Certified Patient Safety Specialist (CPSS)

Course Description

One major source of injury to healthcare workers is musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In 2010, nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants had the highest rates of MSDs, with 27,020 cases, equating to an incidence rate (IR) of 249 per 10,000 workers—more than seven times the average for all industries. For comparison, the all-worker days-away-from-work rate was 34 per 10,000 workers, the rate for construction laborers was 85.0, and for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, the IR was 154.9—still far lower than that of nursing aides and orderlies. In 2010, the average incidence rate for MSD cases with days away from work increased 4 percent, while the MSD incidence rate for nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants increased 10 percent.

These injuries are largely due to overexertion related to repeated manual patient handling activities, often involving heavy lifting associated with transferring and repositioning patients and working in extremely awkward postures. High-risk patient handling tasks include transferring from the toilet to a chair, transferring from a chair to a bed, transferring from a bathtub to a chair, repositioning from side to side in bed, lifting a patient in bed, repositioning a patient in a chair, or making a bed with a patient in it.

What You'll Learn

• Understand patient safety principles, standards, and regulatory requirements in healthcare settings.
• Identify potential patient safety hazards and implement risk mitigation strategies.
• Apply effective communication, reporting, and documentation practices to prevent errors and adverse events.
• Develop and maintain patient safety programs, including staff training, monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Who Should Attend

Healthcare Facility Managers Clinical & Nursing Staff Patient Safety Coordinators Safety Supervisors & Coordinators Industrial Hygienists Risk Management & Compliance Personnel Collateral Duty Safety Personnel Program Administrators Line Supervisors & Team Leads Environmental Services & Support Staff Healthcare Educators & Trainers Hospital Operations & Compliance Personnel