TROPHI: development of a tool to measure complex, multi-factorial patient handling interventions

Abstract

Patient handling interventions are complex and multi-factorial. It has been difficult to make comparisons across different strategies due to the lack of a comprehensive outcome measurement method. The Tool for Risk Outstanding in Patient Handling Interventions (TROPHI) was developed to address this gap by measuring outcomes and comparing performance across interventions. Focus groups were held with expert patient handling practitioners (n = 36) in four European countries (Finland, Italy, Portugal and the UK) to identify preferred outcomes to be measured for interventions. A systematic literature review identified 598 outcome measures; these were critically appraised and the most appropriate measurement tool was selected for each outcome. TROPHI was evaluated in the four EU countries (eight sites) and by an expert panel (n = 16) from the European Panel of Patient Handling Ergonomics for usability and practical application. This final stage added external validity to the research by exploring transferability potential and presenting the data and analysis to allow respondent (participant) validation.

Practitioner Summary: Patient handling interventions are complex and multi-factorial and it has been difficult to make comparisons due to the lack of a comprehensive outcome measurement method. The Tool for Risk Outstanding in Patient Handling Interventions (TROPHI) was developed to address this gap by measuring outcomes to compare performance across interventions.

Keywords:

• patient handling
• MSD
• outcome measures
• risk management

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to all participants in the workshops and our colleagues in the European Panel on Patient Handling Ergonomics (EPPHE) who collaborated in this project. In particular, we would like to thank Leena Taminen-Peter (Finland), Natale Battevi and Olga Menoni (Italy), Teresa Cotrim (Portugal) and Clare Mowbray (UK) for arranging access to sites and colleagues in their respective countries. This project was part funded by Arjo-Huntleigh ab. for the international travel and administration costs and both journal paper and transcription translations. It was completed as part of a PhD programme at Loughborough University.