Table 4.
Characteristics of the observed patient handling activities requiring use of an ergonomic device and actual ergonomic device use in nursing homes and hospitals
| Nursing homes (n=19) | Hospitals (n=19) | ||||||
| Devices | N | n | Device used | N | n | Device used | |
| Transfer | Lifting devices | 101 | 145 | 105 (72%) | 71 | 80 | 34 (43%) |
| Personal care of patients (A) | Adjustable bed | 62 | 81 | 73 (90%) | 82 | 86 | 79 (92%) |
| Personal care of patients (B) | Adjustable shower chair | 26 | 28 | 15 (54%) | 3 | 3 | 0 (0%) |
| Repositioning patients in bed (A) | Slide sheet | 68 | 88 | 13 (15%) | 107 | 119 | 14 (12%) |
| Repositioning patients in bed (B) | Adjustable bed | 68 | 88 | 75 (85%) | 107 | 119 | 101 (85%) |
| Putting on and taking off anti-embolism stockings | Compression stocking slide | 20 | 28 | 16 (57%) | 12 | 12 | 5 (42%) |
| Total | 110 | 370 | 253 (68%) | 137 | 300 | 176 (59%) | |
N, number of nurses; n, number of observations where use of an ergonomic device was required according to workplace guidelines.