Future nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physicians must be adequately educated and trained in safe patient handling and movement skills, including the use of appropriate equipment, algorithms, assessment tools, and safe patient handling skills. The simulation-based education experience (entitled SafeMovES – Safe Patient Handling & Movement plus Occupational Ergonomic Skills) has been developed and provides integrated safe patient handling training to increase knowledge, confidence, satisfaction, and skill performance. The SafeMovES simulation laboratory has partnered with some of the best safe patient handling manufacturers who have donated products to ensure the most state-of-the-art simulation lab. The first primary goal of SafeMovES is to train all students in the College of Nursing and Physical Therapy programs in safe patient handling. A secondary goal will be to provide continuing education in safe patient handling to regional hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home healthcare agencies.

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The SafeMoves Simulation Lab originated from our shared belief that future healthcare providers must understand why it’s important to be educated on safe patient-handling best practices and be knowledgeable about how to use safe patient-handling equipment. The College of Nursing curriculum led by Drs. Wagner and Smith, as well as other faculty, have included some safe patient handling education, but not to the extent provided by the new lab. Drs. Kotowski and Davis previously developed the concept of a safe patient handling simulation lab several years ago, but at the time, there wasn’t widespread support to move it forward.  The need for the lab stems from the ongoing health and safety issues that nurses, physical/occupational therapists, and other healthcare providers face in their patient care responsibilities in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and in-home healthcare. Repositioning and transferring patients are unsafe, especially for patients weighing over 35 lbs., and most of the patient population significantly exceeds this weight. Repositioning patients poses the highest risk to nurses during daily patient care activities. Not only does it lead to injuries, often resulting in days away from work, but it also creates a significant financial impact on healthcare facilities. With an aging workforce, a growing patient population, and the already demanding requirements of these occupations, we need to prioritize protecting our healthcare providers. Patients also benefit from improved patient handling practices is use of proper equipment can also lessen the risk of injury to the patient as well. So, it’s a win-win situation.

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A large portion of support for the lab came from equipment donations from over 30 different companies and organizations that believe in the value of safe patient handling and simulation. Some partners were companies we had previously worked with on other projects, but many were new and were found through cold calling/emailing. Thanks to their gracious support, the lab has 4 hospital beds, an array of floor and sit-to-stand lifts, an overhead ceiling lift, an assortment of patient repositioning devices, wheelchairs, other furniture, and many other pieces of equipment. Their willingness to help us set up the lab was incredible! The lab also has a studio-style apartment with a bathroom setup. Additional support for the lab came from a small internal grant from the College of Nursing – the Office of the Dean Rabinowitz Award- to provide pilot funding for a study to assess the feasibility of incorporating safe patient handling educational content and hands-on training for nursing students in the BSN program. To date, we have trained over 1000 nursing students in the lab. A small portion of this funding was also used to purchase additional equipment and materials, including a bariatric suit to simulate handling a bariatric patient.