The key features of the program include ; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process , identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders , mediating practical solutions at the workplace and , empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making .
Background Despite over 2 decades of research , the ability to prevent  work-related low back pain ( LBP ) and disability  remains elusive .
Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work ( RTW ) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury .
Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW  are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved , each with their own unique circumstances .
Intervention mapping provides a framework for design ing and implementing complex interventions or programs .
The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach .
Early intervention for back-injured nurses at a large Canadian tertiary care hospital: an evaluation of the effectiveness and cost benefits of a two-year pilot project.
This study evaluated a two-year multidisciplinary early intervention pilot programme for back-injured nurses employed at a large teaching hospital , using a pre- versus post-programme analysis . The purpose was to ascertain whether this programme could reduce the incidence , morbidity , time lost and cost due to  back injuries in the 250 nurses employed on ten targeted high-risk wards . Injuries in the remaining 1395 nurses employed on the other 45 wards were monitored concurrently for comparison . The programme consisted of prompt assessment , treatment and rehabilitation through modified work . Evaluative data were gathered by one research nurse on st and ardized forms at the time of injury , weekly until return to work , and at a six-month follow-up . Time lost and cost data for up to one-year post-injury were derived from workers ' compensation statements . Compared to the two years prior to introduction of the programme , the rates of back injuries and lost-time back injuries decreased by 23 % and 43 % , respectively , on the targeted wards , while these increased on the control wards . Combined expenditure was 32 % lower per injury and 34 % lower per lost-time injury for those in the targeted group who consented to take part in the programme compared to their counterparts on the control wards , as the increased assessment and treatment costs per case attributable to the programme were more than offset by the savings in lower compensation ( wage loss ) costs . This programme thus reduced the incidence and time lost due to back injuries and was cost-beneficial
The key features of the program include ; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process , identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders , mediating practical solutions at the workplace and , empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making .
Background Despite over 2 decades of research , the ability to prevent  work-related low back pain ( LBP ) and disability  remains elusive .
Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work ( RTW ) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury .
Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW  are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved , each with their own unique circumstances .
Intervention mapping provides a framework for design ing and implementing complex interventions or programs .
The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach .