BACKGROUND: Work focused on understanding implementation and adoption of interventions designed to prevent patient-handling injuries in the hospital setting is lacking in the injury literature and may be more insightful than more traditional evaluation measures. METHODS: Data from focus groups with health care workers were used to describe barriers and promoters of the adoption of patient lift equipment and a shift to a "minimal-manual lift environment" at two affiliated hospitals. RESULTS: Several factors influencing the adoption of the lift equipment and patient-handling policy were noted: time, knowledge/ability, staffing, patient characteristics, and organizational and cultural aspects of work. The adoption process was complex, and considerable variability by hospital and across units was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of qualitative data can enhance the understanding of factors that influence implementation and adoption of interventions designed to prevent patient-handling injuries among health care workers.