774 Safe Patient Handling Program

Conducting Assessment

The first step in conducting the assessment is to plan how the review will be conducted. Establish a timeline. Enlist the help of team members and provide the support and guidance needed to complete their portions of the assessment. It is usually better to do as much of the analysis as possible using inside resources, but sometimes an outside provider may be necessary to evaluate complicated situations.

Data Analysis

Data analysis includes the following steps:

• Identify the leading types of MSDs related to patient handling, as well as the department and staff involved in the injuries.
• Identify the root cause of injuries in the high-risk areas.
• Identify what issues are preventing staff from using existing equipment. (i.e.,lack of availability, lack of storage, lack of training, etc.).
• Complete a cost-benefit analysis of the return on investment and the cost to the organization if nothing is done.

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