Applying Theories of Health Behavior and Change to Moving and Handling Practice

Moving and handling interventions are essential in order to minimize the risks to healthcare workers and patients in the clinical area. By highlighting the importance of moving and handling education, it can help to promote and improve employee musculoskeletal health at work. If moving and handling education to change behavior is to be effective, then it needs careful planning and should be informed by the relevant research and up-to-date evidence. Workplace behavior change should be in response to actual needs gathered through risk assessment. The aim of this article is to briefly identify and discuss selected Health Belief Models that can affect behavior change in moving and handling practice and to consider the implications for their application and translation in the reduction of musculoskeletal injuries within moving and handling practice and changing culture.

Wanless S

Keywords: health behavior models, moving and handling practice, safe patient handling, behavior change