NANAIMO – Care teams at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital are leading the way to reduce staff injuries and ensure patient safety.
Injuries to hospital care staff are more likely to occur when helping patients move, and Island Health is continuously looking for ways to reduce these risks. Four teams at NRGH are leading the way to reduce staff injuries linked to helping patients move and, as we mark North American Occupational Health and Safety Week, they are sharing their success with their peers.
For the past year these teams have participated in peer coaching about patient mobility and used a variety of tools – such as white boards and electronic records – to improve communication about the movement needs of individual patients. The results of their efforts have had a direct, positive impact on staff safety.
Two of the four units saw the number of staff who had to take time off to recover from a patient-handling related injury reduced to zero. Two other units saw reductions in time-loss injuries ranging from 49% to 66%.
“By working together, committing to improved communication around patient mobility and being open to coaching by peers, staff on these units have accomplished some pretty incredible results,” said Corry Pettigrew, a Prevention Advisor with Island Health’s Occupational Health and Safety department at NRGH. “These teams deserve congratulations for their hard work.”
May 6-12 is North American Occupational Health and Safety Week, a time to shine a light on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. The knowledge gained through this initiative will be shared widely across NRGH in order to further improve staff safety.
Central/North Island media inquiries:
Cheryl Bloxham
250-889-9156
Cheryl.bloxham@islandhealth.ca