Just five months after occupational health and safety introduced a new training and prevention program, musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) at KGH have been reduced by 20 per cent.

 

More than 900 staff have been trained in comprehensive ergonomic training and risk assessments since the program was introduced in January. The program kicked off with train the trainer sessions for 26 patient care and 25 non-patient care providers from across the hospital. The sessions included training on patient mobility assessment or MSI hazard assessment and review/use of controls and equipment.

 

“Upon completion of training, these peer coaches returned to their respective departments and units in various capacities with the ultimate goal of promoting a safety culture within the organization,” says KGH ergonomist Tegan Slot.

 

Peer coaches were responsible for becoming educated on best ergonomics practices in their areas, disseminating MSI prevention and ergonomics knowledge to their peer group, encouraging adherence to the minimal lift and MSI prevention policies, and collaborating with leadership to identify and resolve MSI hazards within their respective departments/units.

 

Slot says the 20-per-cent reduction in injuries is a great start. The goal is to sustain this reduction, with no greater than 25 musculoskeletal injuries per quarter, 100 per year.

 

In patient care areas, safe patient handling coaches were staffed on a supernumerary basis (as an “extra” with no patient load) for a total of 150 hours for the initial three months of the project. Coaches focused on safe patient handling and addressing barriers to consistent and effective use of the equipment. Moving forward, safe patient handling training will be completed annually via a DVD, available in the safe patient handling binders on each unit, as well as on the intranet.

 

So far, about 500 patient care providers have received training from their peer mentor.

 

In non-patient-care areas, safety champions were recruited to dedicate one eight-hour shift per month to MSI prevention. During this time they were tasked with completing an MSI hazard inspection checklist in their respective departments. The checklist identified unsafe working postures, work procedures, unsafe facility equipment, slip/trip/fall hazards, etc. Then, each hazard was assigned an action level to indicate severity, and peer mentors met with their department leaders to determine suitable corrective actions and a date by which the hazard would be eliminated.

 

MSI prevention training for all non-patient care staff – 400 have completed the training so far – is currently being provided via self-directed PowerPoint. That will soon be replaced with a video module now in development. After reviewing the MSI training, staff complete a 10-question quiz to document completion.

 

“The MSI prevention program has been received well by staff across the hospital,” says Slot. “Several areas have made significant improvements to either work environment or work practice to reduce musculoskeletal injuries. Staff continue to embrace a culture of safety in our hospital and we hope to build on this success.