In Australian hospitals and residential aged care facilities, how do we train nursing and direct care staff to assist patients and residents to move? A national survey.

Abstract

Objective Nursing workplace injuries related to staff-assisted patient/resident movement occur frequently, however, little is known about the programs that aim to prevent these injuries. The objectives of this study were to: (i) describe how Australian hospitals and residential aged care services provide manual handling training to staff and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on training; (ii) report issues relating to manual handling; (iii) explore the inclusion of dynamic risk assessment; and (iv) describe the barriers and potential improvements. Method Using a cross-sectional design, an online 20-min survey was distributed by email, social media, and snowballing to Australian hospitals and residential aged care services. Results Respondents were from 75 services across Australia, with a combined 73 000 staff who assist patients/residents to mobilise. Most services provide staff manual handling training on commencement (85%; n  = 63/74), then annually (88% n  = 65/74). Since the COVID-19 pandemic, training was less frequent, shorter in duration, and with greater online content. Respondents reported issues with staff injuries (63% n  = 41), patient/resident falls (52% n  = 34), and patient/resident inactivity (69% n  = 45). Dynamic risk assessment was missing in part or in whole from most programs (92% n  = 67/73), despite a belief that this may reduce staff injuries (93% n  = 68/73), patient/resident falls (81% n  = 59/73) and inactivity (92% n  = 67/73). Barriers included insufficient staff and time, and improvements included giving residents a say in how they move and greater access to allied health. Conclusion Most Australian health and aged care services provide clinical staff with regular manual handling training for staff-assisted patient/resident movement, however, issues with staff injuries, as well as patient/resident falls and inactivity, remain. While there was a belief that dynamic in-the-moment risk assessment during staff-assisted patient/resident movement may improve staff and resident/patient safety, it was missing from most manual handling programs.