Introduction Hospitals spend numerous resources on patient handling and the risk of injuries is high for patients and caregivers. Assistive technologies can help to prevent work-related injuries. The PTR Robot is an intuitive battery-powered hoist developed in a partnership between Zealand University Hospital and Blue Ocean Robotics. Different stakeholders from both partners were involved in the design process to ensure high acceptability. The data collected during two years of using the robot in hospitals gives insights on the necessary organisational changes, how the robot can support a safer work environment and how it creates new ways of working with patient transfer.

Patient transfer activities are resource intensive tasks in hospitals with a high risk of work-related injuries and low quality of patient experience (Milhem et al 2019:735). Skills and knowledge on how to correct body mechanics rarely prevent work-related injuries. Studies suggest the use of assistive technologies as beneficial in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare professionals (Jakobsen et al 2016; Milhem et al 2016; Vinstrup et al 2017; Vinstrup et al 2020). Concerning patient transfers, consistent use of assistive lifting devices reduces the physical workload and can thereby decrease the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (Vinstrup et al 2020:1164).

Methods A mixed-method approach was used to introduce the robot to +300 caregivers at four hospitals in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands between 2021-2023. The introduction includes a pre-survey to understand patient transfer activities and needs followed by a workshop to teach users about the robot and gather qualitative input. Selected caregivers are educated as ‘super-users’ who can teach colleagues about the robot. With an ethnographic approach, super-users frequently report about user experiences.

Results The results from the pre-survey show that transfers are often carried out by a single professional (45%), because ‘there is no need to involve more colleagues’ (61%). However, the data also indicates lack of personnel (32%) and time (36%). Such transfers constitute a high-risk situation for caregivers and patients. Here, the PTR Robot can actively support caregivers as almost all transfers can be performed safely by a single user. Current regulations prevent single-caregiver transfers and thus, a regulatory change concerning assistive technology is required. The qualitative findings show that the robot offers new ways of working with patient transfer as a higher variety of transfers can be performed with the PTR Robot compared to manual or semi-manual devices. To exploit this, caregivers need to be given time to explore these opportunities and change their daily routines and workflows. Management needs to support and prioritise this change. Introductory workshops need to arouse curiosity and motivation to work with the robot. This can best be achieved by conducting hands-on training in real environments and small teams, so employees can try out the robot in a familiar and safe setting. The concept of ‘super-users’ helps to engage the whole team.

To conclude, robots, if introduced appropriately, have the potential to support caregivers to focus on their and the patient’s well-being by balancing resources better and creating new, efficient ways of working.