Handle with Care:
Biographies for SPHM Briefing
May 8, 2006
Audrey Nelson, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dr. Nelson has a BSN from the University of South Florida, a MN from Emory University, and a PhD in Nursing from the University of Florida. She has over 29 years of nursing experience, as a staff nurse, nurse administrator, and nurse researcher. Dr. Nelson is nationally known for her research in patient and caregiver safety. She has over $1.5 million in current research funding. She has joint faculty appointments at the University of South Florida in the Colleges of Engineering, Aging Studies, and Public Health, and is the Associate Director for Clinical Research in the College of Nursing.
Dr. Nelson is well respected for her expertise in nursing research. Her program of research focuses on safe working environments for nurses, particularly related to patient care ergonomics. She established four research laboratories: Patient Safety Simulation Lab, Gait and Balance Lab, Biomechanics Research Lab, and Patient Safety Engineering Lab.
Thomas R. Waters, PhD, CPE
Thomas R. Waters, PhD, CPE, is the Senior Safety Engineer, Organizational Science and Human Factors Branch, Division of Applied Research and Technology, at the National Institute for Occupational Safety (NIOSH).Dr. Waters is a certified professional ergonomist and holds advanced degrees in Engineering Science and Biomechanics from the University of Cincinnati. As a researcher at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for the past 18 years, Dr. Waters has published more than 40 papers and chapters on manual material handling and prevention of low back disorders. He holds adjunct faculty positions in the Department of Environmental Health and Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Nuclear Engineering at the University of Cincinnati and in the Systems and Industrial Engineering Department at The Ohio State University. Dr. Waters is recognized internationally for his work on the revised NIOSH lifting equation. His primary research interests include occupational biomechanics, work physiology, low back injury prevention and ergonomic risk assessment. Dr. Waters chaired the NIOSH team responsible for developing a national research agenda for prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.
Robert Williamson, RN, BSN, MS, CWCP
Robert Williamson, RN, BSN, MS, CWCP, is the Director of Associate Safety at Ascension Health. In this capacity he is responsible for the corporate oversight of Associate safety and loss prevention programs. Ascension Health is a Catholic, mission-focused organization and the nation’s largest non-profit health system. Ascension Health employs more than 106,000 employees at 67 acute care hospitals in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Bob has developed a system-wide initiative for safe patient handling and has participated in local and national task forces on latex sensitivity, safe sharps/needle stick programs and disability/disease management programs for healthcare employees.
He is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. He has completed his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration at Central Michigan University and received the National Certification in Worker’s Compensation from Michigan State University.
Maggie Flanagan, RN, BSN
Maggie Flanagan, RN, BSN, is a member of the Washington State Nurses Association. She has been a healthcare worker for 30 years, 24 of those years as an RN. She received her BSN from University of Wisconsin-- Madison and has worked in hospitals in Texas, Illinois, Hawaii, Alaska and now Washington State. She is currently the volunteer chairperson of the Washington State Nurses Association's Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health.
Guldmann, Inc.
For over 25 years, Guldmann has provided quality Ceiling Lifts for patient lifts and transfers in homes, hospitals and rehab institutions, improving daily life for the Disabled and their Caregivers
Anders Drechsler, President
Anders Drechsler has spent the past 15 years as an advocate for safe patient handling for both the patient and the caregiver. He has been instrumental in the development of patient lifts - overhead lifts and floor lifters, which offer an alternative to crippling back injuries suffered by of nurses and caregivers in the health care industry today. With an engineering background, Anders works to provide safe and comfortable solutions to lifting challenges in every conceivable setting.
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