quality:correction, structural:expansion, structural:reformatting
Patient handling

Healthcare has consistently ranked among the industries with the highest rates of musculoskeletal injuries, largely related to patient handling. Anywhere from 30 to 70% of reported musculoskeletal injuries are related to patient handling. Nurses are routinely tasked with lifting, repositioning, and mobilizing patients. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) the single greatest factor in overexertion injuries is the manual lifting, moving and repositioning of patients. These tasks present unique ergonomic hazards that results in a high rate of acute and cumulative musculoskeletal injuries.

The most frequently injured body part is the back, with up to 72% of nurses reporting non-specific low back pain. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that for 2021-2022 the rate of overexertion injuries leading to days away from work for nurses was 45.4 per 10,000 full time employees, while nursing aids came in at 145.5 compared to the average for all industries of 26.1.

Traditionally, nurses are trained in manual patient handling techniques. The body of evidence has demonstrated, however, that such interventions area ineffective.