New federal legislation would force healthcare facilities to develop systems to reduce workplace hazards for nurses, according to an article on the International Business Times website.
Introduced recently by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) the legislation would require the U.S. Department of Labor to issue a rule that mandates healthcare providers create safe patient handling policies.
Polices could include installing new equipment to lift patients to granting protections for nurses who refuse to work in unsafe environments.
Technology that could reduce the strain on nurses includes ceiling-mounted and floor-based lifts that can easily move patients to and from their beds.
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