The Lifting Team

TLDR

Lifting is a controlled art, and concentrating risk where it can be managed—such as by employing a dedicated two‑person lifting team—can dramatically reduce incident rates compared to relying on nurses. The study demonstrates that a professional lifting team achieves a 95% reduction in lost‑time injuries versus nurses, while also improving nursing morale, easing recruitment, and freeing time for bedside care.

Abstract

Lifting is an art, not a random task. If risk is concentrated where it can be controlled, incident rates can be reduced dramatically. It is much easier to control the variables that lead to injury in a team of two lifting members than in a population of nurses. The lifting team study shows that a 95% reduction in lost time injuries can be obtained if a professional lifting team, rather than nurses, lift clients. Secondary benefits to the lifting team approach are: greater nursing morale, recruiting tasks become easier if nurses do not have to lift, and additional time for bedside nursing care.