Importance of lift teams to nurses

HOSPITAL nursing

Weighing in on lift teams Learn how a large medical center got its lift team off the ground to benefit both patients and staff.

W hat nurse wouldn't want to take the back- hreak out of moving patients? And what hospital doesn't want to improve patient

safety and prevent staff injuries? This article will explain how instituting a hft team at a large medical center helped improve patient outcomes and create a safer work environment for the nurses.

Seeking healthy staff In 2003, the cardiac intensive care unit and cardiothoracic surgical intensive care unit council at Miami Valley Hospi- tal in Dayton, Ohio, sought ways to support the staff and retain experienced nurses. Concerned about injuries re- lated to moving patients, the council consulted a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) about developing a lift team. The CNS formed an interdisciplinary team to research the problem and investigate the feasibility of a lift team.

The interdisciplinary team consisted of the medical director, the nurse-manager of employee health, the manag- er of patient-transport services, an ergonomics consultant, and an educator from the Center of Nursing Excellence. They investigated and found that lift teams reduce lost time, days when nurses can do only light duty, workers' compensation claims, and staff injuries.

After the council performed an extensive literature review and interviewed nurses at facilities that use lift teams, it sought and received funding to launch a lift team at the hospital. It also got funds for education and training measures for the nursing staff

Setting goals Careful staff selection is critical for recruitment and reten- tion of a professional lift team. (See Recruiting the team for details.) Orientation to the program also calls for in-depth training in the following areas; • moving patients with and without mechanical assistance in various environments • communication • patient satisfaction • infection control • patient confidentiality.

To reduce injury risk, lift team members had to meet

certain criteria before starting training and then do so yearly to keep their jobs. They had to successfully com- plete the Firefighter's Fitness Test and an evaluation by the medical director of employee health. Physically fit team members are less likely to be injured, and successful completion of the fitness test enhances team confidence.

Supervised by the ergonomics expert and nurse- educator, our lift team members also had to complete competencies during orientation. Subsequently, they'd undergo quarterly observation by the ergonomics expert and mairitain yearly competencies in patient handling.

Getting the team off the ground Before the lift team was implemented, staff in the six nursing units with the most patient-handling injuries were educated on effective use of the lift team. Guide- lines on accessing team members, scheduling lifts, and providing feedback were posted in the target units. (See Setting priorities.)

When the lift team was launched, the nurses contacted them through central dispatch. But the nurses and lift team members soon found the process cumbersome, so the lift team members started carrying wireless phones. This practice significantly reduced delays and helped the team members set priorities. (•"

Recruiting the team

Lift team leaders at the facility interviewed 30 people before hiring the first 4 members. They determined that the following qualities are crucial to fill the positions: • physical fitness • excellent communication skills • critical thinking skills • the ability to work under pressure.

A qualified lift team candidate who has limited health care experience needs support for the emotional aspects of the job. Exposure to acutely ill patients can be very upsetting to a novice, so debriefing sessions, education, and frequent contact go a long way to help. Orientation to medical/surgical units should be first, followed by ori- entation to critical care.

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