Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Texas has become the first state to pass a law to protect nursing homes and residents against preventable injuries from manual patient lifting.

Gov. Rick Perry signed off on legislation that requires nursing homes and hospitals to implement a safe patient handling and movement program by Jan. 1, 2006. Specifically, the law calls for nursing homes and hospitals to adopt a policy “to identify, assess, and develop strategies to control risk of injury to patients and nurses associated with the lifting, transferring, repositioning, or movement of a patient.” Several other states are working on enacting similar protections for healthcare workers.

To view the complete text of TX SB 1525 visit http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/79R/billtext/SB01525F.HTM