[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 510 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 510

      Recognizing the need for safe patient handling and movement.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2009

  Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself and Mr. Smith of New Jersey) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
      Recognizing the need for safe patient handling and movement.

Whereas registered nurses and other health care workers are being asked to lift 
        and transfer unreasonable loads, with the average nurse lifting 1.8 tons 
        on an eight-hour shift;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently rates ``registered nursing'' 
        and ``nursing aides and orderlies'' in the top 10 of all United States 
        occupations reporting on the job injuries resulting in days away from 
        work, with the leading causes of these injuries being tasks involving 
        patient movement, transferring, and repositioning;
Whereas 12 percent of nurses leave the profession permanently every year because 
        of back pain, and 47 percent of nurses have considered leaving the 
        profession because of the physical demands of their job;
Whereas 54 percent of nurses report that patient lifting and transferring 
        devices are not readily available for use in their health care facility;
Whereas the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has reported 
        that manual patient lifting is associated with decreased quality of 
        care, diminished patient safety and comfort, decreased patient 
        satisfaction, and increased risk of patient falls, patient drops, 
        friction burns, dislocated shoulders, skin tears, and bruises;
Whereas costs associated with back injuries in the healthcare industry are 
        estimated to be $20,000,000,000 annually;
Whereas a case study published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
        shows that the direct and indirect costs associated with a safe lifting 
        program are recouped in 4.3 years through significant reductions in 
        workers' compensation payments and by avoiding the costs associated with 
        caregiver absenteeism; and
Whereas research has shown that safe resident lifting programs reduce resident-
        handling workers' compensation injury rates by 61 percent, lost work day 
        injury rates by 66 percent, restricted workdays by 38 percent, and the 
        number of workers suffering from repeated injuries: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages safe patient movement for direct-care 
        licensed nurses and other health care providers as a critical 
        component in protecting licensed nurses and other health care 
        workers and increasing patient safety; and
            (2) recognizes that the National Institute for Occupational 
        Safety and Health has reported that manual patient lifting is 
        associated with high rates of injuries for health care workers, 
        labor shortages, decreased quality of care, diminished patient 
        safety and comfort, decreased patient satisfaction, and higher 
        risks of patient falls, patient drops, friction burns, 
        dislocated shoulders, skin tears, and bruises.
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