The challenge of effective workplace change in the health sector

There is significant personal injury risk associated with the provision of high-quality healthcare. The magnitude of this risk, combined with the possibility that it can often go underappreciated by caregivers and the organizations they work for, might help explain why the health sector has largely missed out on the benefits of an overall declining trend in injury rates. Despite covering two very different topics in their lead papers, Shamian and El-Jardali and Clements, Dault and Priest present a surprising degree of overlap in relation to what might help enable effective workplace change. Leadership, role clarity, trust, respect, values and workplace culture are all viewed as key enablers of effective teamwork by Clements, Dault and Priest. They could also be considered required ingredients of successful workplace health initiatives, as discussed by Shamian and El-Jardali. A lot of background and positional work regarding teamwork and healthy workplaces exists, but this has not necessarily translated into front-line change. These authors have done an excellent job of pointing out the potential benefits of workplace changes. What is needed now is for someone to take the lead in developing, implementing and evaluating these changes. The adult human form is an awkward burden to lift or carry. Weighing up to 200 pounds or more, it has no handles, it is not rigid, and it is susceptible to severe damage if mishandled or dropped. When lying in bed, a patient is placed inconveniently for lifting and the weight and placement of such a load would be tolerated by few industrial workers.