Barriers and Facilitators for the Use of Patient Lifts by Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review

(1) Background: Patient lifts are evidence-based engineering controls used in Safe Patient Handling Programs to assist healthcare workers in moving patients. They have been shown to be beneficial for both healthcare workers and patients. However, these devices are not consistently used. This review aims to determine the scope of the literature and examine the barriers and facilitators for the use of patient lifts by healthcare workers, on a global level. (2) Methods: Electronic databases, including MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science—Core Collection, Cochrane CENTRAL, Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions, PAIS Index (Proquest), and the gray literature were reviewed. Duplicates were removed, titles and abstracts were screened, full texts were assessed, and the quality of the studies were checked. The analysis was carried out qualitatively using thematic analysis. (3) Results: A total of 57 articles were included in this review. Most studies (71.9%) originated in the US alone, and none originated in low- and middle-income countries. The majority were quantitative studies and were conducted in acute care hospitals. The main identified barriers were equipment-related (e.g., time constraints, device unavailability, and inconvenient storage), followed by cultural and behavioral factors (peer pressure, resistance to change, and occupational socialization), followed by organizational factors (staff shortage and workload). The main identified facilitators were mostly organizational factors (leadership support, minimal lift policy, standardized protocols), followed by cultural and behavioral factors (safety culture and worker’s empowerment), then equipment-related factors (device availability and accessibility). Patient- and worker-related factors were the least mentioned. (4) Conclusion: There is a complex interplay of organizational, equipment-related, and cultural factors shaping the use of lifts by healthcare workers. A multifaceted approach that focuses on enhancing organizational support, fostering a robust safety culture, and ensuring equipment availability is warranted.