Case Study Workplace design for a nurse in a retirement home

Employer:

The employer operates, among other things, a nursing service and a nursing and retirement home.

Disability and functional limitation of the employee:

The woman has a back disease and a cardiovascular disease. As a result, she does not have a strong physical capacity. In particular, her ability to lift and carry loads is limited. She should also avoid adopting forced postures (bending and stooping). The GdB (degree of disability) is 80.

Training and job:

The woman is a trained geriatric nurse.

Workplace and work task (actual state):

The woman initially worked in the outpatient service of a hospital. Due to her disability, however, she was no longer able to cope with the work tasks there. She was therefore transferred to her current workplace in a nursing home for the elderly. There she works as a nurse. One of her tasks is washing the patients. For washing, but also for dressing or making up beds etc., the patients have to be lifted, carried or supported by the nursing staff. These activities can no longer be performed by the nurse.

Workplace and work task (target state):

An electric patient lift was purchased for the nurse to lift and carry patients. This helps to avoid the spinal stresses that occur in the job.

Assistive products used:

Mobile lifter with belt seats for the transfer of a person in a sitting position
Mobile lifts with fixed seats

The design suitable for disabled people was funded by the responsible integration office.

ICF Items

Reference Number:

R/PB5088

Last Update: 21 Sep 2009