Jefferson City Press Conference -- Wednesday at 12:30pm

Registered Nurses from hospitals in Kansas City and St. Louis, members of National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), will hold a press conference on Wednesday, March 27 at 12:30p at the Gallery of the House of Representatives Lounge in Jefferson City to underscore support for the “Safe Lift” bill. The bill puts in place known solutions available to reduce patient and healthcare-giver injuries resulting from lifting.

The law protects RNs and other healthcare workers from injury and provides patients with safe and appropriate care by requiring proper and modern lift equipment operated by a trained lift team, available 24/7 at all hospitals. The annual costs associated with back injuries in the U.S. healthcare industry (in 2008 dollars, adjusted for inflation) is $7,400,000,000.

WHAT: Press Conference in Support of HB 856-Safe Lift Bill and in Opposition to State Paycheck Deception/Protection Legislation

WHERE: Gallery of the House of Representatives Lounge, Jefferson City

WHEN: 12:30p

“This is a win-win for all involved,” said Michelle Ziegler, RN, who works in an ICU. “This law substantially minimizes the risk of unnecessary injuries. It protects nurses and others carrying out manual lifts that should be done by modern lift equipment. That, in turn, protects patients from falls. Hospitals in the end save money because injuries we’ve been suffering are reduced—that is proven. And Missouri pays nothing for the upgrade.”

Ziegler suffered serious back injuries moving a patient when no lift equipment was available and will share those details at the Wednesday press conference as will Emma Stroud, RN, who will speak about the many injuries she sustained during decades on the job as a nurse.

On Wednesday RNs will also explain their opposition to a State Paycheck Deception/Protection proposal, an attempt to limit the voices of educators, union members, and other public employees, they say.

HB 856 provides uniform safety standards by replacing manual lifting and transferring of patients with powered patient transfer devices, lifting devices and designated lift teams. Occupational injuries to nurses and other healthcare workers related to patient handling exceeded 40,000 in 2010.

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