Exploring the Use of Assistive Devices on Patient Transfer among Homecare Workers

• Main Authors: Tzu-Yun Ting, 丁子芸
• Other Authors: Shyh-Dye Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/52030614938778085064

碩士 === 國立臺北護理健康大學 === 長期照護研究所 === 104 === As the trend of aging in place, the needs for home care service have been increasing over time in Taiwan. Homecare workers are important resources in homecare service staying in front line. It is necessary for a healthcare worker to move patients often during the day, which causes great physical load on the worker and results in musculoskeletal disorders. Many studies have shown that using assistive devices on patient transfer can effectively reduce the risk for occupational injuries among healthcare workers. However, studies discussing about the use of assistive devices on patient transfer are insufficient. The main purpose of this research is to explore factors associated with use of assistive devices on patient transfer among homecare workers. Adopting a cross-sectional design, a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. There were totally 131 homecare workers participated in this study through a non-random sampling method. The result indicated that 58.0% of participants were using assistive devices on patient transfer. The device most participants used is a cane or walker, followed by a manual or electric bed. The third was transfer belt. Other types of transfer devices were rarely used. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that job seniority, device operating skill and ability/capability, patient turning frequency, and physical environment were dominant factors of predicting wheather a worker uses assistive devices or not. Device operating skill and ability/capability was the most robust predictor. Based on the analytic approaching, senior homecare workers had lower possibility of using transfer devices, while homecare workers who were more skilled in operating transfer device, had to turn patients more frequently, or had more equipments and space in their working place tended to use transfer devices. In order to increase assistive devices usage among homecare workers, the amount of practices of using assistive devices in their training course should be increased and more assistive devices in their working environment should be provided.