Abstract

Background: Patient lifting injuries remain a significant hazard to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers despite preventative and mitigative strategies.Objective: To better characterize the nature of occupational injury involving patient and stretcher handling.Methods: A retrospective review of existing de-identified claims data was performed for the study period of January 1, 1999, through December 31, 2017. Independent reviewers analyzed each claim to determine if the claim was related to lifting or moving a patient. Any discrepancies between the two reviewers were analyzed by a third reviewer.Results: Eighty-two claims were identified as resulting from lifting or maneuvering patients. Fifty-two of these injuries (63.4%) resulted in at least one lost workday (LWD). Strains and sprains accounted for the majority of injuries with 63.4% (n=52) and 18.3% (n=15) respectively. Forty-two (51.2%) of these reports occurred when the provider was moving a patient, not involving a stretcher, while 37.8% (n=31) occurred due to lifting or maneuvering a stretcher with or without a patient. Conclusion: While the overall incidence of lifting injuries was less than reported in other occupational health data series, these injuries continue to occur, and cause significant operational and fiscal impact for EMS systems. This occurrence is despite advances in engineering controls and the organizational embracement of a culture of safety that focuses on risk identification and mitigation. Understanding the types of lifting/moving injuries, circumstances surrounding the injury, and contributing factors will help to maintain a heightened awareness of potential injuries associated with EMS work, and opportunities to reduce them.

Highlights

  • Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are an inherently dangerous profession with a multitude of occupational hazards

  • Prehospital EMS represents a dangerous profession with high potential for occupational injury

  • Previous studies have shown that over-exertion/musculoskeletal injuries are the most frequent type of injury in EMS

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Summary

Introduction

Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are an inherently dangerous profession with a multitude of occupational hazards. These hazards include exposures, falls, motor vehicle collisions, violence, and overexertion [1]. These physical injuries occur more frequently in EMS than in other industries, including non-EMS fire rescue agencies, with a reported injury rate of 34.6 per 100 full-time employees (FTE) [2]. Over-exertion injuries are the most frequent type of bodily injury in EMS [1] These include strains and sprains to muscles and joints as a result of a single lift or exertion that exceeds that muscle group's strength. Patient lifting injuries remain a significant hazard to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers despite preventative and mitigative strategies

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