Equipment access is part of patient-handling safety
Owning suitable equipment isn't the same as having it accessible at the point of care — storage, stock levels and processing cycles all affect whether it gets used.
Available is not the same as accessible
A facility may own suitable patient-handling equipment without that equipment being readily available when a worker needs it.
Availability at an organisational level is not the same as accessibility at the point of care. Equipment may be shared between departments, stored away from the bedside, awaiting cleaning or separated from the accessories required to operate it. These barriers can add time, uncertainty and unnecessary physical effort to the task.
Common access barriers
Patient-handling equipment may be underused when:
- storage locations are unclear
- the product is kept too far from the clinical area
- stock levels do not reflect actual task frequency
- reusable equipment is delayed in the cleaning cycle
- single-patient-use stock has not been replenished
- an air supply, hose or attachment is missing
- the equipment is unavailable because of maintenance
- workers are unfamiliar with its setup
Even small barriers can affect whether equipment is used consistently during busy clinical practice.
Plan around where care occurs
An equipment-access review should consider:
- which patient-handling tasks occur in each area
- how often those tasks are performed
- how quickly equipment may be required
- how many devices are needed
- where products and accessories will be stored
- who is responsible for cleaning and return
- how stock will be replenished
- how maintenance status will be communicated
- how workers will identify the correct device
For an air-assisted transfer workflow, the mat, compatible air supply, hose and storage arrangement should be considered together rather than as separate purchases.
From procurement to implementation
Equipment access should be addressed during procurement, implementation and ongoing review. A technically suitable product will provide limited value if it cannot be found, assembled or deployed when required.
The most effective system makes the safer option visible, accessible and practical where care is delivered.
Sources: Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice for the Healthcare and Social Assistance Industry; Safe Work Australia guidance for lifting, supporting and moving patients