Courses

INTENDED AUDIENCE This activity was developed to provide nurses and other healthcare providers in long term care facilities an understanding of how to perform lifts safely. COMMERCIAL SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT No commercial support was provided for the development of this activity. STATEMENT OF NEED Ambulation and movement have many benefits for residents in long term care facilities. However, residents often require the assistance of healthcare professionals to ambulate and move, and this puts care providers at risk for a variety of injuries related to lifting. Statistics show that care providers in long term care facilities are twice as likely to suffer an on-the-job injury as workers in industry. To prevent injuries related to moving residents, healthcare professionals need to be aware of and trained in the use of safe lifting techniques and devices designed to promote safe lifting and resident transfers. METHOD OF PARTICIPATION To complete this activity and obtain CE credit, you must do the following: - Read this Course Introduction/Disclosures section in its entirety. - Read the course material. - Complete the Post Test with a score of 80% or more. - Submit the online activity evaluation form. ACCREDITATION Medcom/Trainex is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation* Medcom/Trainex is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing (provider number CEP 9888), and the Florida Board of Nursing (provider number 50-1285). *Accreditation refers to recognition of educational activities only and does not imply Commission on Accreditation approval or endorsement of any product. CREDIT DESIGNATION Medcom, Inc. designates this educational activity for 1 contact hour of continuing nursing education credit. OVERVIEW Medical errors have recently been recognized as a significant cause of thousands of unnecessary injuries and deaths in the United States. As part of the general response aimed at reducing medical errors, patient safety has taken on a more critical role. The Joint Commission has developed a patient safety initiative to address some of these problems. This program looks at this initiative and describes what steps nurses can take to help ensure patient safety. This program will focus on techniques and strategies for lifting residents safely. The material is organized around the following categories: - Introduction - The Importance of Mobility Assistance - Body Mechanics - General Safety Rules for Lifting a Resident - Planning a Safe Lift - Residents With Different Abilities - Conclusion LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completing this course, the learner should be able to: - Describe the importance of mobility assistance. - Explain proper body mechanics for lifting a resident. - Describe assisting residents with different abilities. AUTHOR / REVIEWERS This educational activity was wholly developed, written, and produced by Medcom, Inc., G. Rand Rodriguez, editor. Yasaman Alian PT, DPT served as subject matter expert in review of the content, and performed a content validation review. Marguerite Voorhees, RN, CNS, CPHQ, CPHRM, served as nurse planner. PLANNER / AUTHOR DISCLOSURE In accordance with ANCC Standards, parallel documents from other accrediting bodies, and Medcom, Inc. policy, the learner is hereby informed that the planners and staff of Medcom, Inc., and the content validation reviewers involved with this activity have reported no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests. Furthermore, there is no discussion in this activity about the use of products for non FDA-approved indications. UNAPPROVED USE / DISCLOSURE Medcom, Inc. requires authors and content validation reviewers to disclose to the learner when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved); and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Authors of this activity may present information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information. DISCLAIMER As in all educational activities, we encourage the practitioners to use their own judgment in treating and addressing the needs of each individual patient, taking into account the patient's unique clinical situation. Medcom disclaims any liability and/or loss resulting from the information contained in this activity. The learner specifically agrees to indemnify and hold Medcom, the creators, producers, and distributors of this activity harmless against any and all claims or liabilities arising out of the use of any information provided in this activity by the learner, or by anyone directly or indirectly obtaining such information through the learner.