National Nurses United

NewsBriefs_OCT 11/29/11 10:11 PM Page 5 Safe Lift Now the Law in California CALIFORNIA A s registered nurses and other healthcare workers know, taking care of patients can literally be backbreaking work. These professions report some of the highest rates of musculoskeletal injuries in the nation, and countless nurses have had their careers cut short after hurting their backs lifting a patient at work. That's why RNs in California are celebrating a new state law signed in October that requires all acute-care hospitals as of Jan. 1, 2012 to have trained lift team personnel and also equipment available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help move and maneuver patients. Sponsored by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United and carried by Assemblymember Sandré Swanson, AB 1136 is known as the "safe lift" bill and is considered to be the strongest such worker protection law in the country. By requiring safe lifting policies, the law also protects patients from preventable falls and other injuries. "California's nursing workforce is aging at the same time patient acuity and obesity are rising," said Bonnie Castillo, RN and CNA/NNU legislative director. "Manual lifting can injure fragile patients by putting too much pressure on sensitive joints and compromised skin. This is a great step forward to protect our nurses and other healthcare workers from injury, and provide patients with safe and appropriate care." CNA/NNU had worked for years to pass lift team legislation. Earlier versions had passed the Legislature but been vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. This year, RNs successfully fought the opposition of the California Hospital Association, the lobbying group of the hospital industry, to pass the law South Florida RNs Win Election E FLORIDA ager to have a hand in improving the quality of patient care at their facility, registered nurses at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, Fla. voted overwhelmingly by 86 percent on Nov. 15 to unionize with National Nurses Organizing Committee-Florida, the state affiliate of National Nurses United. "We are thrilled with our victory," said Rose Campbell, an intensive care unit RN at Palmetto. "I am looking forward to bargaining for improved staffing which will decrease turnover. We need to recruit and retain experienced RNs in order to provide the safest patient care possible." NNOC-Florida will represent 500 RNs at the south Florida hospital and now represents some 6,000 Florida RNs in 15 facilities around the state. Palmetto General is an affiliate of the Tenet Health chain, one of the country's largest O C TO B E R 2 0 1 1 for-profit hospital systems. Nationally, NNU now represents 3,700 Tenet RNs in nine Tenet hospitals in Florida, Texas, and California. "With more RNs from Florida joining our ranks, we are increasing our collective strength to fight for patient care standards and safe nursing practice throughout Tenet facilities," said NNOC's Tenet RN Bargaining Council Chair Sherri Stoddard, RN. Key issues for the Palmetto RNs include a stronger voice in patient care protections at the hospital, improved staffing, and strengthened economic and workplace standards for RNs. —Staff report W W W. N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G and Gov. Jerry Brown signed it Oct. 7. The need for a safe lift law has been apparent for years. Bureau of Labor Statistics data in 2008 documented that nationally, 36,000 healthcare workers were injured by lifting and transferring patients. Nurses endure more work-related musculoskeletal injuries than truck drivers or construction workers—and California leads the nation in the number of musculoskeletal injuries. Nursing surveys have found that 83 percent of RNs work in spite of back pain, 52 percent report chronic back pain, and 12 percent who leave the profession say back injuries were the main, or a major, reason for leaving the RN workforce. "Nurses are essential to our healthcare system and it is important that we have proper safety measures in place to protect them from career-ending injuries," said Swanson in a statement. "AB 1136 will decrease the rate of injuries for nurses and other healthcare workers and improve patient safety. I am pleased that our governor recognized that the bill preserves quality care for patients, strengthens the nursing workforce, and protects hospital budgets." Swanson said he was compelled to introduce the bill because his own mother, a lifelong registered nurse, retired partly due to severe back pain. In addition to requiring safe lift policies, trained personnel, and equipment for handling patients, the law also states that the registered nurse, as the coordinator of care, decides based on her or his professional judgment of each patient's need how each lift will proceed. The law also requires that lift team members be trained and designated ahead of time in five areas of body exposure: vertical, lateral, bariatric, repositioning, and ambulation. Most importantly, the law also prevents RNs and healthcare workers from being disciplined for refusing to lift if they have concerns about their own or patient safety, or if they are asked to lift with untrained personnel. The law applies to all acute-care facilities, even rural and children's hospitals. CalOSHA enforces the law, and hospitals can incur fines and penalties if they do not comply. Correctional facilities and developmental centers are exempted. —Staff report N AT I O N A L N U R S E 5

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