The clinical nurse specialist as change agent: reducing employee injury and related costs

• Published in: Clinical nurse specialist Vol. 23; no. 6; p. 309
• Main Authors: Sedlak, Carol A, Doheny, Margaret O, Jones, Susan L, Lavelle, Colleen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2009
• Subjects: Education, Continuing; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Nurse-Patient Relations; Nurses; Occupational Diseases - economics; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Health; Specialties, Nursing - manpower; Workers' Compensation - economics; Wounds and Injuries - economics; Wounds and Injuries - prevention & control
• DOI: 10.1097/NUR.0b013e3181bc30b5

The purpose of this study was, first, to examine the role of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) as it relates to the implementation of a CNS-initiated Safe Movement Program and, second, to report findings from a CNS-initiated safe movement program (SMP) in reducing healthcare workers' injuries and related costs. A longitudinal preimplementation and postimplementation study design was used. Healthcare workers in a 156-bed, extended-care facility (nursing home) participated in the study. Participants at the onset of the study included 52 healthcare workers who participated in the study preimplementation and postimplementation of the SMP. Attrition resulted in a final sample of 46. Data were collected on healthcare workers' perceptions of injuries as well as existing incident reports and workers' compensation records preimplementation and postimplementation of the study. Outcomes included major reduction in healthcare worker injuries and related workers' compensation cost savings. The number of healthcare workers who thought an injury occurred as a result of lifting or transferring a resident was reduced by 75%, and perceptions of lifting and transfer injuries resulting in a back strain were reduced by 80%. The number of times in a month healthcare workers felt lifting or transferring a resident was "too much" for them was reduced by 73%. Workers' compensation insurance was reduced by 93%. A CNS-initiated SMP reduces injuries and costs and may recoup the cost of the program in 5 years. Job-related musculoskeletal injuries are a critical problem. As the healthcare workforce continues to age, a comprehensive SMP needs to be implemented to ensure safety of employees in the clinical practice setting. The program may pay for itself in 5 years.