HJ0061 LRB095 12007 KBJ 35616 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Patients are at greater risk of injury, including
3 skin tears, falls, and musculoskeletal injuries, while being
4 lifted, transferred, or repositioned manually; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Safe patient handling can reduce skin tears
6 suffered by patients by threefold and can significantly reduce
7 other injuries to patients as well; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Health care workers are reported to lead the
9 nation in work-related musculoskeletal disorders; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Between 38% and 50% of nurses and other health
11 care workers will suffer a work-related back injury during
12 their career; 42% of these workers will be unable to return to
13 work in their pre-injury job; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The use of proper body mechanics by health care
15 workers does not eliminate the risk of injury; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Assistive patient handling equipment and devices
17 have essentially rendered the act of strict manual patient
18 handling unnecessary as a function of nursing care; therefore,
19 be it
 

 

 

HJ0061 - 2 - LRB095 12007 KBJ 35616 r

1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
3 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois House of
4 Representatives and the Illinois Senate shall convene an
5 11-member Safe Patient Handling Task Force; this task force
6 shall study safe patient handling policies and create
7 recommended policy guidelines for all health care facilities to
8 eliminate the manual lifting of patients by direct-care
9 registered nurses and other health care providers through the
10 use of mechanical devices, except in life-threatening
11 situations or in an emergency; the recommended policy
12 guidelines shall provide protection for registered nurses and
13 health care providers for refusal of assignment and a
14 whistleblower provision; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Safe Patient Handling Task Force shall
16 be comprised of the following members appointed by the Majority
17 and Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and the
18 Senate: 2 members of the House of Representatives, 2 members of
19 the Senate, one member of a statewide organization representing
20 registered professional nurses, one direct care nurse
21 currently practicing in a hospital, one direct care nurse
22 currently practicing in a long-term care setting, one physician
23 licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, one physical
24 therapist, one member of a statewide organization representing
25 hospitals, and one member of a statewide organization

 

 

HJ0061 - 3 - LRB095 12007 KBJ 35616 r

1 representing long-term care facilities; and be it further
2     RESOLVED, That the Safe Patient Handling Task Force shall
3 submit a report to the General Assembly detailing its
4 recommendations and findings by January 1, 2008.