HJ0061 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0061 LRB095 12007 KBJ 35616 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Patients are at greater risk of injury, including skin tears, falls, and musculoskeletal injuries, while being lifted, transferred, or repositioned manually; and

WHEREAS, Safe patient handling can reduce skin tears suffered by patients by threefold and can significantly reduce other injuries to patients as well; and

WHEREAS, Health care workers are reported to lead the nation in work-related musculoskeletal disorders; and

WHEREAS, Between 38% and 50% of nurses and other health care workers will suffer a work-related back injury during their career; 42% of these workers will be unable to return to work in their pre-injury job; and

WHEREAS, The use of proper body mechanics by health care workers does not eliminate the risk of injury; and

WHEREAS, Assistive patient handling equipment and devices have essentially rendered the act of strict manual patient handling unnecessary as a function of nursing care; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate shall convene an 11-member Safe Patient Handling Task Force; this task force shall study safe patient handling policies and create recommended policy guidelines for all health care facilities to eliminate the manual lifting of patients by direct-care registered nurses and other health care providers through the use of mechanical devices, except in life-threatening situations or in an emergency; the recommended policy guidelines shall provide protection for registered nurses and health care providers for refusal of assignment and a whistleblower provision; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Safe Patient Handling Task Force shall be comprised of the following members appointed by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate: 2 members of the House of Representatives, 2 members of the Senate, one member of a statewide organization representing registered professional nurses, one direct care nurse currently practicing in a hospital, one direct care nurse currently practicing in a long-term care setting, one physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, one physical therapist, one member of a statewide organization representing hospitals, and one member of a statewide organization representing long-term care facilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Safe Patient Handling Task Force shall submit a report to the General Assembly detailing its recommendations and findings by January 1, 2008.