Safe Patient Handling Webinars Address Nation's Most Frequently Injured Work Population

Webinar Addresses for Proper Patient Transport and Handling to Reduce Caregiver-Related Injuries

Monday, March 01, 2010 —

Long-term care healthcare workers are among the nation's most frequently injured population, suffering from high incidence of musculoskeletal injuries.  Medline Industries, Inc., the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, is set to launch a three-part webinar series that addresses safe patient handling techniques for healthcare workers that work with long-term care bariatric and developmentally disabled populations.
 
This series will educate participants on how to assess proper patient transport devices and handling equipment and how to develop programs that will help reduce caregiver and resident-related injuries.

Safe Patient Handling in a Long-Term Care Setting
Thursday, March 4, Noon CST
This webinar will cover the following topics and conclude with a live online Q&A:

• Back injuries in nursing: The myths and the facts.
• State and federal policies and proposals affecting safe patient handling.
• The 10 steps to implementing a comprehensive safe patient handling program, including equipment selection, lift policies, assessments, training and financial justifications.
• How to maintain a robust lifting program.
• Product education: An introduction to the Medline Safe 'n Easy Lifting Program and patient lifting product line.

Preventing Caregiver Injury: Long-Term Care Beds
Thursday March 18, Noon CST 
This webinar will cover the following topics and conclude with a live online Q&A:

• Emerging trends and special needs in the long-term care population.
• Back injuries in nursing: The myths and the facts.
• Safe patient handling techniques.
• How to prevent caregiver injury.
• How to accurately select a high/low bed, equipment and supplies.

Safe Patient Handling of the Developmentally Disabled
Thursday, March 25, Noon, CST 
This webinar will cover the following topics and conclude with a live online Q&A:

• Special handling needs of the developmentally disabled.
• Patient and staff risks.
• Patient lifts and walkers specially built for the disabled care situation.
• Training for effective equipment application.
• Assessing patients and developing care plans.

To register for each webinar, go to www.medline.com/dme-webinar or for additional information contact Stacy Jantz at 847-643-4648 or email sjantz@medline.com.

Medline, the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies. Headquartered in Mundelein, IL, Medline has more than 900 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.

Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and health care systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities, and on-staff clinicians.

Medline has a growing network of 32 distribution centers around the country, as well as an expanding, dedicated transportation fleet with over 200 vehicles in a variety of sizes to fit customers' specific delivery needs. The fleet is equipped with the latest navigation devices for enhanced order tracking and communication.