added the programs, the hospitals report having seen a drop in the number of injuries, decreased pain and reduced muscle fatigue within the nursing staff.

The lift team, available to all nursing units, is on duty from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Nurses assess each patient’s needs, then schedule the lift team around the patient’s schedule. The lift team reduces the number of lifts nurses have to perform on a regular basis, resulting in a decreased number of injuries.

“Adjusting to the lifting team has been hard for our nurses,” said Stutts. “Our nurses are willing to sacrifice their body for their patient; it’s their first instinct to help the patient.”

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends 35 pounds be the maximum weight used in patient-handling tasks. Competencies skill checks are performed by all nurses to make sure they know the proper lifting techniques, when to call for the lift team and how to use all lifting equipment correctly.