Safe Patient Handling and Mobility

 
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Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Supplement to

                                         www.AmericanNurseToday.com
                                              September 2014

                                         Current
                                        Topics in
                                         Safe
                                        Patient
                                       Handling
                                          and
                                       Mobility

This supplement was funded by an
unrestricted educational grant from
Hill-Rom. Content of this supplement
was developed independently of
the sponsor and all articles have
undergone peer review according to
American Nurse Today standards.
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Safe patient handling and
mobility: A call to action
Much more must be done to enhance safety for
patients and caregivers.
By Melissa A. Fitzpatrick, MSN, RN, FAAN

        confluence of demographic           While the intentions of manual      transportation orderlies, and others

A       and economic trends is
        pushing us toward the per-
fect storm:
                                        patient mobilization may be honor-
                                        able, the effects are far from opti-
                                        mal for all involved. There’s no such
                                                                                in implementing the standards and
                                                                                creating a culture of safety in their
                                                                                organizations. However, only 11
• Today’s nursing workforce is          thing as “safe lifting” when we use     states have enacted SPHM laws
   aging. The average age of the        our bodies as the lifting mechanism.    and these laws vary significantly.
   American registered nurse is         Old-school teachings about safe         Much more work needs to be done
   44.6.                                body mechanics have been proven         to enhance safety for patients and
• The patients we serve are heav-       invalid, and many of us must un-        caregivers.
   ier than ever.                       learn them. As nurses, we must              This special report provides a
• Experts predict increases in pa-      change our mindset and get in the       helpful resource to caregivers as
   tient acuity, age, and comor-        habit of using safe patient handling    they continue to practice SPHM—or
   bidity.                              and mobility (SPHM) technology to       to embark on their SPHM journey if
• Staffing issues continue to cause     keep both our patients and our-         they’re not already on it. National
   concern. Some experts project        selves safe from harm.                  experts share their perspectives and
   the United States will be short          How many times have you or a        best practices to align people,
   about 250,000 nurses over the        colleague suffered an injury to         processes, and technology to set
   next 10 to 12 years.                 your back, shoulder, or both during     the course for action. I’d like to
• Economic imperatives require us       manual patient handling? How            thank all of the authors who’ve con-
   to move patients through the         many colleagues have we lost to         tributed to this special report for
   healthcare delivery system more      our profession because of a career-     sharing their expertise and strate-
   quickly to shorten stays and en-     ending injury? How many millions        gies, which we hope will be imple-
   hance financial reimbursement.       of dollars are spent on workers’        mented where you work. Please
                                        compensation claims for employees       take these best practices to heart
    Any one of these trends is          who’ve had patient handling and         and engage your colleagues to do
cause for concern. All of them          mobility injuries? Caregiver injuries   the same. And please join all of us
occurring at once is cause for          adversely affect staff morale,          at Hill-Rom on our mission to ensure
alarm—and a call to action.             staffing levels, and, ultimately, pa-   SPHM. Much is at stake, and noth-
Imagine older nurses lifting heav-      tient safety. Such injuries have        ing is more important than your
ier, older, and sicker patients. Ob-    made headlines in many communi-         health and well-being—to enable
viously, all parties are at greater     ties and are top of mind for health-    you to continue doing what only
risk for injury.                        care leaders. Legislatures have tak-    nurses can do. We’ve never need-
    In too many cases, nurses contin-   en on the issue, and in 2013 the        ed nurses more than we do now.
ue to deliver care “the way we’ve       American Nurses Association
                                                                                Selected references
always done it.” For many, this         (ANA) supported a federal bill to
                                                                                American Nurses Association. Safe Patient Han-
means doing the heavy lifting need-     eliminate manual patient handling,      dling and Mobility: Interprofessional National
ed to mobilize patients manually in     including lifting, transferring, and    Standards. Silver Spring, MD: Author; 2013.
an attempt to avoid the many se-        repositioning patients. That same       Buerhaus PI, Auerbach DI, Staiger DO. The recent
quelae of immobility—decreased          year, ANA published national inter-     surge in nurse employment: causes and implica-
                                                                                tions. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009;28(4):w657-68.
cardiovascular, pulmonary, integu-      professional standards to guide
mentary, and psychological func-        caregiving teams of nurses, physi-      Melissa A. Fitzpatrick is vice-president and chief
tioning, to name a few.                 cal therapists, nursing assistants,     clinical officer at Hill-Rom.

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                            September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility          1
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Current Topics in Safe Patient
        Handling and Mobility
        CONTENTS
    1   Safe patient handling and mobility: A call to action
        By Melissa A. Fitzpatrick
        “The way we’ve always done it” is no longer an acceptable rationale for manual patient handling and
        mobilization. We must change our mindset and embrace appropriate technology to keep ourselves and
        our patients safe from harm.

    4   Elements of a successful safe
        patient handling and mobility
        program
        By John Celona
        To build a successful program, identify
        your facility’s specific needs, design the
        program, obtain leaders’ and nurses’
        commitment, and provide effective
        education and training.

    7   Transforming the culture:
        The key to hardwiring early
        mobility and safe patient
        handling
        By Kathleen M. Vollman and Rick Bassett
        Accomplishing early patient mobility and safe handling requires a culture change, deliberate focus, staff
        education, and full engagement.

11      Standards to protect
        nurses from handling
        and mobility injuries
        By Amy Garcia
        Learn about ANA’s
        interprofessional national
        standards on safe patient
        handling and mobility,
        developed by a panel of
        interdisciplinary experts.

2   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014                   www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Supplement to

   www.AmericanNurseToday.com   September 2014

13        Implementing a mobility assessment
          tool for nurses
          By Teresa Boynton, Lesly Kelly, and Amber Perez
          The authors describe a nurse-driven tool you
          can use at the bedside to evaluate your
          patient’s mobility level and guide decisions
          about patient lifts, slings, and other
          technology.

17        The sliding patient: How to respond
          to and prevent migration in bed
          By Neal Wiggermann
          Pulling patients up in bed carries a high risk
          of caregiver injury. Find out how to prevent
          patient migration and manage it safely when
          it occurs.

20        Prepare to care for patients of size
          By Dee Kumpar
          Nearly a third of patient-handling injuries
          involve bariatric patients. Handling and
          mobilizing these patients safely requires skill
          and specialized technology.

23        Developing a sling management system
          By Jan DuBose
          Disposable or launderable slings? In-house or outsourced laundering? These and other key decisions
          require input from all departments involved.

26        Making the business case for a safe patient
          handling and mobility program
          By John Celona
          The author explains three approaches to justifying a
          safe patient handling and mobility program and presents
          a decision-analysis case study.

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                                  September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   3
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Elements of a
        successful safe patient
        handling and mobility
        program
        Program success hinges on leaders’ and nurses’
        commitment.
        By John Celona, BS, JD

               ince safe patient handling

        S      and mobility (SPHM) efforts
               began more than a decade
        ago, data show dramatic reduc-
        tions in caregiver injuries after a
        safe patient handling and mobility
        (SPHM) program is implemented.
        So why doesn’t every healthcare
        facility have one?
            The first reason is cost. An
        SPHM program requires a sub-
        stantial outlay. Second, SPHM
        program results have been incon-
        sistent. Tales abound of equipment
        bought but not used because it’s
        too much trouble to fetch it from
        the closet, or because no one can
        locate the necessary sling. Finally,
        SPHM program value costs are
        clear but benefits are hard to
        quantify.
            This article addresses these is-
        sues by laying out the basic ele-
        ments of a successful SPHM pro-
        gram. These elements can be
        divided into two broad cate-
        gories—determining out what you
        need and making it happen. (See
        Simplifying the equation.)

        Determining what you
        need
        Start by estimating how many pa-
        tients on a given unit are totally

4   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014   www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Simplifying the equation
                                            This diagram shows in broad strokes how a healthcare organization can develop and imple-
dependent on the nurse to lift or           ment a safe patient handling and mobility program.
mobilize them. Then estimate how
many patients on the unit need
                                                         Determining what you need
partial assistance with mobility ac-
tivities, such as toileting or moving
from bed to chair.
    For each patient category, esti-
mate the numbers and types of
mobilization each will need over
the course of an average stay.
Types of mobilization include
boosting, turning, moving from
bed to chair, assisting with ambu-
lation, and so on. For these cate-
gories and frequencies of mobi-
lization tasks, figure out how much
and what types of equipment are
needed to eliminate variation in
practice and standardize how to
safely accomplish the task.
    In practice, most people devel-
op rules of thumb or use intuition
and experience rather than calcu-
lating the four types of information
described above. Also, vendors of
handling and mobility equipment
have experience in determining re-       Compliance rate                             available, an organization can’t
quired equipment.                        When designing and implement-               standardize a new mobilization
    I’ve observed three different ap-    ing an SPHM program, the compli-            process, so the equipment gets
proaches to supplying the equip-         ance rate is the key variable an            used for relatively few mobiliza-
ment needed to mobilize patients:        organization is driving. The com-           tions. With higher investment lev-
• installing overhead lifts—ceiling      pliance rate is defined as the num-         els, using the equipment becomes
    tracks to which lifting slings are   ber of mobilizations for which              part of caregivers’ routine, so the
    attached                             SPHM equipment is actually used,            compliance rate goes up.
• using portable lifts—floor-            divided by the number of mobiliza-
    mounted structures for mobiliz-      tions for which it should be used.          Making it happen
    ing patients that can be moved       The compliance rate is critical be-         A successful SPHM program re-
    around as needed                     cause it drives program benefits.           quires leadership commitment,
• going the “equipment light”            A rate of 0% means the equipment            nursing commitment, and an edu-
    route—using a low-tech system        is never used and isn’t producing           cation and training plan. Leader-
    that combines slide sheets, limb     benefits. A rate of 100% means              ship commitment is needed to ap-
    lifters, and slide boards to mo-     caregivers are using the equipment          prove SPHM equipment purchase,
    bilize patients instead of using     every time they should be, creat-           design of training plans, and time
    ceiling-mounted or portable          ing the maximum possible value              away from duty for training. Such
    floor lifts.                         from the SPHM program.                      commitment is best obtained by
    Any of these approaches will             A small level of investment in          creating a business case to de-
work to mobilize patients and            SPHM equipment makes little dif-            scribe the proposed SPHM pro-
reduce caregiver injuries if the         ference in the compliance rate or           gram and quantify its total costs
healthcare organization can get          program results. Without the right          and benefits, including return on
staff to use them.                       amount or type of equipment                 investment (ROI). (See “Making

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                              September 2014     Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility        5
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
the business case for a safe pa-          Why feedback is important               ing more efficient lifting methods
        tient handling and mobility pro-          Feedback is crucial for tracking        and equipment might yield addi-
        gram” in this report.)                    and monitoring the SPHM program         tional program benefits from time
            The entire nursing staff must be      to determine how well it’s working.     savings. Stanford University Med-
        committed, especially the chief           Successful programs use two types       ical Center compared the average
        nursing officer, who has to ap-           of feedback. Compliance rate            time for a chair-to-bed transfer
        prove the time required for staff         monitoring gives some reassurance       using ceiling lifts vs. portable
        training and education. Nursing           that caregivers actually are using      lifts. On average, a ceiling-lift
        commitment should be easy to get          SPHM technology when they               transfer was completed before the
        if the business case has identified       should be. Such monitoring may          portable-lift transfer even began.
        the program’s potential for reduc-        be done indirectly by requiring an-     These data were used to justify
        ing caregiver injuries, increasing        nual staff certification to ensure      ceiling lift installation in Stanford’s
        staff availability for duty due to in-    they know how to use the equip-         new hospital.
        jury reduction, and improving             ment. Direct methods include ob-             Monitoring SPHM program re-
        nursing retention and satisfaction.       serving the unit to see if caregivers   sults and comparing them against
            An education and training plan        use appropriate SPHM methods.           the potential results quantified in
        addresses which SPHM technolo-            Some newer types of equipment           the business case are crucial for
        gy is purchased, installed, and de-       come with devices to measure how        ensuring the program is working
        ployed and when and where it’s            many times they’re used.                as designed and the organization
        installed and deployed; who gets              Program result monitoring, on       is realizing the projected ROI.
        trained, at what level of training,       the other hand, depends on SPHM         When results vary from the ranges
        and when training takes place;            program goals. These vary by            identified in the business case, the
        and how program data will be              facility but may include reduced        cause must be identified and re-
        tracked and monitored to deter-           caregiver injuries from patient         medial action must be taken.
        mine if it’s achieving the intended       handling, decreases in pressure              Understanding and implement-
        results. In many cases, training ac-      ulcers and patient falls, increased     ing the essential elements of an
        counts for half or more of total          patient and staff satisfaction, and     SPHM program will help you en-
        SPHM program costs.                       improved staff retention. The busi-     sure that your organization’s pro-
                                                  ness case and ROI for the SPHM          gram is successful and can truly
        Levels of expertise                       program should identify which           achieve better outcomes for care-
        Three levels of expertise in using        program results create the most         givers and patients.                8
        SPHM equipment and methods exist:         value. Methods for monitoring
        • A facility champion can “train          these results should be created if       A valuable resource for establishing a
                                                                                           safe patient handling and mobility pro-
           the trainers” and aid program          they don’t already exist.                gram is Implementation Guide to the Safe
           design and revision (adjusting             Most SPHM programs monitor           Patient Handling and Mobility Interprofes-
           the deployed equipment or              workers’ compensation costs from         sional National Standards, available at
                                                                                           www.nursesbooks.org/SPHM-Package.
           training if needed). To be effec-      caregiver injuries related to pa-
           tive, this person needs both ex-       tient handling. Usually, this neces-    Selected references
           tensive training and experience.       sitates connecting incidence data       Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health
                                                                                          Administration. VHA Directive 2010-032. Safe
        • A super user (such as a unit            on the types and causes of injuries
                                                                                          Patient Handling Program and Facility Design.
           peer leader at the Veterans            (such as on the Occupational            June 28, 2010. www.va.gov/vhapublications/
           Health Administration) can train       Safety and Health Administration’s      ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2260. Accessed
           other caregivers in the unit and       Form 300) with costs associated         July 3, 2014.
                                                                                          Hodgson MJ, Matz MW, Nelson A. Patient han-
           answer questions. Reaching this        with those injuries (found in the
                                                                                          dling in the Veterans Health Administration: fa-
           level of expertise requires in-        workers’ compensation system).          cilitating change in the health care industry. J
           depth training.                            Any equipment strategy (over-       Occup Environ Med. 2013;55(10):1230-7.
        • A general caregiver knows               head lifts, portable lifts, “equip-
                                                                                          John Celona is a principal at Decision Analysis
           how to use SPHM technology             ment light” or a combination) can       Associates, LLC, in San Carlos, California. He is
           and methods but may not be             drive a high compliance rate and        the author of Decision Analysis for the Profes-
           qualified to train others.             favorable program results. But us-      sional, 4th ed.

6   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014                              www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Transforming the
culture: The key to
hardwiring early
mobility and safe
patient handling
Culture change requires deliberate focus, staff
education, and full engagement.
By Kathleen M. Vollman, MSN, RN, CCNS, FCCM, FAAN, and Rick Bassett, MSN, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN

      arly mobility in the intensive

E     care unit (ICU) is critical to a
      patient’s short- and long-term
recovery. Studies show early mo-
bility programs result in more venti-
lator-free days, fewer skin injuries,
shorter ICU and hospital stays, re-
duced delirium duration, and im-
proved physical functioning.
    But accomplishing early mobili-
ty requires significant coordina-
tion, commitment, and physical ef-
fort by the multidisciplinary team.
How do we balance the benefits
of early mobilization against the
potential risk of staff or patient in-
jury during the mobilization activi-
ty? Part of the solution to ensuring
safe mobilization of critically ill                                             bility practices without a protocol,
patients is to view mobilization                                                and 52% hadn’t incorporated ear-
along a continuum based on pa-                                                  ly mobility into routine care prac-
tient readiness, progression based       resources, patients’ physiologic in-   tices. Barriers to implementation of
on goals, strategies to prevent          stability, lack of emphasis on the     mobility initiatives included com-
complications, and assessment of         value and priority of mobilizing       peting staffing priorities, insuffi-
activity tolerance. This view keeps      patients, and the ICU culture relat-   cient physical therapy staff, and
safety at the forefront.                 ed to mobility. A 2014 internation-    concern about patient and care-
    Within the ICU, barriers to ear-     al survey of early mobilization        giver injury. The study found that a
ly mobility may include clinicians’      practices in 833 ICUs found only       standardized protocol may pro-
knowledge deficits and fears, in-        27% had formal early mobility          mote successful implementation of
sufficient human and equipment           protocols, 21% had adopted mo-         an early mobility program.

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                            September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   7
Safe Patient Handling and Mobility
Learning progression for patient mobility
    This diagram shows the four stages of staff learning regarding early patient mobility and
    safe patient handling.                                                                                       Importance of a culture
                                                                                                                 change
                                                                                                                 Sustaining any clinical improve-
                                     Right type of support, right time                                           ment initiative requires an organi-
                                                                                                                 zational culture change. Baseline
                                    To progress to the next level: Educate regarding
                                    evidence and progressive mobility continuum,
                                                                                                                 assessment of the current culture as
                                    use scenarios to build problem-solving skills                                well as early engagement of team
                                    around contingencies and high-risk patients.                                 members is the starting point. In
                                    Leverage physical therapy in teaching nurses                                 2012, the authors led a VHA, Inc.
       Conscious

                                    specific skills.                                                             critical care improvement team col-
                                                                                                                 laborative of 13 ICUs from eight
                           STAGE 2: Conscious,                     STAGE 3: Conscious,                           organizations to implement safe
                                unskilled                                skilled                                 and effective early patient mobility
                         “I care now, but I feel clueless.”       “I know but need support and                   in the ICU. Efforts focused on

                                2 3
                        • Staff are receptive to
                                                                      extra time to execute.”                    elements central to sustainable
                          progressive mobility concepts.       • Staff are ready to put progressive              change. First, team members
                        • Staff may be fearful of process         mobility into daily practice.                  acquired key knowledge to under-
                          and risks.                           • Staff are motivated by sense of                 stand why ICU mobility is impor-
                                                                  efficacy and success/failure                   tant. Next, strategies for organiza-
                                                                  experiences.
                                                                                                                 tional, leadership, and clinical staff
                                                                                                                 engagement were discussed. To
                                                                                                                 promote the transition in practice
                        To progress to the next level:                                                           and the required culture change,
                        Overcome staff's emotional and          To progress to the next level:                   ICU clinicians needed guidance.
      Consciousness

                        intellectual barriers by using          Coach and mentor staff during                    An organizational development
                        storytelling and evidence,              execution. Encourage through                     tool was designed to help teams
                        engage in discussions and               failure experiences (such as
                                                                patient not tolerating mobility),
                                                                                                                 create an effective culture change.
                        address positive/negative aspects
                        of immobility. Include sources          and build sense of competence                    Although it was adapted specifical-
                        (evidence and experience)               by recognizing successes.                        ly to integrate with early patient
                        outside the organization as well.                                                        mobility efforts in the ICU, this tool
                                                                                                                 can be applied to other settings.
                                                                                                                 (See Learning progression for pa-
                         STAGE 1: Subconscious,                  STAGE 4: Subconscious,                          tient mobility.)
                                unskilled                                skilled                                     Three elements are crucial to
                         “I don’t know why I should care        “I am skilled and can help others.”              successfully implementing and sus-

                                1 4
                             about patient mobility.”                                                            taining an improvement initiative:
                                                               • Staff skillfully put progressive
                        • Staff are unclear on purpose           mobility into daily practice.                   • Team members must understand
                          behind progressive mobility.         • Further staff learning is                           and be able articulate what’s
       Subconscious

                        • Old paradigms and                      enhanced by teaching and                            being proposed. To help them
                          assumptions around immobility          mentoring others.
                                                                                                                     understand, they must receive
                          are present.
                                                                                                                     evidence-based literature and
                                                                To support process:
                                                                educate staff regarding                              other relevant information.
                                                                how to effectively                               • Team members must grasp why
                                                                mentor, coach.
                                                                                               Skilled               the initiative is important to the
                      Unskilled                                 Exapnd role:                                         patient, themselves, and the or-
                                                                storyteller, champion,                               ganization. Clinicians typically
                                                                and mentor.
                                                                                                                     respond favorably to change
                                                                                   © 2010 Brandwene Associates
                                                                                                                     when they can connect it to
                                                                                                                     real impacts.
                                                                                                                 • The leader of the initiative must

8    Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility                     September 2014                              www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Decision tree for mobilizing hemodynamically
                                         unstable patients
  define the role of each team
                                         This diagram helps clinicians determine whether and when an intensive care unit patient is
  member and discipline. Under-          ready to begin mobility activities.
  standing team roles creates a
  solid platform on which the cul-
  ture change builds.                       Screen for mobility readiness
                                            within 8 hours of admission to the                   Key
                                            ICU and daily and initiate in-bed                    HR: heart rate
Four stages of learning                     mobility strategies as soon as
To learn a skill or concept, a per-                                                              ICU: intensive care unit
                                            possible.                                            MAP: mean arterial pressure
son progresses through four
                                                                                                 SBP: systolic blood pressure
stages, according to a learning                                                                  O2 sat: oxygen saturation
model attributed to Abraham                 Is the patient hemodynamically
Maslow. This model can be ap-               unstable with manual turning?
plied to clinicians learning about          • O2 Sat ≤ 90%
safe patient handling and mobility          • New-onset cardiac arrhythmias          No         Begin in-bed mobility techniques
                                                or ischemia
(SPHM).                                                                                         and progress to out-of-bed
                                            • HR < 60 or >120
                                                                                                mobility as the patient tolerates.
                                            • MAP < 55 or >140
Stage 1: Subconscious,                      • SBP < 90 or >180
unskilled                                   • New or increasing vasopressor
In this stage, team members are                 infusion
unaware of how little they know
and don’t realize a change is nec-                                        Yes
essary. Also, they may have fears
                                            Is the patient still
and misconceptions about the                                                         No
                                            hemodynamically unstable after                      Begin in-bed mobility techniques
change. For example, some criti-            allowing a 5- to 10-minute                          and progress to out-of-bed
cal care clinicians believe reposi-         adaptation after position change                    mobility as the patient tolerates.
tioning or mobilizing critically ill        before determining tolerance?
patients threatens the security of
vital tubes and lines. But with the                                       Yes
proper knowledge, training, and                                                      No         Allow the patient a minimum of
                                            Have activities been spaced                         10 minutes of rest between
resources, staff can mobilize and
                                            sufficiently to allow rest?                         activities and then try again to
reposition ICU patients safely with-                                                            determine tolerance.
out jeopardizing tubes and lines.
                                                                          Yes
In one study, 1,449 activity events
(such as sitting up in bed, sitting         Has the manual position turn or          No         Try the position turn or head-of-
in a chair, and ambulating) were            head-of-bed elevation been                          bed maneuver slowly to allow
performed with mechanically venti-          performed slowly?                                   adaptation of cardiovascular
                                                                                                response to the inner-ear
lated patients; fewer than 1% ex-                                                               postiion change.
perienced adverse events. As part                                         Yes
of the culture change, misconcep-
tions about SPHM need to be ad-             Initiate continuous lateral
dressed through education and               rotation therapy via a protocol to
                                            train the patient to tolerate
coaching. Once the purpose of               turning.
SPHM is defined clearly and mis-                                                            © 2012 Kathleen Vollman-Advancing Nursing LLC.
conceptions have been addressed,
team members are ready to move
on to stage 2.
                                       team members understand why                  they may have fears about specif-
Stage 2: Conscious,                    SPHM is important but don’t                  ic processes or actions involved
unskilled                              know how to accomplish it. Al-               in patient mobilization. For in-
In the conscious, unskilled stage,     though open to new learning,                 stance, they may fear certain

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                           September 2014       Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility               9
In bed and out-of-bed
                                                 activities
         types of mobilization activities                                                staff. During the transition from
         can cause hemodynamic instabili-                                                stage 3 to stage 4, the skills and
         ty. Education and practical appli-      Strategies to promote patient and       knowledge required for the SPHM
         cation experiences can help them        caregiver safety during mobiliza-       initiative must become “hard-
         overcome this fear. Another way         tion can be divided into two basic      wired” or ingrained into care-
         educators can break through such        categories—those used when the          givers’ subconscious. This requires
         barriers is to use a decision tree      patient is in bed and those used        deliberate, focused energy on con-
         that incorporates the latest scien-     when the patient is out of bed. In-     tinued engagement. However,
         tific knowledge to help clinicians      bed mobility encompasses reposi-        staff energy, resource availability,
         minimize the hemodynamic im-            tioning activities, lateral-rotation    and competing priorities may pose
         pact or retrain patients to tolerate    therapy, tilt-table exercises, and      barriers to sustaining the change.
         movement. (See Decision tree for        bed-chair sitting. Modern critical-         Throughout stage 3, positive
         mobilizing hemodynamically un-          care beds should be capable of ro-      feedback, motivation, and sharing
         stable patients.)                       tating the patient continuously, cre-   of successes and challenges are
             A critical resource used with       ating a tilt table through the use of   important for driving continual im-
         the VHA team was a nurse-driven,        a reverse Trendelenburg position        provement and culture change.
         evidence-based multidisciplinary        and an adjustable footboard, pro-       These goals can be accomplished
         progressive mobility continuum          gressing the body through the           in various ways. Here are some
         tool that addresses mobility phas-      head elevation–foot down position       examples:
         es and corresponding interven-          to a chair, and ultimately assisting    • Networking with other organi-
         tions. The team received education      the patient with standing. These            zations in various stages of the
         on the tool and how to apply it in      features reduce the risk of patient         practice change can be ex-
                                                 and caregiver injury and make it            tremely useful. It allows collabo-

In-bed mobility encompasses                      easier to perform mobility actions.
                                                     For in-bed repositioning from
                                                                                             rative identification and sharing
                                                                                             of challenges, struggles, effec-
repositioning                                    side to side and moving up, using
                                                 a breathable glide sheet and spe-
                                                                                             tive strategies, and success sto-
                                                                                             ries. This process creates syner-
activities lateral-rotation                      cially designed foam wedges                 gistic energy among the team
                                                 helps reduce shear and friction for         members, helping to motivate
therapy, tilt-table exercises, and               the patient and help prevents in-           them and accelerate the
                                                 juries to caregivers because they           change.
bed-chair sitting.                               require a pulling rather than lifting   • Within the VHA mobility collab-
                                                 motion. In one study, implementa-           orative network, teams shared
         practice. The tool provided a visu-     tion of this turn-and-position system       reward strategies. One team
         al foundation to guide safe mobili-     reduced hospital-acquired pres-             gave out M&Ms® when “caught
         ty practices, create consistency,       sure ulcers by 28% and reduced              in the act” of Moving and Mo-
         promote team communication, and         staff injuries by 58%. Lifts can be         bilizing patients. Such moments
         enhance processes.                      used for some in-bed mobility ac-           present crucial coaching oppor-
            Numerous studies show that ed-       tivities and are effective during           tunities. For example, after a
         ucation, skill building, and proto-     ambulation and the transition from          mobility event, staff can huddle
         cols may not be enough to create        in-bed to out-of-bed activities.            briefly to discuss the event and
         sustainable change. Using strate-                                                   what, if any, improvements
         gies to evaluate available nursing      Stage 3: Conscious, skilled                 could be made to make the
         resources and systems that can          Stage 3 learning focuses on imple-          process more effective.
         produce change makes it easier          menting the change, with attention
         for clinicians to provide the right     to fine-tuning the process. Coach-      Stage 4: Subconscious,
         care for the right patient at the       ing, mentoring, and maintaining         skilled
         right time while balancing these        engagement are critical. In previ-      During this stage, the practice and
         needs against caregivers’ needs         ous stages, much effort was ex-         culture changes are well on their
         for safety.                             pended in educating and training                       (continued on page 25)

10 Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014                          www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Standards to protect
nurses from handling and
mobility injuries
Learn about ANA standards that help
safeguard both nurses and patients.
By Amy Garcia, MSN, RN, CAE

       he intense focus on safe pa-

T      tient handling and mobility
       (SPHM) in acute and long-
term care has yielded a valuable
benefit for nurses and other health-
care workers—a decrease in staff
lifting injuries for the first time in
30 years. Nonetheless, nurses still
suffer more musculoskeletal disor-
ders than employees in the manu-
facturing, construction, and ship-
building industries.
     Many employers and nurses be-
lieve lifting injuries can be pre-
vented by using proper body me-
chanics and that lifting equipment       most patients’ weight.                  experts to develop standards. Par-
is warranted only for obese                 A patchwork of regulations with-     ticipants included representatives of
adults. But the evidence contra-         out teeth contributes to a hazardous    patients; nursing; surgery; therapy;
dicts this notion. The National In-      environment for caregivers and          biomedical engineering; risk man-
stitute of Occupational Safety and       patients. Congress passed the er-       agement; architecture; law; acute,
Health calculates maximum loads          gonomic standard of the Occupa-         long-term, home health, and hos-
for manual lifting, pushing,             tional Safety & Health Administra-      pice care; the military; Department
pulling, and carrying using a            tion in 2000 but rescinded it in        of Defense; certain government
range of variables. Typically, a         2001 before the regulations could       agencies; vendors; and profession-
maximum load for a box with han-         take effect. Only 10 states have        al associations.
dles is 51 lb (23 kg)—lower when         laws requiring comprehensive                In 2013, ANA published Safe
the lifter has to reach, lift near the   SPHM programs, typically targeting      Patient Handling and Mobility: In-
floor, or assume a twisted or awk-       acute and long-term care settings.      terprofessional National Standards
ward position. Of course, patients                                               Across the Care Continuum. Previ-
don’t come in simple shapes or           ANA standards                           ous documents referred to safe pa-
have handles. They may sit or lie        The American Nurses Association         tient handling and movement. The
in awkward positions, move unex-         (ANA) recognized the need for a         workgroup changed the terminolo-
pectedly, or have wounds or de-          standard of care that applies to all    gy from movement to mobility to
vices that interfere with lifting. Al-   healthcare disciplines and encom-       distinguish patient-initiated mobility
though proper body mechanics             passes the entire continuum of care.    from movement accomplished by
and good lifting technique are im-       In 2012, ANA convened an inter-         others. Also, nurses use the word
portant, they don’t compensate for       professional group of subject matter    mobility differently than physical or

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                             September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility 11
occupational therapists. The termi-       is an important step toward mini-       sist on manual handling. It outlines
         nology change is designed to              mizing risk to patients and nurses.     the importance of using SPHM tech-
         align our practices with patients’                                                nology in a therapeutic manner,
         needs and highlight new research          Standard 3: Incorporate er-             with the goal of promoting inde-
         on the importance of early and            gonomic design principles to pro-       pendence. Nurses working in reha-
         progressive mobility in the inten-        vide a safe care environment.           bilitation or assisted-living settings
         sive care unit. The workgroup also        This standard is based on the con-      may believe using lifts or other tech-
         chose the term technology to de-          cept of prevention through design,      nology limits the patient’s independ-
         scribe all lifts, slings, slide sheets,   which considers the physical lay-       ence, but selecting SPHM techn-
         computer programs, and other              out, work-process flow, and use of      ology to be used in a progressive
         items used to promote patient mo-         technology to reduce exposure to        manner can provide support and a
         bility. It decided that the term          injury or illness. Healthcare facili-   sense of safety as the patient gains
         healthcare recipient is more inclu-       ties should consider diverse per-       or regains independent movement.
         sive than patient for general use.        spectives, including those of nurs-     For example, a patient may need
                                                   es and therapists, when planning        full-body lift technology immediately
         A closer look at the                      for construction or remodeling.         after surgery, but then progress to a
         standards                                                                         sit-to-stand lift for bedside toileting
         The eight ANA standards are               Standard 4: Select, install, and        and then to technology that sup-
         complemented by substandards,             maintain SPHM technology. This          ports ambulation.
         examples, resources, and metrics          standard provides guidance in se-
         for evaluation.                           lecting, installing, and maintaining    Standard 7: Include SPHM in
                                                                                           reasonable accommodation and
         Standard 1: Establish a culture
                                                   SPHM technology. It emphasizes
                                                                                           post-injury return to work. This
         of safety. This standard calls for
                                                   the importance of investing in ap-
                                                   propriate amounts and types of          standard promotes an employee’s
         the employer to establish a com-          SPHM technology to meet the             early return to work after an injury
         mitment to a culture of safety. This      needs of patients in the organiza-      and use of differently abled work-
         means prioritizing safety over            tion’s specific environment.            ers through a comprehensive
         competing goals in a blame-free                                                   SPHM program.
         environment where individuals can         Standard 5: Establish a system
         report errors or incidents without        for education, training, and main-      Standard 8: Establish a compre-
         fear. The employer is compelled to        taining competence. This stan-          hensive evaluation system. The fi-
         evaluate systemic issues that con-        dard outlines employee (and vol-        nal standard calls for a compre-
         tribute to incidents or accidents.        unteer) training and education          hensive evaluation system for each
         The standard also calls for safe          needed to participate in the SPHM       SPHM program component, with
         staffing levels and improved com-         program. Education should be            remediation of deficiencies.
         munication and collaboration.             multidisciplinary and include docu-         The appendix of Safe Patient
         Every organization should have a          mented demonstration of compe-          Handling and Mobility provides
         procedure for nurses to report            tency before the employee uses          an extensive list of resources for
         safety concerns or refuse an as-          SPHM technology.                        meeting each standard. To order
         signment due to concern about pa-                                                 the ANA book and the accompa-
         tients’ or their own safety.              Standard 6: Integrate patient-cen-      nying Implementation Guide to the
                                                   tered SPHM assessment, plan of          Safe Patient Handling and Mobili-
         Standard 2: Implement and sus-            care, and use of SPHM technolo-         ty Interprofessional National Stan-
         tain an SPHM program. This stan-          gy. This standard focuses on the pa-    dards, visit www.nursesbooks.org/
         dard outlines SPHM program com-           tient’s needs by establishing assess-   SPHM-Package.                      8
         ponents, including an assessment,         ment guidelines and developing an       Visit www.AmericanNurseToday.com/
         written program, funding, and             individual plan of care. It also ad-    Archives.aspx for a list of selected references.
         matching the program to the spe-          dresses the need to establish an or-    Amy Garcia is chief nursing officer for Cerner
         cific setting. Evaluating the physi-      ganizational policy on the rights of    Clairvia, specializing in workforce issues and was
         cal requirements of a task or role        patients or family members who in-      the technical writer for the SPHM standards.

12 Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014                                www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Implementing a
mobility assessment
tool for nurses
A nurse-driven assessment tool reveals the patient’s
mobility level and guides SPHM technology choices.
By Teresa Boynton, MS, OTR, CSPHP; Lesly Kelly, PhD, RN; and Amber Perez, LPN, BBA, CSPHP

        patient’s mobility status af-

A       fects treatment, handling
        and transfer decisions, and
potential outcomes (including
falls). Hospital patients spend most
of their time in bed—sometimes
coping with inadvertent negative
effects of immobility. Assessing a
patient’s mobility status is crucial,
especially for evaluating the risk
of falling. Yet no valid, easy-to-
administer bedside mobility as-
sessment tool exists for nurses
working in acute-care settings.
    Various safe patient handling
and mobility (SPHM) technologies
allow safe transfer and mobiliza-
tion of patients while permitting
maximum patient participation
and weight-bearing (if indicated).
A mobility assessment helps identi-
fy the SPHM technology needed to
ensure safe activities while taking
the guesswork and uncertainty out
of deciding which SPHM technolo-        need for SPHM technology. For           and management have been un-
gy is right for which patient.          both patient and staff safety, a pa-    der the purview of physical thera-
    Because mobility is so impor-       tient’s mobility level must be linked   pists (PTs) through consultations.
tant during hospitalization, mem-       with use of SPHM technology.            But the entire healthcare team
bers of a Banner Health multidisci-     When used consistently, appropri-       needs to address patient mobility.
plinary SPHM team determined            ate technology reduces the risk of      Nurses conduct continual surveil-
nurses should take a more active        falls and other adverse patient out-    lance of patients and their pro-
role in assessing and managing          comes associated with immobility.       gress, but typically they haven’t
patient mobility. We concluded it       (See The link between patient im-       performed consistent, validated
was crucial to develop and vali-        mobility and staff injuries.)           mobility assessments. Instead,
date a tool that nurses can use                                                 they’ve relied on therapy services
easily at the bedside to assess a       Communication barriers                  to determine the patient’s mobility
patient’s mobility level and the        Historically, mobility assessments      level and management.

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                            September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility 13
The link between patient immobility and staff
  injuries
                                                                                                          Current mobility
  Patient immobility poses the risk of injury to healthcare workers. Nurse workloads continue to
  rise as patient acuity levels increase and hospital stays lengthen. This situation increases pa-        assessment options
  tients’ dependence on nurses for assistance with their mobility needs.                                  Although tools to assess mobility
      What’s more, nursing staff frequently rely on the patient or a family member to report the          and guide SPHM technology selec-
  patient’s ability to stand, transfer, and ambulate. But this information can be unreliable, espe-       tion are used in hospitals, their val-
  cially if the patient has cognitive impairment related to the diagnosis or medications or if he or      ue for the bedside nurse may be
  she has experienced unrecognized decreased mobility and deconditioning from the disease or
  injury that necessitated hospitalization.
                                                                                                          limited or inappropriate with many
      To decrease the risk of caregiver injury, nurses should assess patient mobility and use safe        patients in acute-care settings.
  patient handling and mobility (SPHM) technology.                                                        SPHM algorithms from the Depart-
                                                                                                          ment of Veterans Affairs have been
                                                                                                          valuable as training and decision-
                                                           ed to perform SPHM. Especially if              making tools in determining which
Nurses aren’t trained in                                   PTs aren’t available, nurses must              SPHM technology to consider for
                                                           rely on their own judgment to                  specific tasks. But these can be
skilled therapy                                            move and mobilize patients safely.             hard to use at the bedside. Also,
                                                           But they may be uncertain as to                they assume the patient’s mobility
techniques and may be ill                                  which equipment to use for which               status is known and don’t provide
prepared to mobilize patients                              patients. While a total lift may be            quick guidance in determining a
                                                           used with many patients, such a                patient’s overall mobility level.
safely during routine daily                                lift doesn’t maximize the patient’s            (See Limitations of common mobili-
                                                           mobility potential.                            ty assessment tools.)
activities.

            In many cases, though, a PT’s                      Limitations of common mobility
         assessment doesn’t translate to                       assessment tools
         meaningful actionable items for
                                                               Several of the mobility assessment tools discussed below already are in use, but
         nurses. What’s more, PTs don’t al-                    each has certain drawbacks.
         ways adequately communicate a                             The Timed Get Up and Go Test starts by having
         patient’s SPHM needs to other                         the patient stand up from an armchair, walk 3
         healthcare team members. For ex-                      meters, turn, walk back to the chair, and sit down.
         ample, confusion surrounds termi-                     But it gives no guidance on what to do if the pa-
                                                               tient can’t maintain seated balance, bear weight,
         nology typically used by PTs, such
                                                               or stand and walk.
         as numeric mobility levels (1+, 2+,                       The Quick 5 Bedside Guide tool, developed by
         indicating a one-person or two-                       a registered nurse and physical therapist (PT),
         person assist, respectively) as well                  was the basis for a research project on what be-
         as ranges (minimum, moderate, or                      came known as the Quick 3. This tool takes the
                                                               patient through three functional tasks but doesn’t
         maximum assist by one or more
                                                               fully address patient limitations. Nor does it rec-
         healthcare workers). Also, PTs are                    ognize weight-bearing limitations or address the
         consulted only for a limited num-                     issues or abilities of an ambulatory patient. Also,
         ber of patients and at different                      it provides only limited recommendations for
         points during the hospital stay.                      SPHM technology.
         Nurses, for their part, aren’t                            The Egress test, also developed by a PT, is used
                                                               in hospital settings. It starts with the patient per-
         trained in skilled therapy tech-
                                                               forming three repetitions of sit-to-stand, at the
         niques and may be ill prepared to                     bedside, marching in place, and advance step and
         mobilize patients safely during                       return with each foot. But it’s tailored to PTs and
         routine daily activities.                             doesn’t address how the patient performs bed mobility or comes to a standing po-
            In addition to communicating                       sition. Also, it gives only limited guidance for nurses on use of SPHM technology
                                                               and isn’t appropriate for certain patients (such as those unable to weight bear on
         potential risk to other healthcare
                                                               one or both legs).
         team members, mobility assess-
         ment can identify technology need-

14 Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility             September 2014                                   www.AmericanNurseToday.com
Banner Mobility Assessment Tool for nurses
  Nurses have found that the Banner Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT) is an effective resource for performing a bedside assessment of patient
  mobility.

                                                                                                                 Fail = Choose most appropriate
     Test                 Task                                          Response                                 equipment/device(s)            Pass
     Assessment           Sit and shake: From a semi-reclined           Sit: Patient is able to follow           MOBILITY LEVEL 1                          Passed Assessment
     Level 1              position, ask patient to sit upright and      commands, has some trunk strength;       • Use total lift with sling and/or        Level 1 = Proceed
     Assessment of:       rotate* to a seated position at side          caregivers may be able to try weight-      repositioning sheet and/or straps.      with Assessment
     • Trunk strength     of bed; may use bedrail.                      bearing if patient is able to maintain   • Use lateral transfer devices, such      Level 2.
     • Seated balance     Note patient’s ability to maintain            seated balance longer than 2 minutes       as roll board, friction-reducing
                          bedside position.                             (without caregiver assistance).            device (slide sheets/tube), or
                          Ask patient to reach out and grab your        Shake: Patient has significant upper       air-assisted device.
                          hand and shake, making sure patient           body strength, awareness of body in      Note: If patient has strict bed rest
                          reaches across his/her midline.               space, and grasp strength.               or bilateral non-weight-bearing
                                                                                                                 restrictions, do not proceed with the
                                                                                                                 assessment; patient is MOBILITY
                                                                                                                 LEVEL 1.

     Assessment           Stretch and point: With patient in            Patient exhibits lower extremity         MOBILITY LEVEL 2                          Passed Assessment
     Level 2              seated position at side of bed, have          stability, strength and control.         • Use total lift for patient unable to    Level 2 = Proceed
     Assessment of:       patient place both feet on floor (or stool)   May test only one leg and                  weight- bear on at least one leg.       with Assessment
     • Lower extremity    with knees no higher than hips.               proceed accordingly (e.g.,               • Use sit-to-stand lift for patient who   Level 3.
       strength           Ask patient to stretch one leg and            stroke patient, patient with               can weight-bear on at least one leg.
     • Stability          straighten knee, then bend ankle/flex         ankle in cast).
                          and point toes. If appropriate, repeat with
                          other leg.

     Assessment           Stand: Ask patient to elevate off bed or      Patient exhibits upper and lower         MOBILITY LEVEL 3                          Passed Assessment
     Level 3              chair (seated to standing) using assistive    extremity stability and strength.        • Use non-powered raising/stand aid;      Level 3 AND no
     Assessment of:       device (cane, bedrail).                       May test with weight-bearing               default to powered sit-to-stand lift    assistive device
     • Lower extremity    Patient should be able to raise buttocks      on only one leg and proceed                if no stand aid is available.           needed = Proceed
       strength for       off bed and hold for a count of five. May     accordingly (e.g., stroke patient,       • Use total lift with ambulation          with Assessment
       standing           repeat once.                                  patient with ankle in cast).               accessories.                            Level 4.
                          Note: Consider your patient’s cognitive       If any assistive device (cane,           • Use assistive device (cane, walker,     Consult with
                          ability, including orientation and CAM        walker, crutches) is needed,               crutches).                              physical therapist
                          assessment if applicable.                     patient is Mobility Level 3.             Note: Patient passes Assessment Level     when needed
                                                                                                                 3 but requires assistive device to        and appropriate.
                                                                                                                 ambulate or cognitive assessment
                                                                                                                 indicates poor safety awareness;
                                                                                                                 patient is MOBILITY LEVEL 3.

     Assessment           Walk: Ask patient to march in place at        Patient exhibits steady gait and good    MOBILITY LEVEL 3                          MOBILITY LEVEL 4
     Level 3              bedside. Then ask patient to advance          balance while marching and when          If patient shows signs of unsteady gait   MODIFIED
     Assessment of:       step and return each foot.                    stepping forward and backward.           or fails Assessment Level 4, refer        INDEPENDENCE
     • Standing balance   Patient should display stability while        Patient can maneuver necessary turns     back to MOBILITY LEVEL 3;                 Passed = No
     • Gait               performing tasks.                             for in-room mobility.                    patient is MOBILITY LEVEL 3.              assistance needed
                          Assess for stability and safety awareness.    Patient exhibits safety awareness.                                                 to ambulate; use your
                                                                                                                                                           best clinical judgment to
                                                                                                                                                           determine need for
                                                                                                                                                           supervision during
                                                                                                                                                           ambulation.

     Always default to the safest lifting/transfer method (e.g., total lift) if there is any doubt about the patient’s ability to perform the task.

Banner Mobility                                         nurse-driven bedside assessment                              achieve (such as mobility level
Assessment Tool                                         of patient mobility. It walks the                            1). Then it guides the nurse to the
At Banner Health, we developed                          patient through a four-step func-                            recommended SPHM technology
the Banner Mobility Assessment                          tional task list and identifies the                          needed to safely lift, transfer,
Tool (BMAT) to be used as a                             mobility level the patient can                               and mobilize the patient. (See

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                                                   September 2014            Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility 15
Banner Mobility Assessment Tool          appropriate interventions are im-       or require greater focus. Although
         for nurses.)                             plemented and the outcomes eval-        we know nurses should be more in-
                                                  uated. Nurses need to be empow-         volved in assessing mobility than
         Implementing BMAT                        ered and able to recognize the          they have been historically, we rec-
         The BMAT was created in our hos-         connection between these assess-        ognize the value of involving and
         pital’s electronic medical record        ments and choice of interventions,      communicating effectively with all
         (EMR) in a way that guides the           including SPHM technology.              members of a good interdiscipli-
         nurse through the assessment                 Here’s an example of BMAT in        nary team to help reduce patient
         steps. Patients are determined to        action at Banner: A 35-year-old         falls and staff injuries caused by
         have a mobility level of 1, 2, 3,        male was admitted to a surgical         patient handling.                  8
         or 4 based on whether they pass          floor late in the evening. He was
                                                                                          Selected references
         or fail each assessment level. Edu-      6'2" tall and weighed 350 lb            Dionne M. Practice Management: Stand and de-
         cational tools and tip sheets are        (158 kg). He didn’t want to use a       liver. Physical Therapy Products. March 2005.
         used to train nurses and support         bedpan, but his nurse wasn’t com-       www.ptproductsonline.com/2005/03/stand-
                                                                                          and-deliver/. Accessed June 30, 2014.
         staff on what technology to consid-      fortable getting him up to use the
         er for patients at each level.           bathroom because he hadn’t been         Hook ML, Devine EC, Lang NM. Using a com-
                                                                                          puterized fall risk assessment process to tailor
                                                  evaluated by physical therapy,          interventions in acute care. In: Henriksen K, Bat-
                                                  and a PT wasn’t available in the        tles JB, Keyes MA, Grady ML, eds. Advances in

To stay current on the patient’s                  evening. A nurse passing by
                                                  who’d used the BMAT (which had-
                                                                                          Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative
                                                                                          Approaches; vol 1. Assessment. AHRQ Publica-
                                                                                          tion No. 08-0034. Rockville, MD: Agency
mobility status nurses are                        n’t been formally rolled out Ban-       for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2008.
                                                                                          www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK43610. Ac-
                                                  ner-wide at that time) came in and
expected to complete the BMAT on                                                          cessed July 10, 2014.
                                                  assessed the patient; the assess-
                                                                                          Mathias S, Nayak US, Isaacs B. Balance in eld-
                                                  ment found him at mobility level 3.
admission, once per shift, and with                                                       erly patients: the “get-up and go” test. Arch
                                                  He was transferred to the toilet us-    Phys Med Rehabil. 1986;67(6):387-9.
                                                  ing a nonpowered stand aid. Both
the patient status changes.                                                               Oliver D, Healey F. Falls risk prediction tools for
                                                  patient and nurse were relieved         hospital inpatients: do they work? Nurs Times.
                                                  and happy.                              2009;105(7):18-21.
             Communication tools also are                                                 Oliver D, Healey F, Haines TP. Preventing falls
                                                                                          and fall-related injuries in hospitals. Clin Geriatr
         used. For instance, a sign outside       A step in the right                     Med. 2010;26(4):645-92.
         the patient’s room indicates his or      direction                               Nelson AL. Safe patient handling and move-
         her mobility level, instantly telling    As a quick bedside assessment           ment: A guide for nurses and other health care
         anyone passing by or entering if         tool, the BMAT is a step in the right   providers. New York, NY: Springer Publishing
         the patient can ambulate inde-           direction. It’s part of a broad pro-    Company, Inc.; 2006. www.springerpub.com/
                                                                                          samples/9780826163639_chapter.pdf. Ac-
         pendently or if SPHM technology          gram of increased staff awareness,      cessed June 30, 2014.
         must be used. To stay current on         education, and training around pa-      Nelson A, Harwood KJ, Tracey CA, Dunn KL.
         the patient’s mobility status (for in-   tient assessments, preventing staff     Myths and facts about safe patient handling in
         stance, at handoffs, after proce-        injuries and patient falls, and         rehabilitation. Rehabil Nurs. 2008;33(1):10-7.
         dures, with medication changes,          achieving better patient outcomes.      Wright B, Murphy J. “Quick-5 Bedside” Guide.
                                                                                          Franklin, MA: Liko, Inc.; 2005.
         or after a potentially tiring therapy    Initial evidence from a validation
         session), nurses are expected to         study completed at one Banner hos-
                                                                                          Teresa Boynton is an injury prevention and
         complete the BMAT on admission,          pital supports the BMAT as a valid      workers’ compensation consultant, ergonomics
         once per shift, and with the pa-         instrument for assessing a patient’s    specialist, and certified safe patient handling
         tient status changes. The BMAT           mobility status at the bedside.         professional for Risk Management at Banner
         also is linked to Banner’s fall as-          As we work toward customizing       Health, Western Region, based in Greeley, Col-
         sessment risk in the EMR.                actions and interventions to meet       orado. Lesly Kelly is the RN clinical research
                                                                                          program director for Banner Good Samaritan
             Throughout BMAT implementa-          individual patient needs, we contin-    Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Amber
         tion, we recognized that identify-       ue to evaluate which additional as-     Perez is a safe patient handling clinical con-
         ing a patient’s mobility level and       sessment components or fall inter-      sultant for Handicare North America based in
         fall risk score are pointless unless     ventions or precautions are needed      Phoenix, Arizona.

16 Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility   September 2014                               www.AmericanNurseToday.com
The sliding patient:
How to respond to
and prevent migration
in bed
Migration can cause negative patient outcomes and
caregiver injuries resulting from repositioning.
By Neal Wiggermann, PhD

   n hospital settings, where the     A 1995 study at one hospital           carries an extremely high risk of

I  head of the bed (HOB) com-
   monly is elevated, gravity caus-
es patients to slide, or migrate,
                                      found nurses pulled patients up in
                                      bed an average of 9.9 times per
                                      shift. More recent evidence sug-
                                                                             caregiver injury. Less research
                                                                             has been done on the effects of
                                                                             migration on patients. This article
toward the foot of the bed. Nurs-     gests this activity may be even        describes how migration can af-
es are well aware of this, as         more common in some hospitals          fect patient outcomes, outlines rel-
they’re regularly required to pull    and units.                             evant scientific evidence, and dis-
patients back toward the HOB if          Studies show that pulling pa-       cusses strategies for managing
they can’t reposition themselves.     tients who’ve migrated in bed          patient migration.

www.AmericanNurseToday.com                         September 2014   Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility 17
Considerations when purchasing hospital
  beds
                                                                                                    n't been studied for hospital beds,
  Before purchasing hospital beds, clinicians and hospital purchasing staff should evaluate rele-
  vant manufacturer claims and test data to determine how well the product performs to reduce       it’s reasonable to expect migration
  patient migration. Keep the following points in mind.                                             would result in discomfort, espe-
  • Migration test results may vary based on methodology, so be suspicious of marketing             cially in patients with low back
     materials that don’t describe test methods.                                                    pain or disc herniation.
  • Consider the relevance of test conditions to their clinical application.
  • Be aware that a proper experimental design can improve test result accuracy. For exam-          Responding to patient
     ple, a laboratory motion-capture system produces less error than a tape measure, and a         migration
     large subject sample (10 or more) with subjects of varied heights and weights is more ac-      To help prevent negative outcomes
     curate than a small or homogenous sample.                                                      associated with patient migration,
  • Make sure migration is reported with respect to the bed surface. Because the top sections       be diligent in repositioning pa-
     of some hospital bed frames can move back relative to the floor, measuring migration           tients who’ve migrated downward.
     relative to the floor rather than the bed surface can lead to the mistaken conclusion that     But be aware that repositioning is
     a patient has migrated several inches less than he or she actually has.
                                                                                                    most likely to affect outcomes relat-
                                                                                                    ed to torso angle (such as VAP, re-
                                                                                                    duced lung capacity, and discom-
         Negative effects of                              tion decreases. A pilot investiga-        fort)—not friction and shear linked
         migration                                        tion of 10 healthy subjects lying         to pressure-ulcer development.
         A 2013 study found that patients                 with the HOB at 30 degrees                Among patients unable to boost or
         in traditional hospital-bed designs              showed their torso angle was              reposition themselves in bed,
         migrated about 13 cm (5") when                   about 30 degrees when properly            those on mechanical ventilators
         the HOB was raised to 45 de-                     aligned with the hip indicator,           and those with back pain may be
         grees. Both bed movement and                     compared to about 12 degrees              most in need of repositioning by
         gravity cause patients to slide                  when they migrated 23 cm (9")             the nurse.
         down in bed over time if the HOB                 past the hip indicator.                       Repositioning patients manual-
         is kept elevated. Such migration                     Positioning the HOB at or             ly is associated with a high risk
         presumably causes friction and                   above 30 degrees is intended              of musculoskeletal injury, so al-
                                                          to reduce the risk of ventilator-         ways use repositioning aids for
                                                          associated pneumonia (VAP) be-            patients unable to reposition
                                                          cause torso elevation decreases           themselves. Using lift equipment,
Once patients have migrated                               the risk of aspirating gastric con-
                                                          tents into the lungs. Once patients
                                                                                                    such as a ceiling-mounted or mo-
                                                                                                    bile lift, is the best way to reduce
farther down the mattress,                                have migrated farther down the            healthcare worker strain, accord-
                                                          mattress, elevating the HOB may           ing to the American Nurses Asso-
elevating the HOB may no                                  no longer reduce aspiration risk          ciation’s Safe Patient Handling
                                                          because their torsos are flatter. At      and Mobility: Interprofessional
longer reduce aspiration risk.                            that point, if they’re not reposi-        National Standards, which calls
                                                          tioned, they may be at increased          for eliminating manual lifting in
                                                          risk for VAP.                             all healthcare settings.
         shear forces between the mattress                    When patients migrate down in             If lift equipment isn’t available,
         and skin as the patient slides                   bed with the HOB up, they slide           use a friction-reducing sheet and
         against the bed surface. Although                out away from the pivot of the            place the bed in the Trendelenburg
         friction and shear have been                     HOB section and the lumbar spine          position (if the patient can tolerate
         linked to pressure-ulcer formation,              goes unsupported, causing kypho-          it). If the patient is on an air sur-
         no research has evaluated whether                sis. Kyphosis reduces lung capaci-        face, use the “max inflate” func-
         friction and shear caused by mi-                 ty, so respiratory function may           tion. Patients who can provide par-
         gration directly contribute to pres-             diminish in patients who’ve migrat-       tial assistance should participate in
         sure-ulcer risk.                                 ed. Although the relationship be-         mobilization by placing their feet
             As patients migrate toward the               tween kyphotic postures caused            flat on the mattress and “bridging”
         foot of the bed, the torso eleva-                by migration and discomfort has-          when being repositioned. The pa-

18 Current Topics in Safe Patient Handling and Mobility            September 2014                            www.AmericanNurseToday.com
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