# Defining the Role and Occupational Health Issues of Patient Sitters

> **NIH ALLCDC R21** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $200,625

## Abstract

Abstract
Patient sitters are healthcare workers responsible for “constant observation” of patients at risk for
harming themselves and others (e.g., suicidal, at risk for falling, agitated, violent, withdrawing
from drugs/alcohol). This often requires them to manage difficult patients and situations on their
own in isolation for 8- to 12-hour shifts. Although healthcare organizations rely heavily on patient
sitters, there is consensus in the clinical-based literature that this job is poorly defined, and that
workers in this role are poorly trained and prepared to meet the requirements of their job. Further,
numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of patient sitters on patient outcomes (e.g.,
patient fall prevention); however, a recent systematic review identified only one study in the past
decade that pertained to worker health and safety issues among patient sitters. While healthcare
workers are known to be at high risk for numerous occupational exposures and outcomes (e.g.,
musculoskeletal injury, exposure to droplet/airborne pathogens, bloodborne pathogens), no
studies have examined these types of exposures/outcomes in patient sitters. Patient sitters serve
a critical role in patient care, yet, they are poorly defined in the clinical-based literature, and are
essentially absent in the occupation health literature. To address these gaps, we aim to define
the role of the patient sitter in the acute care pediatric and adult hospital settings, describe the
types of training and continuing education that patient sitters receive and need, and examine the
occupational health and safety issues that patient sitters encounter. We propose to conduct a
cross-sectional, mixed methods study of patient sitters and hospital leaders. In collaboration with
the Texas Hospital Administration (THA), we will invite leaders that oversee their Patient Sitter
program/workers (n=430 Texas hospitals) to participate in an anonymous online survey about the
role of the patient sitter in their hospitals, as well as hospital procedures and policies that pertain
to these workers. Among those that respond, we will request access to conduct an anonymous
online survey among their patient sitters with the goal of recruiting 1,000 sitters, with a mix from
pediatric and adult acute care hospitals. The development of the patient sitter survey will be
informed by the hospital leader survey findings, as well as focus group discussion findings among
a subset of patient sitters from the participating hospitals. The sitter survey will ascertain details
about job responsibilities, training, occupational safety and health issues, and organizational
support. Findings from this proposed work will place sitters into the occupational literature where
they can be appropriately defined and considered in the context of occupational health and safety
prevention efforts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10456449
- **Project number:** 1R21OH012230-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** LISA A POMPEII
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $200,625
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10456449

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10456449, Defining the Role and Occupational Health Issues of Patient Sitters (1R21OH012230-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10456449. Licensed CC0.

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