Reducing perceived physical stress while transferring residents. An ergonomic approach

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Handling
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Manual patient handling poses risks for nursing staff.
• Traditional transfer methods can cause patient discomfort and insecurity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare physical exertion in nursing staff during patient transfers.
• Evaluate patient comfort and security with different transfer methods.

Main Methods:

• Compared a specialized chair with a transfer pad against mechanical lifts and gait belts.
• Nursing staff self-reported perceived exertion post-transfer.
• Residents self-reported comfort and security post-transfer.

Main Results:

• The specialized chair and pad significantly decreased physical exertion for nursing staff.
• Residents reported higher comfort and security using the specialized chair and pad.

Conclusions:

• The specialized chair and pad offer a safer and more comfortable patient transfer solution.
• This method may reduce work-related injuries for nursing staff and improve patient experience.