Florida Senate - 2009                                     SB 626
       
       
       
       By Senator Fasano
       
       
       
       
       11-00791-09                                            2009626__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to patient lifting and handling
    3         practices; creating s. 381.029, F.S.; providing a
    4         definition; requiring hospitals to establish a policy
    5         concerning the lifting and handling of patients by
    6         hospital employees; requiring a committee to develop
    7         the policy; providing for membership and duties of the
    8         committee; requiring continuing evaluation of the
    9         policy; providing an effective date.
   10         
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12         
   13         Section 1. Section 381.029, Florida Statutes, is created to
   14  read:
   15         381.029 Patient lifting and handling practices.—
   16         (1) As used in this section, the term “hospital” means a
   17  health care facility licensed under chapter 395.
   18         (2) A hospital shall establish an evidence-based policy
   19  regarding the safe lifting and associated handling of patients
   20  by hospital employees that minimizes the risk of injuries to
   21  patients and employees. The policy shall be developed by a
   22  committee composed of an appropriate mix of management and
   23  nonmanagement employees, including registered nurses engaged in
   24  direct patient care. The hospital may assign the task of
   25  developing the policy to a newly created committee or to an
   26  existing committee.
   27         (3) The committee shall:
   28         (a) Use data to evaluate the risk of injury to patients and
   29  employees.
   30         (b) Determine the appropriateness of alternative strategies
   31  for lifting and handling patients based on the population of
   32  patients at the hospital and identified hospital-specific risk
   33  factors. At a minimum, the committee shall consider:
   34         1. Using mechanical lifting devices or other engineering
   35  controls that minimize the need to lift and handle the patient
   36  manually.
   37         2. Using teams to lift and handle patients.
   38         3. Providing training in safe lifting and handling
   39  practices for employees engaged in caring for patients.
   40         4. Incorporating physical space and construction design for
   41  mechanical lifting devices in architectural plans for
   42  construction or renovation of the hospital.
   43         (c) Develop an ongoing evaluation process to determine the
   44  effectiveness of the policy established under this section.
   45         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2009.