Bolstered by a study that shows that 56% of hospital nurses and 64% of radiology technicians have suffered chronic pain or injuries from lifting or moving patients, AFT Healthcare, one of the American Federation of Teachers unions, is calling for hospitals to provide patient-moving equipment. (Click here to download the study.) According to a Newsday story, recently AFT and its New Jersey affiliate lobbied the state’s lawmakers to introduce a bill making the lifting equipment mandatory in hospitals. The AFT-commissioned study surveyed 509 hospital nurses and 404 radiology technicians and found that only 24% of nurses and 27% of radiology technicians currently use patient-lifting equipment--even if the hospital makes it available to them--and that 47% of nurses and 30% of the technicians have considered leaving patient care because of the heavy physical demands. More than 80% support mandates requiring hospitals to provide the equipment, which the study says is associated with a 23% reduction in the incidence of chronic pain and injury.
