Safe Patient Handling and Movement During the Perioperative Continuum: Mobile Surgical Platform Use

Nursing is a high-risk occupation for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, usually caused by the strain of lifting and moving patients. These injuries are financially costly to health care organizations and increase significantly the workforce necessary to deliver health care effectively, efficiently, and safely. Opportunities to integrate innovative and safe patient-handling technologies abound. As the patient safety movement evolves, more evidence-based research is needed with respect to design interventions that minimize patient handling. One possible solution is to use multifunctional beds to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among caregivers.