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 Denmark

The Central Denmark Region is an administrative unit in Denmark with responsibility in the first place for healthcare, including responsibility for hospital services. Transfer and care tasks performed by nurses and care assistants are a source of injury risk and can often result in early exit from the labour market. The use of assistive devices can reduce the risk of injury by up to 40 %; however, a survey by the Danish National Research Centre for the Working Environment found that only 30 % of care givers surveyed used transfer aids. These figures made clear the need to encourage the use of transfer aids to protect workers’ safety and health. As part of the initiative in the area of patient transfer, the Central Denmark Region developed a website called Transfer Portal, which is updated continuously. The website contains more than 30 educational videos on the most common types of patient transfer for patients with varying degrees of self-reliance. The videos focus on the transfer aids identified by workers as most useful. An e-learning course was also created and tested by employees. It has been important to adapt the course to the specific needs of each department and individual. This has been achieved through focusing on the types of transfers most often performed by the employee. The region recognised that the ready availability of transfer aids would be critical to their successful use in everyday practice. The regional budget for assistive devices has been increased accordingly and assistive device technology has been reorganised to optimise procurement, logistics and operations. Regional projects have addressed the specific transfer needs of a variety of hospitals, involving patient transfer supervisors and employees in the development and implementation of department-specific action plans. In addition, design guides are now published regularly in the region, specifying building requirements for construction and conversion projects, such as for bathrooms, scanner rooms, bedrooms and operating rooms, so that there is room for storing assistive devices and space to perform patient transfers. COMMENDED Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards 2016-2017 A holistic approach was taken: efforts were coordinated across the region and a regional knowledge transfer network was established between hospitals. Cooperation between regional managers and regular network meetings allows the development of strategic and practical interventions and ensures continuous improvement. • The number of accidents decreased by 31 % between 2011 and 2015. • The cost associated with transfer-related accidents decreased by 52 %, from DKK 4.8 million to DKK 2.3 million during the same period. • Sickness absence as a result of transfer-related accidents decreased by 56 % between 2013 and 2015. • Absence due to transfer-related accidents as a proportion of overall sickness absence decreased from 20 % to 10 % during the same period.

Level of Education: Continuing vocational education and training

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