Roles and Resources

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Peer Leaders

• Roles and Resources

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Peer Leaders Roles and Resources

• Mary Willa Matz, MSPH
• VHA Patient Care Ergonomics Program
  Manager/Consultant
• Occupational Health Science Researcher
• Industrial Hygienist
• VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry
• James A. Haley VA Hospital
• Tampa, Florida
• [phone] [phone] fax
• mary.matz_at_va.gov

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Peer Leaders

• Peer Leaders are the Key to Program Success
• Implement Program
• Maintain Program

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Peer Leaders as
• Agents of Change

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If you want to make enemies, try to change
something.Woodrow Wilson
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The Realities of being a SPHMPL Change Agent

• Ultimate Goals/Purposes are broad
• Responsibility is to assist in implementation of
  a SPHM Program that..
• Promotes significant Thought Changes
• Promotes significant Behavior Changes
• Creates an effective Culture of Safety

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The Realities of being a SPHMUPL/Change Agent

• A SPHM UPL/Change Agent facilitates
• staff buy-in
• staff input during SPH Program development and
  implementation
• maintenance of the SPH Program over time (SPHM
  Follow-up study)
• attainment of goals of the SPH Program

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The Realities of being a SPHMUPL/Change Agent

• To be an effective change agent, a PL needs.
• Knowledge of
• Why youre doing it (Rationale/background)
• What it includes (Program elements)
• What youre going to do it with (Program
  materials/tools)
• How youre going to do it (Action Plan)

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The Realities of being a SPHMUPL/Change Agent

• To be an effective change agent, a PL needs.
• Communication Skills
• How to listen effectively
• How to share transfer knowledge effectively
• How to coach peers

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Peer Leaders

• Back Injury Resource Nurses (BIRNS) VA
• ErgoCoaches Netherlands
• Ergo Rangers BJC Healthcare
• Back Injury Resource Staff (BIRS) Select
  Medical

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PL Benefits

• ErgoCoaches
• Take responsibility as
• Problem-owners
• Solution-owners
• 1 2 per unit
• Knowledge Transfer mechanisms
• Annual conference
• Newsletter
• Help desk
• Website

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PL Benefits

• ErgoCoaches
• Facilities w/ ErgoCoaches had significantly lower
  sick leave due to Musculoskeletal disorders
• Synergy between
• Work of thousands of ErgoCoaches
• National Support Group
• Governmental working conditions covenants
• (Knibbe, Knibbe, n.d.)

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PL Benefits

• Co-Worker Benefits
• Employee involvement
• Enhances worker motivation
• Increases job satisfaction
• Leads to greater acceptance of change in
  workplace
• (OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines for Nursing Homes,
  2003)

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PL Benefits

• Co-Worker Benefits
• Staff are empowered
• Channel to voice ideas/suggestions
• Opportunity to have input in making work
  environment safer
• Increased competence in performing job
• Increased sharing of knowledge/best practices
• Fosters Culture of Safety

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PL Benefits

• Example of PL Benefit
• Lifts not being used on night shifts.
• Why? Batteries were being charged on night shifts
  because no back-up batteries.
• Solution Buy extra battery packs so lifts can be
  used 24 hours per day.

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PL Representation

• Representative from all areas where patient
  handling occurs
• Nursing
• Radiology
• Therapy
• Escort
• Others
• Suggestion 1 PL per shift per unit/area

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PL Selection

• Eligibility
• Any direct patient care staff (i.e., RN, LPN,
  CNA, PT, OT, diagnostic tech, etc.)
• Has at least 6 months experience with handling
  patients
• Employed on unit for at least six months or a PL
  in another area previously
• Anticipates working on unit at least one year or
  more

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PL Selection
Qualities

• Respected by colleagues management
• Satisfactory performance evaluation
• Responsible and reliable
• Flexible
• Takes initiative/proactive
• Good time management skills

• Outgoing
• Resourceful
• Assertive (appropriately)
• Interest in SPHM/Safety
• Maintains good relationships w/ management

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PL Selection
Skills

• Ability to teach peers using established training
  programs
• Informal Leader credible with respected by
  peers
• Computer skills
• Ability to learn, apply, and transfer new
  knowledge

• Patient handling experience
• Effective oral/written communication skills
• Physically able to perform job duties
• Critical thinking skills (appropriate for duties)

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Act as Unit/AREA Change Agent
• Act as UNIT/AREA SPHM Champion
• Demonstrate Systems Thinking

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Maintain current knowledge
• Of SPHM issues, technology, best practices
• Through PL meetings, trainings, Outlook
• Equipment Super User

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Facilitate SPHM Knowledge Transfer
• Safety Huddles
• Algorithms
• Policy
• Coaching

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Facilitate SPHM Knowledge Transfer
• Training
• In-services/Small Groups/One-on-one
• Peers, Managers, Patients/families
• Topics Program Elements, Equipment Use, Safety
  Concerns, Best Practices, etc.

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Follow unit injuries close calls
• Act as Unit liaison w/ Infection Control,
  Facilities Management, Equipment Manufacturers,
  etc.

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Follow Equipment Use/Management
• Conduct Ergonomic ongoing environmental/ergonomic
  evaluations
• Perform walk-throughs to assess equipment use and
  function
• (Equipment Use Checklist - Handout A-1)

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Monitor Staff Competency
• (Staff Skills/Competency Check-off - Handout
  A-2)
• Monitor UNIT SPHM Program
• PL Activity
• Program Status
• Program Compliance

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• PL Activity/Status Log (Handout A-3)
• UPLs Perception (weakness)
• Complete weekly
• Utility
• Track PL activities/dose Justifies need for PL
  program
• Use as indicator for acceptance effectiveness
  of SPH program
• Champion Use
• evaluation tool
• determine problem areas
• Suggest Develop web-based data base with
  reporting capabilities

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PL Roles/Responsibilities

• Insert facility-specific and unit-specific roles/
  responsibilities in Unit SPH Binders

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Monitoring PL Competency

• PL Competency Assessment
• (Handout A-4)
• PL Activity/Status Log
• (Handout A-3)

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Suggested PL Training

• Background/History/Patient Handling
  Injuries/Legislation
• Ergonomics and Biomechanics of Patient Handling
• Evidence/Research Findings
• SPHM Program elements
• Patient Care Ergonomic evaluation process
• Patient Handling equipment
• PL (job description/duties)
• After Action Review
• Algorithms
• SPHM Policy/Directive

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Suggested PL Training

• Risk analyses
• Patient Handling Equipment/Slings
• Program implementation/Maintenance
  Strategies/Facilitators
• PL (UPL) Log
• Culture of safety Concept
• Change theory/strategies
• Knowledge transfer concept/theory
• Social marketing
• Program Facilitators/Barriers

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Suggested PL Training

• Peer Education/Coaching
• Conducting competency assessments
• Adult education principles
• On-the-job (OJT) training principles
• Coaching

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Implementing a PL Program

• Determine PL roles for facility/unit/area. The PL
  role may differ by clinical area.
• Determine number of UPLs needed for each
  unit/area. The number of UPLs required may differ
  by clinical area.
• Review PL Selection Criteria
• Meet w/ nurse managers/supervisors to discuss PL
  roles, selection, and number required for the
  clinical unit/area.
• Facilitate selection of UPLs.

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Implementing a PL Program

• Conduct PL orientation/training. Several
  training may need to be offered to capture all
  UPLs.
• Facilitate PL training by equipment
  manufacturers in order to attain Super User
  status.
• Hold regularly scheduled meetings. Initially,
  one every two weeks is suggested, then monthly
  meetings are satisfactory.
• Ensure all UPLs are on Outlook
• Create facility Outlook PL Mail group.

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PL Resources
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PL Resources

• Resources
• Facility SPHM Champion/Coordinator
• SPH Presentations/Materials from this conference
• Safe Patient Handling Movement A Practical
  Guide for Health Care Professionals, Ch. 7 (A.
  Nelson, editor)
• AORN Ergonomic Guidelines for the PeriOperative
  Environment (AORN website)
• NAON Ergonomic Guidelines for Orthopedics/Rehabili
  tation
• Tool for Prioritizing High Risk Tasks (Handout
  A-5)

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PL Resources

• Resources
• SPH Unit Binder (Handout A-6 - Table of
  Contents)
• Easily accessible location on each unit
• Install on VAMC Network

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Peer Leaders

• Program Facilitators

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Ways To Assure Success Sustain Program

• Succession Planning (related to turn-over, change
  of position, change of unit, etc.)
• Nurse Mgr/Safety Champion responsible for
  identifying new PL after notification that
  current PL resigns, transfers etc.
• Open PL course to others to gain Tempo/CEU
  credits

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Ways To Assure Success Sustain Program

• Redundancy
• Have PL Binder accessible on each unit
• Provide one PL per shift per unit
• Peer Leader Back-up (if only 1 UPL/unit)
• From UPLs unit
• From other unit

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Ways To Assure Success Sustain Program

• Hold regular meetings
• Patient care responsibilities interfere
• Stay connected through email helps but not as
  good as face to face
• Ensure management supports time for meetings

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Ways To Assure Success Sustain Program

• Marketing Unit Peer Leaders (Handout A-7)

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Safe Patient Handling Movement Program

• Peer Leaders are the Key to Program Success
• Implement Program
• Maintain Program

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• Never underestimate the ability of a small
  group of committed individuals to change the
  world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever
  has.
• Margaret Mead

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Peer Leaders Roles and Resources

• QUESTIONS/COMMENTS??