Special approaches for safe handling of disabled children in The Netherlands

This article illustrates the manner in which care providers and lawmakers in The Netherlands are addressing safe patient handling of disabled children. Standardization of ergonomic practices for safe patient handling of children requires tailored solutions at both the ward and the individual patient level. Elements such as physical contact versus device-assisted transfer, healing environment, and nonverbal (or haptonomic) communication should all be taken into accountfor a program to be successful. Experience from The Netherlands has shown that consideration of these factors, national guidelines, and the presence of ergocoaches can all help to ensure the success of ergonomic interventions, thereby reducing the possibility of direct caregiver injuries.