| The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experiences of professional nurses working in a safe patient handling environment. The methodology for the study was qualitative using a phenomenological technique. Twenty-five professional nurses who had worked in a manual lifting environment and who currently worked in a non-manual lifting environment participated in telephone interviews. The interviews lasted 35 to 40 minutes. The results of the study indicated that working in a safe patient handling environment reduced musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace, reduced days lost from work, reduced workman compensation costs, decreased the number of nurses leaving the profession, and increased patient safety. |
