PURPOSE: This rule specifies the requirements for safe patient handling and movement practices in a hospital.

1. (1) There shall be an active multidisciplinary committee responsible for implementing and monitoring the safe patient handling and movement program. At least one-half (1/2) of the members of the committee shall be frontline non-managerial employees who are involved in patient care handling activities.

2. (2) This program shall include:

   1. (A) A safe patient handling policy for all shifts that will achieve elimination of manual lifting, transferring, and repositioning of all or most of a patient’s weight, except in emergency, life-threatening, or otherwise exceptional circumstances;
   2. (B) A patient-handling hazard assessment that considers such variables as patient-handling tasks, types of nursing units, patient populations, and the physical environment of patient care areas;
   3. (C) A process which assesses patient’s needs for safe patient handling and movement;
   4. (D) Educational materials for patients and their families to help orient them to the hospital’s safe patient handling program;
   5. (E) An annual evaluation of the program utilizing measurable outcome measures including but not limited to employee and patient injuries, lost work days, and workers’ compensation claims; and
   6. (F) Evidence of changes based on the program evaluation.
3. (3) All employees involved in patient care handling activities are to be trained and demonstrate competence on safe patient handling policies, equipment, and devices before implementation, annually, and as changes are made to the program.

AUTHORITY: section 197.080, RSMo 2000.* Original rule filed April 29, 2011, effective Nov. 30, 2011.

*Original authority: 197.080, RSMo 1953, amended 1993, 1995.