Purpose for the program:

More than 10% of nurses have had injuries allowing them to file workmen’s compensation claims nationally. Ceiling mounted lifts (CML) are proven to reduce staff injuries and improve patient safety.  Our hospital supports the use of CML’s to prevent injury in inpatient and outpatient settings.  To renew our commitment to both patient and staff safety, our labor and delivery unit installed CML’s in every labor room and obstetrical operating room.

Laboring patients are immobilized with regional anesthesia requiring nursing to assist with all activities. These activities include: turning and repositioning, assisting with elimination, and holding extremities during the second stage of labor or in medical emergencies.  The increasing population of patients with a prepregnancy BMI > 30 adds to the nurse’s physical stress.  Standards of care requires one staff member be present for each thirty five pounds to be lifted.  Staffing limitations make it challenging to follow this practice as well as increases the risk for patient and/or nursing injuries.  These physical demands were recognized and ceiling mounted lifts installed to assist the nurse with patient care as well as reduce lost time injury (LTI). 

Proposed change:

Educate and in-service by our Patient Environment Equipment Posture Safety (Peeps) department in collaboration with the Staff Development Specialists on CML's function and usage.  

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:

This presentation is an educational learning tool, and will include pictures on how to demonstrate the various slings utilized to assist with position changes and for transfers to the operating room during emergencies. Our plan to maximize the use of these slings in each area is to place one on every bed when the room is set up for admission. Full body slings used with a ceiling lift have a capacity of 1200 lbs.  Chair slings are utilized during the second stage of labor to provide an alternate pushing position.  Limb slings are used to hold lower extremities while patients are pushing, or to hold the pannus back for fetal monitoring on bariatric patients. Statistics will support the use of CML’s to decrease LTI and assist the nurse in safely caring for patients. 

Implications for nursing practice:  

With use of these lifts patient comfort is addressed, nurse are given a sense of security knowing they are in a safer environment and patients are provided with the best possible care. 

Keywords: CML, Safety, Lost Time Injury