AAMHP

The Role of Professional Certification; an American and International Journey

Kent Wilson ¹

1. Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals, Rochester, MN, United States

This presentation will discuss the “How” and the “Why” of Professional Certification in patient/people handling in the U.S. and the expansion of the certification internationally. The benefits of professional recognition and acknowledgment by employers and peers will be presented along with how this certification has changed the face of the patient/people handling industry in the U.S. (Option: The Australian perspective will also be discussed) Learn how and why leading experts from around the world identified & developed the fundamental skills necessary for the professional practitioner of safe patient/ people handling programs. Attendees will review the role each skill plays in forming a robust program and how they support compliance and positive outcomes

A review of past and future initiatives from both the perspective of the facilitator & recipient of services will be discussed. Join this session and:

• Learn the role that Certification can play in establishing and/or maintaining a quality program.
• Explore the process of International Accreditation for Professional Certification
• Review the changing face of patient/people handling programs from the old days of manual lifts and good body mechanics to today’s customized mechanical assists and what the future may hold.
• Define the role of a successful patient/people handling manager and how they apply these skills to consistently achieve their goals of reducing injuries while enhancing efficiency & performance.
• Discuss the Nine Core Competencies identified for Professional Certification and how each of these skills improve overall program outcomes:
  • Financial Acumen
  • Team Leadership
  • Policy and Procedure Deployment
  • Training Deployment
  • Clinical Knowledge & Experience
  • Risk Analysis & Control
  • Program Promotion
  • Program Audit
  • Unit Specific Customization