Participatory Organizational Intervention for Improved Use of Assistive Devices for Patient Handling (IRMA12)

National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Denmark

Status: Completed

Conditions: Musculoskeletal Disorders; Occupational Injuries

Treatments: Behavioral: Participatory Organizational Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02708550

IRMA12

Details and patient eligibility

About

Epidemiological studies have shown that patient transfer is a risk factor for back pain, back injuries and long term sickness absence, whereas consistent use of assistive devices during patient transfer is associated with reduced risk of back injury. In consequence, Danish hospitals have made great efforts to increase knowledge, availability and use of assistive devices to reduce work-related physical strain due to patient transfer. Yet, a recent survey among more than 300 nurses and nurses' aides showed that two thirds rarely uses assistive devices during patient transfer. Thus it seems relevant to investigate barriers, opportunities and practical solutions for increasing use of assistive devices among healthcare workers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a participatory organizational intervention for improved use of assistive devices during patient transfer.

Enrollment: 625 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

At the department level:

Hospital departments with frequent patient handling will be eligible for participation in the cluster-randomized study.

At the individual level (questionnaire replies):

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthcare workers with daily patient handling (based on questionnaire reply at baseline)

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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625 participants in 2 patient groups

Participatory Organizational Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participatory intervention (workshops) with workers, consultants and leaders. The workshops will find solutions for increased use of assistive devices

Treatment:

Behavioral: Participatory Organizational Intervention

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

This group will go through the same baseline and follow-up tests as the intervention group, but will not receive any intervention.