Patient Transfers and the Preventive Effects for Over-Exertion Back Injury of Training and use of Transfer Devices among Nursing Personnel

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nursing personnel have a high prevalence of occupational back injuries compared to other occupational groups. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of training and use of transfer devices for reported over-exertion back injuries among nursing personnel involved in patient transfer. RESULTS: Nurses who transferred patients once or more per shift had an increased relative risk (RR=3.3, 95%CI=2.2–5.1). Nurses who had got training in how to use the transfer devices on their own ward showed a lower relative risk for patient transfer (RR=1.6, CI=0.9–2.8) compared to nurses without training (RR=6.0, CI=3.0–12.0). Also the use of transfer devices in ≥1/4 of all patient transfers, reduced the relative risk (RR=1.5, CI=0.6–3.4) compared to nurses who seldom used devices (RR=3.9, CI=2.3–6.6) DISCUSSION: The results show the importance of training the nurses in how to use the transfer devices on their wards and to encourage the nurses to use the transfer devices frequently during patient transfer. This presupposes that necessary and good transfer devices are available on all wards.