Worker Safety / Safe Patient Handling (SPH)
Efforts to improve patient safety and worker safety offer natural synergistic opportunities. Improvement efforts can be coordinated to benefit both groups. The implementation of effective Safe Patient Handling (SPH) programs is a great example of a synergy that benefits patients and workers at health care facilities.
Goal:
To support hospitals' efforts to reduce the rate of musculoskeletal injuries related to patient handling activity.
Approach:
NYSPFP will provide SPH education and best practice sharing opportunities to improve safety for both patients and workers. NYSPFP will support hospitals' efforts to:
- Ensure that hospital-specific SPH goals and objectives align with hospitals' existing safety initiatives.
- Ensure integration with hospitals' teamwork and communication efforts by focusing on the intersection of worker safety and reducing patient harm.
- Align internal SPH activities with the New York State SPH law requirements.