AFT Healthcare released March 23 the results of a national survey that shows that more than half of registered nurses and X-ray techs have suffered from injuries related to patient lifting, chronic pain or both.

The study, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, is the first national survey to expose the problem of career-ending injuries to healthcare workers due to patient handling. It is available online on the AFT Healthcare Web site.

"Imagine lifting 200 pounds or more of dead weight by yourself several times a day. That's a typical day for nurses and X-ray techs, and it's becoming unbearable," said Candice Owley, chair of AFT Healthcare. "Construction workers use cranes, package delivery personnel use dollies, yet most healthcare workers are on their own and getting hurt. This is affecting patient care and the profession."

The 509 nurses and 404 radiology techs interviewed were asked about lifting, transferring or repositioning patients and how it affected their health. Peter D. Hart Research Associates conducted the survey for AFT Healthcare; the respondents were randomly selected and not necessarily members of the union. X-ray techs were included because of the misperception that lifting is just a "nurses' problem."

The survey found that 56 percent of the nurses and X-ray techs suffered from lifting-related injuries, chronic pain or both.

Nearly half the nurses and nearly one-third of the X-ray techs said they were considering leaving patient care because of injuries or chronic pain.

AFT Healthcare has called for states to require hospitals to adopt safety programs that provide appropriate lifting equipment and training.
 
Some hospitals have invested in mechanical lifting equipment, Owley said, but most of the respondents said they don't use it because it doesn't meet their daily needs or is inconveniently located.  She also said employers would see significant savings in workers' compensation payments if their workers had appropriate lifting equipment to use.

Barbara Kelsey, a Milwaukee registered nurse, suffered an injury from lifting post-surgical patients that led to chronic back pain.

"The pain was so bad that it ended my career as a bedside nurse," said Kelsey, now doing non-patient-care work. "The best thing is to have the right equipment to help us lift patients."

Vinnie Fedor, an X-ray tech at a New Jersey hospital, required surgery after manually lifting a patient from a gurney onto an X-ray table.

"The only way to do it is to climb on the table, crouch down to grip the sheet that the patient is on, and lift," Fedor said. "When I hopped off the table, my foot snagged on the sheet and I flew off the table, hit my head on the lid of the disposable waste can, bounced up, slammed back into the table and fell on my back onto the floor.

Fedor fractured his pelvis and required knee surgery.

Other survey highlights include:

• About 40 percent of RNs and X-ray techs have experienced injuries as a result of lifting, transferring or repositioning patients.  Seven percent have suffered 10 or more injuries in their career.
• Nearly half (48 percent) of the RNs said they have experienced chronic pain as a result of lifting, transferring or repositioning patients.  One-quarter of the nurses lost work time as a result.
• More than half (58 percent) of X-ray techs said they have experienced chronic pain, and 20 percent lost work time.
• During the past two years, 47 percent of the RNs and 30 percent of the X-ray techs said they considered leaving patient care because of the physical demands of the work.

View video clip of press event here.

(posted 03/23/06)