Promoting a safe workplace
Back injury prevention
The Victorian Nurses Back Injury Prevention Project (VNBIPP) was initiated in 1998. It was established to address the high proportion of back injuries incurred by nurses.
- Funding was provided over the period 1999-2003 by the Department of Human Services (DHS) to assist with the implementation of nurse back injury prevention programs within public health care facilities.
- The project has overseen four rounds of funding totalling $8.35 million. Funding has provided assistance to 111 public health care facilities across Victoria to implement programs to prevent back injury amongst nurses.
- An Advisory Committee consisting of representatives of the Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch), Department of Human Services, Injured Nurses Support Group, Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA), WorkSafe Victoria, and employer and employee representatives oversees the project.
Aims of VNBIPP
The program has been directed at eliminating or minimising manual handling when moving patients. This has been achieved through the provision of patient handling aids and equipment, and education in No Lifting principles and techniques. Importantly, critical components of the VNBIPP were directed at encouraging cultural change and ownership by nurses. These included
- Raising the awareness of nurses,
- Encouraging nurses to be proactive in identifying hazards and reducing risks of injury in the workplace,
- Educating nurses in patient risk assessment, encouraging patient independence and mobility,
- Encouraging patients to assist in their own transfers.
- Organisational commitment was sought at all levels, thereby facilitating long term cultural change throughout the health service industry.
1. Assisting facilities to implement back injury prevention programs based on no lifting principles and policies.
2. Facilitating long term cultural change in health care organisations and among health care staff. By encouraging new attitudes, the Project aims to eliminate unsafe practices that have traditionally led to a high risk of injury amongst nurses.
3. Assisting health care organisations to implement effective procedures for risk identification, assessment and control of patient handling injuries among nurses.
Key findings from the 2004 report are:
- A 24% reduction in the rate of standard back injury claims by nurses in public health service agencies in Victoria.
- A 41% reduction in the rate of working days lost associated with standard back injury claims by nurses in public health service agencies in Victoria.
- The mean working days lost per claim was reduced from 100 days per claim in the pre-implementation period to 77 days in the post-implementation period, a reduction of 23%.
In addition to these findings, nurses surveyed during the evaluation reported strong support and ownership of the programs, an increasing readiness to report injuries earlier and higher levels of responsibility for their own safety in the work environment.
To support ongoing back injury prevention education, health services can make a submission to the Continuing Nurse Education Grant (CNEG) scheme. Assistance with back injury prevention equipment costs can be applied for through the Targeted Equipment Program (TEP).
Each health service can make submissions to either or both of these schemes according to their own program requirements and assessed needs.
Health services are advised of the TEP in the first quarter of 2005-06 together with the equipment proformas and other application details. Further information can be found at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/med-equip/
Submissions for the CNEG are already being sought, and further information can be found on the continuing your nursing career page. Rural Directors of Nursing and nurse education managers should contact their regional agency liaison officer for further information.
Resources
This document is a resource to assist health care facilities to sustain successful nurse back injury prevention programs. The framework provides guidance on the key requirements that organisations will be expected to comply with when applying for funding for training / equipment to support nurse back injury prevention programs.
Evaluation Report 2004 - Executive Summary (PDF File 409KB)
Evaluation Report 2004 - Full Report (PDF File 1.08MB)
Competency Assessment Instrument - 2004 (PDF File 113KB)
The Victorian Nurses Back Injury Prevention Project - Evaluation Report 2002 (PDF File 383KB)
Department's Response to recommendations arising from the Evaluation Report 2002. (PDF File 742KB)
Victorian Nurses Back Injury Prevention Bulletin - December 2001 (PDF File 228KB)
Contact
All enquires can be directed to Nurse Policy Branch