Intergenerational Considerations in Sustaining Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Success: Implications in Equipment Usage

The US workforce is more diverse than ever before. Diversity across the US includes ethnic, regional, gender, economic, and intergenerational difference. The science of intergenerational diversity recognizes and seeks to understand how certain cultural events shape an individual’s worldview. As organizations and individuals work to develop and sustain methods to improve patient safety and reduce caregiver injury, one might consider intergenerational diversity. A basic review of intergenerational values and the worldview in which these values, expectations, and learning styles were formed is discussed as this relates to the goal of creating and sustaining specialty programs, such as safe patient handling and mobility.

Gallagher SM

Keywords: intergenerational differences, learning styles, safe patient handling