Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting
Second Edition developed by the AOHP OSHA Alliance Implementation Team
Summer 2011
A primary goal of the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare’s (AOHP) Alliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to develop educational materials related to the targeted areas identified in the Alliance. Patient handling, bloodborne pathogens, and emergency preparedness are the three areas of focus for the Alliance. The Alliance recognizes that patient handling practices impact not only the healthcare worker but also the patient. Safe patient handling practices will reduce the risk of the patient falling or experiencing skin breakdown from repositioning or lateral transfers in bed. In addition, implementing safe patient handling practices will reduce the facility’s financial burden with regard to patient claims and workers’ compensation claims.
This resource guide addresses patient handling with the goal of providing the necessary tools for the occupational health professional (OHP) to implement a safe patient handling program. There is a great deal of emerging information, and this resource guide contributes toward the consolidation of that information.
Click here to download Beyond Getting Started: Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting
Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Preparing for Mass mmunization/Prophylaxis of Healthcare Workers Introduction
Prepared by AOHP
Summer 2009
Emergency preparedness is an essential responsibility within healthcare facilities. Before Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), terrorism and the reality of a pandemic novel influenza virus, the role of occupational health in emergency preparedness planning may have been minimal. Today, the involvement of the occupational health professional (OHP) in the creation and implementation of the facility’s emergency preparedness plan is critical to the plan’s success. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are among the most important individuals to protect in the event of an infectious disease outbreak, as they care for victims exposed to the infectious agent/s. If HCWs are not protected, they themselves will become vectors with the risk of being contagious before their symptoms appear.
However, HCWs have not always been eager to receive recommended vaccines, including influenza vaccine. As an example, their reluctance to receive influenza vaccine has been documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numerous times. In a March 2009 report, the CDC estimated that only about 40 percent of HCWs in the United States were annually vaccinated against influenza.1 Therefore, it is not only important to develop a plan to protect large numbers of frontline HCWs, it is also important to include a comprehensive educational component in the program to help increase vaccination/prophylaxis rates in the event of an infectious disease outbreak.
This resource guide will focus on one of the key functions in emergency preparedness involving an infectious agent – mass immunization/prophylaxis capability. The guide includes information to develop a plan, samples of a house-wide mass immunization/prophylaxis plan and a pharmacy disaster plan, and sample drug fact sheets and general resources, including Web links, that can be used to assist in the development of this capability within your facility.
