A four-year research programme in New Brunswick, Canada, will investigate the physical demands of caregiving and develop and assess interventions to improve workplace safety for long-term care workers and residents.
The initiative is backed by more than C$1.6mn in combined funding from WorkSafeNB, Mitacs, the New Brunswick Continuing Care Safety Association (NBCCSA) and ResearchNB.
The programme is led by Dr Michelle Cardoso, Associate Professor and Research Chair in Healthcare and Ergonomics at the Université de Moncton, and Dr Wayne Albert, Full Professor at the University of New Brunswick. It brings together researchers, healthcare organisations, government bodies and industry partners to develop evidence-based approaches to reducing occupational injuries while supporting quality resident care.
Healthcare workers in Canada experience some of the highest rates of work-related musculoskeletal injuries across occupations. In New Brunswick's long-term care sector, previous research estimates that these injuries cost approximately C$8mn annually. The financial burden is accompanied by lost working hours, staffing challenges and additional pressure on an already stretched healthcare system.
The research programme will examine the causes and patterns of workplace injuries, assess the physical demands associated with caregiving and test potential interventions. It will also work with healthcare providers to translate research findings into practical improvements in workplace safety.
A key area of investigation will be the use of technology and ergonomics to reduce the risk of injury. Researchers will evaluate innovative equipment, ergonomic interventions and evidence-based training methods designed to make caregiving tasks safer. Biomechanical and ergonomic assessments will be conducted in laboratory environments and real-world healthcare settings to understand the demands placed on workers.
The programme will also undertake province-wide research into workplace injury trends and investigate factors that influence the adoption of new equipment, technologies and safety practices. Research topics will include resident handling and transfers, toileting, injury surveillance, and barriers to implementing new solutions.
Rather than concentrating on a single study, the initiative establishes a long-term research platform to identify emerging safety challenges, evaluate potential interventions and build evidence to inform healthcare workplace practices. Its findings are expected to support evidence-based decision-making among healthcare organisations in New Brunswick and elsewhere.
Alongside its occupational safety objectives, the programme will contribute to the development of Canada's healthcare research workforce. Through Mitacs, it will provide advanced research training for 23 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers. Participants will work with healthcare organisations and industry partners to investigate practical challenges facing the country's healthcare system.
The four-year initiative aims to strengthen the evidence available to healthcare providers as they assess ways to reduce caregiver injuries and improve safety for both staff and residents in long-term care settings.
