Expect Greater Focus on Safe Patient Handling from D.C.

The American Nurses Association has "endorsed the Conyers bill, and we support any and all efforts to reduce musculoskeletal injuries to registered nurses. We're certainly hopeful President Obama recognizes this great risk for registered nurses and healthcare workers," Piazza says.

Meanwhile, Obama's interim OSHA head, Jordan Barab, helped develop the agency's ergonomics standard, which was published during the final days of the Clinton administration in late 2000.

When President Bush took office in 2001, the Republican-led Congress subsequently withdrew the standard before it took effect.

If Barab becomes the permanent OSHA head, "having someone like that in there who understands the issues could make [safe patient handling] a priority," said Guy Fragala, PhD, PE, CSP, advisor for ergonomics at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Patient Safety Center of Inquiry in Tampa, FL.