At a residential healthcare facility in California, leadership emphasized taking care of their hardworking caregivers alongside providing the best care for patients. In an ongoing effort to keep nurses healthy and safe, the organization took a proactive approach to workplace safety. They leveraged the free, proven safety technology included with Kinetic’s workers’ compensation program to help prevent injuries and reduce workers’ compensation claims.
SITUATION
Nurses at the facility, like other workers in the healthcare industry, faced a higher than average risk of sprain and strain injuries from labor-intensive work such as patient mobility activities. Moving and repositioning patients required repetitive strain and overexertion, including excessive lifting, bending, twisting and reaching.
While the company provided training and equipment to help move and lift patients, this alone did not completely eliminate risk. And with nurses employed around the clock, preventing strain and sprain injuries became a primary safety concern.
Nurses are especially vulnerable to back injuries, which are the most common and costly type of injury in the sector, resulting in lost work time and expensive workers’ compensation claims.
National Library of Medicine
> Compared with other professions, nurses have a six times higher prevalence of back injury.
> In long‐term care facilities in the U.S., back injuries among nurses are estimated to cost
over $6 million in indemnity and medical payments.
> Nurses’ compensation for back injury comprises 56% of all indemnity costs and 55% of all
medical costs.
SOLUTION
The residential healthcare facility leveraged Kinetic’s wearable safety technology, included free with their workers’ compensation program, to help improve nurses’ body mechanics and lower their risk of injury. Devices were deployed among 50 Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses and Certified Nurse Assistants, across three shifts.
To launch the wearable program, the management team completed a 45-minute virtual training prior to deploying the devices. The training provided the information necessary to explain the benefit of Kinetic tech to their nurses and teach them how to wear their devices properly.
Nurses wearing the Kinetic device received a real-time alert when they were bending, twisting or reaching without proper safety techniques. As such, the belt-mounted device served as an always-on, continuous coaching system. Employees were empowered to create new habits that drove sustained behavior change with real-time alerts and on-screen data.
“Keeping our nurses safe is a top priority for us. My team and I have seen an improvement in our overall body mechanics due to the implementation of Kinetic’s safety technology, and we will continue to encourage our nurses to stay focused on improving safety.”
Director of Staff Development
RESULTS
By combining wearable technology with their existing safety training, the company reduced high risk movements among their nurses, which leads to fewer workplace injuries and claims. They experienced no strain and sprain claims after deploying the Kinetic devices.
Reduced High Risk Movements
After the first month, the median number of high risk postures performed per hour across the entire company’s workforce was reduced by 44%. And in the six months following the initial deployment, consistent usage of the wearable technology led to lasting behavioral change and a 58% reduction of overall risky movements.
Actionable Data Insights
Industry studies show Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are at particular risk of injury, due in part to it being an entry-level nursing position. Data Insights from Kinetic devices revealed the average CNA at the facility performed three times as many high risk postures as the other job roles (LVN/RN). Knowing this subsector of their workforce was at the highest risk for injury, the company could focus safety efforts among those nurses, and provide targeted coaching to further reduce risk.
“The Kinetic safety devices we received as part of our workers’ comp policy have helped our employees be more aware of how they are bending and stooping as they maneuver patients. So far, we’ve had zero claims while using Kinetic technology.”
Nursing Home Administrator
CONCLUSION
Through Kinetic’s tech-enabled workers’ comp program, the residential healthcare facility was able to deploy the same proven safety technology used by Fortune 500 companies and reap the same benefits. The wearable program reduced high risk movements that directly correlate to reduced injury rates and reduced claims, which can lead to lowered workers’ comp premium costs.
About Kinetic Insurance
Kinetic Insurance, in partnership with Nationwide, is pioneering a technology-driven approach to worker safety that benefits insurance carriers, brokers, and policyholders. Kinetic workers’ compensation offerings lower costs by equipping workers with wearable technology that is proven to reduce injuries by as much as 60% and lost work days by 72%.
Want to learn more about Kinetic’s Technology Program?
Call our Tech Ops team at (833) 550-0388 or email info@kinetic-insurance.com.