Lifting and Moving Patients

1. Lifting and Moving Patients

2. Guidelines for Safe Lifting • Consider the weight of object/ patient. • The stretcher alone weighs 70-80 lbs. • Communicate with partner. • Know your physical limitations • Identify the need for help before lifting. • Have a plan.

3. Guidelines for Safe Lifting Use your legs to lift…NOT BACK Have feet positioned properly. Keep weight close to body. Lift without twisting.

4. Use legs, not back, to lift.

5. Keep weight close to your body.

6. Guidelines for Safe Lifting • Power-lift position • Useful for individuals with weak knees/thighs • Feet are a comfortable distance apart • Back is tight and abdominal muscles lock the back in a slight inward curve • Straddle the object • Keep feet flat • Distribute weight to balls of feet or just behind them. • Stand by making sure the back is locked in and the upper body comes up before the hips. CONFIDENTIAL

7. Guidelines for Safe Lifting • Power-grip position • To get maximum force from hands • The palm and fingers come into complete contact with the object and all fingers are bent at the same angles • Hands should be at least 10 inches apart CONFIDENTIAL

8. Power-LiftPosition

9. Power-Grip

10. Safe Reaching Techniques Keep your back locked in. Avoid twisting while reaching. Avoid reaching more than 15-20 inches in front of your body.

11. Safe Pushing and Pulling Push, rather than pull. Keep your back locked in Keep weight close to your body.

12. Safe Pushing and Pulling Keep your knees bent. Avoid pushing or pulling overhead. Keep elbows bent and arms close to sides. If weight is below waist level, push or pull from a kneeling position.

13. Types ofMoves

14. Emergency Moves • There is immediate danger to the patient if not moved: • Fire or danger of fire • Explosives or other dangerous materials • Life-saving care cannot be given because of patient’s location/position • Patient must be moved to reach a critical patient.

15. Emergency Move: Clothes Drag

16. Emergency Move: Incline Drag (Head-First)

17. Emergency Move: Firefighter’sDrag

18. Emergency Move: Firefighter’s Carry

19. Emergency Move: One-Rescuer Assist

20. Emergency Move:Two-Rescuer Assist

21. Urgent Moves • Used when there is an immediate threat to life: • Altered mental status • Inadequate breathing • Shock (hypoperfusion) • Treatment of patient’s condition requires a move.

22. Urgent Move with Spinal Precautions

23. Non-Urgent Moves Use when there is no threat to life. Use when patient’s condition allows for assessment and care. Typically utilize a carrying device. In narrow places, the best technique for moving a patient using a spinal board as an alternative to a 4 person log roll is the 4 person straddle slide

24. Non-Urgent Move:Extremity Carry

25. Patient-Carrying Devices

26. 1. Wheeled Ambulance Stretcher

27. 2. Portable Stretcher – Top Deck

28. 3. Stair Chair – For people that can sit up and that have to be carried down stairs

29. 4. Long Spine Board

30. Patient Immobilized on Long Spine Board

31. 5. Short Spine Board

32. 6. Vest-Type Extrication Device - KED

33. Patient Immobilized in Vest-TypeExtrication Device

34. 7. Scoop (Orthopedic) Stretcher

35. 8. Basket (Stokes) Stretcher

36. 9. Flexible (Reeves) Stretcher

37. Patient Positioning Part of patient care plan Must not cause harm to patient Must be safe

38. 1. Recovery Position Unconscious Patient without Spinal Injury

39. 2. Position of Comfort – Semi-fowlers Upper body at 45° angle

40. 3. Shock Position - Trendelenburg Patient without Spinal Injury Legs elevated 8-12 inches

41. For a pregnant patient with hypotension, an early intervention is to position the patient on her left side. • A patient who is nauseated or vomiting should be transported in a position of comfort. Remember airway always takes priority.

42. Transferring the Patient to a Hospital Bed Using a Draw sheet

43. 1. Position stretcher next to the bed.

44. 2. Pull sheet under patient taut.

45. 3. Slide patient to hospital cart.

46. 4. Be sure patient is centered. Raise side rail.