Toronto’s Mayhew Recommends the Nurture by Steelcase Empath™ Chair for Healthcare Personnel and Patient Safety

Toronto, Canada, December 08, 2012 --(PR.com)-- As any healthcare worker knows, on-the-job injuries are a reality. Personnel must be able to help patients move from one location to another, often with little assistance from their busy colleagues. Even when special lifting devices are employed, healthcare workers can suffer serious medical problems.

The facts tell the story of an occupational field begging for an overhaul in terms of how workers and patients are protected through technological improvements:

· Musculoskeletal disorders, as a result of strains, sprains and tears, are the most common non-fatal injury or illness reported among primary healthcare caregivers (e.g., nurses, psychiatrists, home health aides) and support occupations. These include injuries/disorders of the muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, joints and/or discs.

· In a 10-year period between 1995-2004, almost 800,000 reported (there may be others that were unreported) healthcare worker injuries/illnesses occurred. Most occurred because of overexertion on the part of the caregiver.

· The only fields that seem to be more systematically injury-prone than healthcare workers are truck drivers (heavy, tractor-trailer), laborers and material movers (by hand).

Sources: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, OSHA Workplace Injury Statistics and News

Given those statistics, it’s critical for healthcare organizations to take seriously the long-term viability of their employees. And healthcare organizations in Canada can do that by redesigning their facilities using innovative healthcare solutions, including the Empath™ chair from Nurture. In fact, its unique design has made it one of Mayhew’s spotlight products in that segment.

Mayhew, one of Ontario’s leading interior design firms, has led the way in promoting the most groundbreaking solutions for clients looking to achieve productivity and safety through individualized workspace design solutions. As Mayhew’s V.P. Marketing, Maurice Benatar explains, the Empath chair is a perfect example of technology meeting practicality meeting physical appeal.

“The Empath reclining chair advances patient care in healthcare workspaces,” says Benatar. “Its design is a result of years of evidence-based research, and it’s been shown to mitigate injuries in healthcare settings. This, of course, translates to less revenue lost for healthcare facilities, and greater security for all persons within those facilities – nursing staff, andof course patients.”

Empath is available through Mayhew, and has been built for both attractiveness and pragmatism. Its ingenious design is a result of more than 2,000 observation hours of patient-worker study by engineers.

Empath’s state-of-the-art features are meant to limit risks without compromising the psychological advantages of physical appeal. They include:

· Wheeled base (that can be locked) for convenient transport.

· Cushioned, yet supportive, contoured arms.

· Dual flip-down arms for easier transport and chair positioning.

The Empath, along with other Nurture health care solutions for both clinical and administrative spaces, can be purchased through Mayhew. The company can be contacted via the web at www.Mayhew.ca.