The Importance of Effective Leadership in Implementing a Successful Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Program

The challenges associated with being a leader in the healthcare field today are significant. Nothing stands still. Change has become a way of life, and being an effective communicator across all levels of the workforce and across all disciplines has never been more important than it is now. Equally important is the ability to lead a team, plan and manage a project, and understand the separate challenges every professional group involved in any new initiative will face. A perfect example of this is the individual identified as the leader of implementing a safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM) program within a hospital facility. This article examines the role of the SPHM facility champion, the challenges the person in that role experiences, the skills required for them to be successful, and the common mistakes SPHM leaders make and how they can avoid them.

Monaghan HM

Keywords: leadership, safe patient handling