Mobilizing Obese Patients Reduces Staff Injuries

A novel pilot program designed to improve in-hospital mobilization of obese patients led to a significant decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and injuries among hospital staff.

Researchers at Vidant Medical Center (Greenville, NC, USA) created a 24-member “lift team” consisting of people from various fields, such as personal training and emergency management, who were trained in safe moving and lifting techniques. The lift-team members worked in roving pairs, assisting the nursing staff with safe turning, mobilization, bed surface and moisture management compliance for patients who weighed more than 90 kg, had a Braden score of less than or equal to 18, and/or pressure ulcers. The lift teams provided 24-hour and weekend coverage.

The program was implemented in six pilot units, including cardiovascular intensive care, cardiac intermediate care, medical intensive care, medical intermediate care, surgical intensive care, and surgical intermediate care. The results showed that in the first year of the program, patient-handling injuries among employees dropped 38.5% from the previous year, and at least two of the eight injuries reported would have been avoided had the lift team been involved in the transport of those patients. In both cases, clinical staff did not contact the team to help move these patients.

Over the same period, patients developed fewer hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, the incidence of which fell by 43%. Staff at the hospital also reported high rates of satisfaction with the program. In surveys conducted at the 1-, 6- and 12-month periods, 92%, 95% and 89% of respondents, respectively, said the lift team had a positive effect on their job satisfaction. The study was presented at the 133rd annual meeting of the American Surgical Association, held during April 2013 in Indianapolis (IN, USA).

“It’s really been a remarkable improvement in quality through a reduction in adverse events for both patients and employees,” said lead author surgeon Walter Pories, MD. “When the expense of hiring and running the lift team was taken into account, the hospital reported an overall cost savings for the year, estimated to be at least USD 233,125 annually.”

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Vidant Medical Center