Application of MAPO (movement and assistance of hospitalized patients) method in hospitals and nursing homes: 20 years of experience and evolution – part 1

Abstract

This article illustrates the evolution of the MAPO method for quantifying the risk of musculoskeletal disorders associated with patient handling.

The main factors that have influenced MAPO risk determinants include the rising number of disabled patients (D), growing understaffing, and the increased availability of equipment and training.

Hospital wards and especially nursing homes have been provided with lifting equipment since 2008; however, 73.8% of the workforce in nursing homes is exposed to a high level of MAPO risk versus only 8.1% of hospital workers. This study presents organisational data in hospital wards (no.=528) and nursing homes (no.=214) involving 14,246 caregivers: the D/Op ratio in nursing homes is significantly higher compared to the corresponding ratio in hospital wards (p-value < 0.001). Moreover, the number of healthcare workers involved in manual patient handling activities over the night shift in nursing homes is much lower than the corresponding number in hospital wards.

Practitioner summary: The purpose of this article is to illustrate organisational data from hospital wards and nursing homes, gathered over 20 years of implementing the MAPO method. The protocols for adapting the method to recent changes in care delivery are also presented.

Keywords:

• Manual patient lifting
• nurses
• risk assessment
• nursing homes
• organisational aspects

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Cycles of shifts: morning-afternoon-night-2 rests

2 Patients who must be lifted entirely during handling operations.

3 Patients who need to be partially moved or lifted during handling operations.

4 Figure 5.3

5 Involving a total number of 10,567 nurses assigned to patient handling activities.

6 Involving a total number of 3,679 nurses’ aides assigned to patient handling activities.