Overview
Keywords: Residential transferring/lifting; long-term care
Timeline: May 2015 - present
Researchers: Tyler Weaver (Principal Investigator and student researcher, University of Waterloo), Andrew Laing (University of Waterloo), Veronique Boscart (Conestoga College)
Funder: CRE-MSD
Project type: Seed grant
Sector/Workplace type: Healthcare sector
Theme:
Theme
2
Risk
factors
Background/rationale
Patient transfer is a demanding task that can lead to workplace injury. Despite many healthcare facilities having “no-lift” policies, manual transferring of residents still frequently occurs.
Research question/objectives/methods
This project will provide insights into whether age is a factor in personal support workers (PSWs) perceptions of the maximum weight of a resident they can safely manually transfer (i.e., from the perspective of the care worker). In addition to worker age, we also will examine other potential explanatory factors including anthropometrics, transfer techniques (i.e. body postures), strength, and history of injury/disability. Accompanying these measurements will also be ratings of perceived exertion during the transfers. The findings will aid in the development of guidelines for workers in long-term care and educational resources for personal support workers, nursing professionals and students.
Key findings
In progress
Implications for the prevention of MSD
It is anticipated that the results of this study will help guide future workplace training initiatives.
Knowledge dissemination
In progress