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Safe Patient Handling Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Patient Transport Supervisor

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$31.03 - $65.90/hr

Ensure safe patient handling practices, including lifting, turning, transferring, and repositioning * Serve as the department's Safe Patient Handling Champion , promoting compliance and best ...

patient transporter

Billings, MT · On-site

$18.40 - $23.92/hr

Uses Safe Patient Handling equipment as indicated. * Uses isolation precautions and/or standard precautions appropriately. * Places soiled linen in designated areas. Dresses carts and wheelchairs ...

Patient Transporter

Provo, UT · On-site

$18.40 - $23.92/hr

Uses Safe Patient Handling equipment as indicated. * Uses isolation precautions and/or standard precautions appropriately. * Places soiled linen in designated areas. Dresses carts and wheelchairs ...

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Safe Patient Handling information

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$10

$19

$29

How much do safe patient handling jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for safe patient handling in the United States is $19.15, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.90 and $20.19 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Safe Patient Handling vs Patient Care Technician?

AspectSafe Patient HandlingPatient Care Technician
CertificationsOften requires OSHA training, ergonomics, and safety certificationsCPR, First Aid, and healthcare-related certifications
Work EnvironmentHospitals, nursing homes, clinics focusing on patient mobility and safetyHospitals, long-term care facilities providing direct patient care
Job FocusPreventing injuries through proper patient transfer and mobility techniquesAssisting with daily patient activities and basic medical tasks

Safe Patient Handling specialists focus on reducing injury risks during patient transfers, emphasizing safety protocols and ergonomic techniques. Patient Care Technicians provide direct patient support, including mobility assistance, but with broader clinical responsibilities. While both roles operate in healthcare settings, their core functions and certifications differ, making them distinct but complementary roles in patient safety and care.

What are some common challenges faced by Safe Patient Handling professionals and how are they typically addressed?

Safe Patient Handling professionals often encounter challenges such as preventing musculoskeletal injuries, ensuring consistent use of assistive equipment, and promoting staff adherence to safety protocols. These challenges are typically addressed through ongoing training, fostering a culture of safety, and open communication between staff and management. Utilizing lift teams, regular equipment maintenance, and clear documentation also play key roles in overcoming these obstacles and ensuring both patient and worker safety.

What is safe patient handling?

Safe patient handling refers to the use of equipment, techniques, and best practices to safely lift, move, and transfer patients in healthcare settings. The goal is to prevent injuries to both patients and healthcare workers by minimizing manual lifting and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Common tools include mechanical lifts, transfer sheets, and slide boards. Training in safe patient handling is essential for healthcare staff to ensure proper procedures are followed and to promote a safe environment for everyone involved.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in Safe Patient Handling, and why are they important?

To thrive in Safe Patient Handling, you need a solid understanding of body mechanics, patient mobility techniques, and relevant safety protocols, often supported by healthcare experience or certification in safe patient handling. Familiarity with assistive devices such as mechanical lifts, transfer belts, and knowledge of institutional safety systems is essential. Strong communication, teamwork, and situational awareness are vital soft skills for coordinating with colleagues and ensuring patient comfort. These competencies are crucial to prevent injuries, promote patient dignity, and maintain a safe environment for both patients and healthcare staff.
More about Safe Patient Handling jobs
What states have the most Safe Patient Handling jobs? States with the most job openings for Safe Patient Handling jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Safe Patient Handling jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Safe Patient Handling jobs are:
Infographic showing various Safe Patient Handling job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,824 per year, or $19.1 per hour.

Registered Nurse (Safe Patient Handling Coordinator)

Veterans Health Administration

Los Angeles, CA • On-site, Remote

$111K - $190K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 5 days ago


Veterans Health Administration rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 1,002 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

69th of 887 rated healthcare providers


Job description

Summary
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate RN-SPHM Coordinator to join our Nursing Research, Innovation & Development Team at the Veterans in West Los Angeles. SPHM Coordinator plays a pivotal role in enhancing the knowledge and skills of all staff while ensuring exceptional care is provided to our Veterans by educating, training, and supporting all staff working in several areas various areas of Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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Current, permanent GLA employees will be given the first consideration. Must submit most recent SF-50 to receive 1st consideration.
Job duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Works collaboratively consulting with Chiefs, Nurse Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, and organizational Leadership to assess, develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs for staff, maintain and enhance clinical competence, and manage ongoing education and competency programs
  • Serves as a role model and clinical leader demonstrating excellence in practice, serves as a clinical mentor/preceptor for clinical and administrative staff, consults and collaborates in patient care and research, and educates in both formal and informal situations
  • Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving safe patient handling and mobility care through collaborative strategies with others
  • Collaborates and consults with multidisciplinary teams in planning, directing, and implementing a patient- centered environment
  • Responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating safe patient handling & mobility educational activities including but not limited to unit orientation, just-in-time training, ongoing competencies, and continuing education
  • Foster and promote an environment conductive to lifelong learning that promotes critical and reflective thinking
  • Facilitate an atmosphere of trust, respect, excellence, compassion, and caring, while facilitating constructive working relationships with all levels of staff to meet the mission of VA Greater Los Angeles
  • Facilitate the implementation, development and maintenance of Nursing Service policies, procedures, and standards and actively participates in updates to reflect latest evidence-based practice
  • Demonstrates familiarity with established policies and procedures in accordance with the Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, Long Term Care Institute and other regulatory agencies, and VA policy. Ability to articulate and interpret organizational policies and procedures to the health care team.
  • Provide ongoing assistance to staff on patient care issues through consultation and education
  • Apply adult teaching/learning theories in development, implementation and evaluation of educational programs
  • Collect and analyze relevant data to identify knowledge gaps and to monitor effectiveness of education efforts
  • Evaluate and document the effectiveness of educational interventions through formal or informal means utilizing the nursing process as a framework
  • Provide just-in-time training at the bedside to nursing staff in the clinical setting
  • Demonstrate leadership in active committee and/or task force activities as assigned
  • Collaborate with other departments and disciplines to improve educational products with the goal of delivering highly care to Veterans
  • Utilize and promote research and evidence-based findings in clinical practice

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards
Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Duty Location: VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System - 11301 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90073
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
  • English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
  • Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
  • Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.
Preferred Experience:
  • Experience in safe patient handling
  • BSN, MSN preferred
  • 3-5 years of recent current acute RN experience
  • Skills in Microsoft office and data tracking tools
  • Experience being an SPH Unit Peer Leader
  • Documented experience in patient education, adult education, or staff education

Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13021395.
Grade/Level
Scope
Education
Nurse I, Level I
Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies.
An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.
Nurse I, Level II
Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex.
An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required.
Nurse I, Level III
Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations.
An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.
Nurse II
Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.
A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.
Nurse III
Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.
MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III.
*Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs and over); Heavy carrying (45 lbs and over); Straight pulling and pushing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking and standing up to 8 hours; repeated bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; hearing aid permitted.
Additional information
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have acces

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About Veterans Health Administration

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, serving millions of Veterans each year. Located in Phoenix, AZ, and many other parts of the US, the VHA operates under the Department of Veteran Affairs, as suggested by their official website va.gov. The VHA is dedicated to providing the highest level of comprehensive care to its veterans. The organization offers a broad spectrum of medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care, including mental health services, research, and pharmacy benefits.

Industry

Health care and social assistance

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Phoenix, AZ, US