Does your hospital have a lift team

[RN always]

One of the hospitals I did a clinical rotation in had a lift team that consisted of 2 big men. They would go all over the hospital when paged and lift patients for the nurses and other staff for various reasons (transport, falls, etc.) I wish the hospital where I work had one. Yesterday I was helping a 350 lb man get from the bed to a w/c. He had been ambulatory the day before so I didnt think anything of it. The transporter guy was in the room too. I put a gait belt on him just in case (thank goodness I did). Anyways, the guy started slipping and down he went. The transporter guy didnt do much to help me and here I am 5'2" 118 lbs! The pt had his leg bent backward and was yelling. I had to scream for help and it took 7 of us to get him back in bed! YIKES! I was sweating like a dog after that. Thankfully the pt was ok and not hurt and we laughed about it but man it sure would have been nice to have a lift team.

[Sleepyeyes]

Hospitals and nursing homes here in the US get out of having lift teams and devices that are appropriate because OSHA has only "suggestions," not laws.

I researched this when we were in LTC and had beds on the floor that would not rise to meet the level necessary for care. So we had to stand demented, combative people up from the floor, or get down and roll them back and forth to change them while the bed was on the floor.

I'd be in tears, my back hurt so bad, and there was no law to protect me except disability.

It's time for a change, folks. Even longshoremen have better back health than nurses.

[JasonC]

For now, I am actually part of a lift team...which consists of two of us...I work at a small local hospital in San Diego. It is a new program there...so we are just starting this program out....It seems to be going well so far.

I have a question for anyone that has a Lift team in place already. Are nurses/cna's required to be in the room and assist? Here it seems whenever we show up...it seems no one wnats to assist us with IV lines etc. We are not CNA's or anything like that. If something happens we will be the brunt of it...I think someone should be in the room to help? Does that make sense or not?

Jason

[ShortFuse_LPN, LPN]

Jason, yes that makes sense. However, do you ask for help or expect the nurses and/or cnas to be there waiting? Not to be rude but I'm sure they have more than that one pt to care for.

[JasonC]

Originally posted by BelindaLPN

Jason, yes that makes sense. However, do you ask for help or expect the nurses and/or cnas to be there waiting? Not to be rude but I'm sure they have more than that one pt to care for.

No, not really. In the ICU we never go in to roll a patient w/out a nurse present. But on the floors it would be nice to have someone in the room to watch the lift and make sure nothing is pulled out and the patient is fine after the lift.

[mattsmom81]

Yes, Jason it would be nice but as was pointed out, the nurses are using that time to help other patients, charts, etc. If you have a concern about dislodging tubes, you will need to call the desk and tell them your concern and they should send someone down...but you might have to wait for them to get loose from another task. :)