Patient Transfer Method Prevalence
Single person assist from wheelchair
Two or more person assist from wheelchair
Patient Transfer Method
Single person lateral slide from stretcher using slider board
Two or more person lateral
slide from stretcher using
slider board
Two person lateral slide from stretcher using trauma board
Hoyer Lift
0
Prevalence (Percentage of Total Transfers)
50
100
Figure 3 • Results of patient transfer log prior to implementation of SPH program.
Source: Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, OR. Used with permission.
the quality of patient care. The potential
for patient injury resulting from manual
transferring and positioning can significantly increase the liability of the institution, as well as the recovery time for
patients. There is also significant improvement in indirect costs related to patient
satisfaction, staff morale, and staff turnover.
Case Studies
In an injury reduction project by the
Occupational Health and Safety Agency
for Healthcare British Columbia
(OHSAH), ceiling tracks for use with
portable lifts were installed in two out of
three nuclear medicine rooms, with the
third room, without tracks, forming the
control group for the study. 9 There were 22
technologists in the group utilizing the
ceiling lifts and 12 technologists in the
control group. Surveys were used both
before and after the execution of the pro-
gram to collect data related to perceived
risk for injury, symptoms of pain or dis-
comfort, workflow, and preferred method
of patient transfer and positioning.
The potential for patient injury resulting from manual trans-
ferring and positioning can significantly increase the liability
of the institution, as well as the recovery time for patients.
