What ANA is Doing to Promote SPH
Research, technology and legislation are changing the way healthcare facilities approach various aspects of workplace safety. Nurses require a safe work environment which includes moving patients without the risk of musculoskeletal disorder injuries which can lead to days away from work, burnout, nurse turnover and early retirement from nursing. It is becoming increasingly vital from both a legislative and workforce satisfaction point of view to implement safe patient handling programs in these facilities and to showcase the benefits of these programs to the nursing staff and local nursing and health care community.
| ANA is working on both a local and federal level to promote safe patient handling, through the ANA Handle with Care® Campaign. Local efforts include helping states pass safe patient handling legislation as well as creating the ANA Handle with Care Recognition Program™ to highlight individual hospitals successfully implementing safe patient handling programs. |
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Federal efforts include advocating for nurses’ wellbeing and supporting helpful bills, such as “The Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2009.”
See below for resources on what ANA is doing to promote safe patient handling. |
Resources
- Federal Legislation
- Find out about proposed bills supporting safe patient handling programs and methods that would help improve patient safety and protect health care workers from career-ending injuries.
- State Legislation on Safe Patient Handling
- Learn about current efforts and recent successes by state legislations at passing safe patient handling laws.
- ANA Handle with Care®
- The Handle with Care® campaign seeks to mount a profession-wide effort to prevent back and other musculoskeletal injuries through greater education and training, and increased use of assistive equipment and patient-handling devices.
- ANA Handle With Care Recognition Program™
- Highlight the comprehensive safe patient handling program at your hospital.