IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 510 
Recognizing the need for safe patient handling and movement. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 4, 2009 
Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York (for herself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the need for safe patient handling and 
movement. 
Whereas registered nurses and other health care workers are 
being asked to lift and transfer unreasonable loads, with 
the average nurse lifting 1.8 tons on an eight-hour shift; 
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently rates 
‘‘registered nursing’’ and ‘‘nursing aides and orderlies’’ 
in the top 10 of all United States occupations reporting 
on the job injuries resulting in days away from work, 
with the leading causes of these injuries being tasks in-
volving patient movement, transferring, and repo-
sitioning; 
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•HRES 510 IH 
Whereas 12 percent of nurses leave the profession perma-
nently every year because of back pain, and 47 percent 
of nurses have considered leaving the profession because 
of the physical demands of their job; 
Whereas 54 percent of nurses report that patient lifting and 
transferring devices are not readily available for use in 
their health care facility; 
Whereas the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health has reported that manual patient lifting is associ-
ated with decreased quality of care, diminished patient 
safety and comfort, decreased patient satisfaction, and 
increased risk of patient falls, patient drops, friction 
burns, dislocated shoulders, skin tears, and bruises; 
Whereas costs associated with back injuries in the healthcare 
industry are estimated to be $20,000,000,000 annually; 
Whereas a case study published by the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality shows that the direct and indirect 
costs associated with a safe lifting program are recouped 
in 4.3 years through significant reductions in workers’ 
compensation payments and by avoiding the costs associ-
ated with caregiver absenteeism; and 
Whereas research has shown that safe resident lifting pro-
grams reduce resident-handling workers’ compensation 
injury rates by 61 percent, lost work day injury rates by 
66 percent, restricted workdays by 38 percent, and the 
number of workers suffering from repeated injuries: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) encourages safe patient movement for di-
rect-care licensed nurses and other health care pro-
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viders as a critical component in protecting licensed 
nurses and other health care workers and increasing 
patient safety; and 
(2) recognizes that the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health has reported that 
manual patient lifting is associated with high rates 
of injuries for health care workers, labor shortages, 
decreased quality of care, diminished patient safety 
and comfort, decreased patient satisfaction, and 
higher risks of patient falls, patient drops, friction 
burns, dislocated shoulders, skin tears, and bruises. 
Æ 
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