The Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference, Brought to You by NYS Lift

The Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference, Brought to You by NYS Lift

The NYS Zero Lift Task Force: SPH in Action

Learning Bound: The Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference

NYS Zero Lift Task Force: Ensuring the Safety of Healthcare Workers

NYS Zero Lift Task Force: Putting the Healthcare Worker First

This month, we’ve got our eye on the New York State Zero Lift Task Force, an organization comprised of healthcare workers, administrators, patient advocates, union representatives, and health and safety professionals committed to ensuring the well-being of all patients and healthcare workers in the state of New York. We especially admire the NYS Zero Lift Task Force for their humble, ever-critical mission statement: “To create a safe environment for patients and healthcare workers by eliminating strenuous manual lifting tasks.” Ultimately, the zero-lift approach means lowered workers’ compensation payments, reduced complaints, and effective recruitment and retention of highly qualified staff – things we can all get on board with.

The Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference

We’re eager to learn more about the NYS Zero Lift Task Force’s Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference, which will be held this fall at The Albany Capitol Center in Albany, New York. From November 15 to November 16, vendors and attendees will descend upon the Capitol Center for hands-on, interactive learning experiences alongside a community of innovators, policy makers, and healthcare workers.

The Safe Patient Handling (SPH) Conference is designed to help attendees – referred to as “learners” – to better understand the elements of an SPH program as required by New York State Law. With an emphasis on accurate, timely patient assessments together with a clear association between early mobilization of patients and positive clinical outcomes, this conference will also help attendees to identify environmental barriers within the workplace setting, then develop mitigation responses. Healthcare workers will be empowered to troubleshoot under unusual circumstances, and should leave able to immediately identify transfer-related risks when vehicles are involved.

Targeted Training with a Hands-On Approach

Suitable for all levels of safe patient handling experience, the SPH Conference organizers are committed to promoting the highest level of access alongside the utmost in hands-on learning. Small-sized “tracks” will group learners into 110-person “labs”; each lab will focus on a specific component of safe patient movement. The first, Bed Mobility, will center on the fundamentals of repositioning, wound care, ADL tasks, and catheter care. A second session covers protocol surrounding full mechanical lifts, ceiling lifts, and lateral transfers. The third session, Special/Unusual Events, prepares learners for the unexpected, offering instruction on codes, car extrications, and falls in the bathroom and other tight spaces. 

As a complement to targeted lab sessions, learners will be encouraged to discuss specific issues they face within their Safe Patient Handling Programs. Learners will be emboldened to assess and even improve their home facilities’ SPH programs, bolstered by the feedback of conference instructors and other participants. Ultimately, learners will be able to effectively apply conference knowledge in order to build or enhance a successful, sustainable SPH program, all the while complying in full with New York State Safe Patient Handling Law. 

This Year’s Conference Takes its Cues from Attendees

The Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference is supported by the NYS Zero Lift Task Force, along with WNYCOSH and NYSDOL. Organizers anticipate high levels of interest from both vendors and attendees, and have worked hard to tailor conference activities to feedback from previous years. This year’s SPH learners can expect more time with vendors than ever before, plus fewer lecture hours and more hands-on learning opportunities. For the first time, the sign-in and sign-out processes will be mechanized, and each attendee will receive a scannable nametag in order to facilitate easier, more efficient access to quality programming and valuable networking.

Interested in Learning More? 

For more information about the Ninth Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference in Albany, interested parties are encouraged to reach out to Conference Coordinator Maureen Cox (Maureencox12@gmail.com, 518-281-6575) or Barbara Stanley (brbrstanley0903@gmail.com). The NYS Zero Lift Task Force offers more information about the conference and SPH procedures on their website, www.zeroliftforny.org and at their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-State-Zero-Lift-Task-Force/196955910316549. “Like” the NYS Zero Lift Task Force today on Facebook, and keep apprised of all that this important organization provides.

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