TIP OF THE WEEK
Ergonomics for staff and resident safety
Day-to-day resident care can be backbreaking work when staff members do not adhere to the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Manual lifting and repositioning, when performed incorrectly, can lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) for employees and it can put the resident at avoidable risk for injury.
The risk factors that workers in a nursing home face include (1) physical effort or force required to perform the task, (2) repeating the same motion or series of motions, and (3) assuming awkward positions that put stress on the body, such as reaching, kneeling, or squatting.
While specific measures may differ from site to site, OSHA recommends that:
- Manual lifting of residents be minimized in all cases and eliminated when feasible
- Employers implement an effective ergonomics process that:
- Provides management support
- Involves employees
- Identifies problems
- Implements solutions
- Addresses reports of injuries
- Provides training
- Evaluates ergonomics efforts
KEY ELEMENTS IN AN EFFECTIVE ERGONOMICS PROGRAM
Each nursing home must tailor a program for protecting staff from injury to suit its unique needs. Consider the following OSHA-recommended steps for implementing and sustaining an effective ergonomics program:
- Provide management support by developing SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals, assigning responsibilities, allocating appropriate resources, and ensuring that tasks/responsibilities are fulfilled.
- Involve employees in the conversation through discussions, surveys, or suggestion box submission.
- Use basic quality improvement techniques to identify issues and drill down to the root cause of the problem.
- Implement solutions such as using new equipment, modifying workplace practices, or both.
- When an employee reports an injury, address it as early as possible by providing the option for alternate duty and investigating the root cause of the issue.
- Provide staff training that is in line with OSHA requirements.
- Develop methods and indicators to monitor the performance of your ergonomics program (i.e., develop competency training or track MSDs).
OSHA CONSULTATION FOR SMALLER EMPLOYERS
OSHA offers free consultation service for smaller employers who may require assistance in implementing an effective ergonomics program. The consultation service is independent of OSHA's enforcement activity and makes special efforts to provide help to the nursing home industry.
The contact information for the OSHA On-Site Consultation services in Ohio is listed below:
Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Division of Safety and Hygiene
OSHA On-Site Consultation
13430 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, Ohio 43147
Toll Free: 1-800-282-1425
614-644-3133 FAX
E-mail / Website
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Facility Assessment Checklist of Urinary Catheter Management
Complete this checklist to identify areas where use and management of urinary catheters may be improved.
IN THE NEWS
MAY 7 IS LEGACY FREE DAY
With the support of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), clearinghouses that submit fee-for-service Medicare claims will require providers to submit claims using their National Provider Identifier (NPI) information. This exercise is your opportunity to test their NPI number. If your claim is rejected or suspended, you will have until the May 23, 2008 deadline to resolve the issue.
Apply for an NPI
DECISION MEMO FOR SCREENING DNA STOOL TEST FOR COLORECTAL CANCER
April 28, 2008 -- CMS -- CMS announces plan not to expand the colorectal cancer screening benefit to include coverage of the DNA stool test for colorectal cancer. The agency will consider a request for reconsideration when a commercially available stool DNA test has been cleared or approved by the FDA. Read more >>
STUDY SHOWS DEMENTIA RESIDENTS RECEIVE REGULAR PAIN MEDICATION LESS OFTEN THAN COGNITIVE RESIDENTS
April 30, 2008 -- Reuters Health -- Research from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill indicates that residents who were cognitively impaired may be less likely to receive regular doses of pain medication or to receive pain drugs at all, when compared to a cognitively intact resident group with similar health conditions. The researchers note that this is likely due to pain medications being taken “as needed,” and it is easier for individuals without cognitive impairments to communicate their requests. Read more >>
PENN STUDY FINDS ELDERLY HEART PATIENTS WITH ICD DEVICES LIVE LONGER AFTER HEART FAILURE
April 30, 2008 -- EurekAlert -- A new study out of the University of Pennsylvania indicates that implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be a cost-neutral solution to help people diagnosed with CHF live longer. Read more >>
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Beginning the Culture Change Journey -- May 15, 2008
Cuyahoga Community College East, Cleveland, Ohio
In this one-day program, Elise Tareshawty, LNHA will discuss core elements of transformational culture change, including communication techniques, meeting the regulations, and the importance of leadership.
Eden International Conference, Columbus, Ohio –- June 3-6, 2008
The fourth international conference will be held in Columbus this year. This is an excellent opportunity to network with industry leaders from all over the world -- to hear their stories and to share your own.
Health Policy Institute of Ohio: Regional Meetings on the Ohio Family Violence Prevention Project
Consistent Assignment – The Practice and the Experience
June 3, 2008, 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Register now. (registration closes May 29, 2008)
Dial in to this teleconference hosted by the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Home Campaign to learn what consistent assignment really is, why it works, and how to do it! We’ll also hear from several nursing homes that have done it and been successful at it.
Handouts will be available after May 29, 2008 on www.nhqualitycampaign.org.
Medicare Learning Network: Learning resources and products for the healthcare professional.
Alzheimer’s Association Training Events
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Courses
Ohio Department of Health, Technical Assistance Program – New Programs
Ohio Health Care Association Events
An archive of The Nursing Home Weekly Update is available on our Web site. Click here >>
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