"Evidence-based Patient Handling breaks new ground in a fundamental area of day-to-day work in health and social care. It provides a wide range of professionals with a much-needed source of reference, including: nurses, back-care advisors, health-care managers, risk managers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, midwives, ergonomists, occupational health practitioners (including doctors), ambulance services, and health-staff educators."--Jacket.

pt. I. Research background and criteria. 1. Introduction and background : Research questions ; Summary of findings -- 2. Method of systemic review : Method ; Research questions ; Search ; Inclusion/exclusion criteria ; Appraisal/extraction tool ; Data extraction ; Data synthesis -- pt. II. Research results. section I. Controversial techniques and hazardous tasks. 3. Controversial issues: Drag lift ; Shoulder (Australian) lift ; Pivot lift ; Hierarchy of hazardous transfers/tasks -- section II. Patient-handling tasks. 4. Transfers : Transfers starting from a lying position ; Transfers from a seated position ; Transfers in standing -- 5. Caring tasks : Caring tasks for patients in a lying position ; Caring tasks for patients in a sitting position -- 6. Specialist areas : Ambulance ; Theatres ; Rehabilitation ; Community/home care ; Midwifery -- section III. Equipment. 7. Small aids : Sliding sheets ; Handling slings ; Handling/lifting/walking/gait belts ; Sliding (transfer) boards and turntables ; Attitudes towards/perceptions of small aids -- 8. Beds : Bed height ; Electric beds and cots ; Hoists -- section IV. Interventions : 10. Training interventions : Studies describing training interventions with no impact on working practices or injury rates ; Studies describing mixed (positive and negative) results ; Studies describing positive outcomes -- 11. Other interventions : Interventions based on risk management ; Multi-factor interventions ; Single-factor interventions ; Lifting team -- Appendixes : 1. Example of Medline search ; 2. Data appraisal/extraction forms ; 3. Excluded studies ; No task, equipment or intervention ; Professional opinion ; Not primary source.