did anyone read this?

karenG · Sep 10, 2003

yes I saw it- it said the trust they worked for had no policies for lifting!! seems plan daft to me! neither nurses/trust or patient come out particulary well but if I was one of the nurses, I think I would be furious! lets hope they sort it out.

just seen an add in todays rcn job thing- for a nurse to work with a team of 10 caring for a man with a C2/3 injury. seems where you live does affect the care! still!!

Karen

bettyboop · Sep 10, 2003

hi karen

i don't know any trust that does not have a no lifting ban, or to be correct "moving and handling policy" my hospital is very strict.

Article didn't make clear wether she was offered and refused hoists etc. This was only a interim court hearing as well. so the story will no doubt be continued.

bettyboop

kermit27 · Sep 10, 2003

This is incredible.

My hospital had a kind of portable hoist as well, which I imagine could be used by community nurses.

Our manual handling also teaches us how to move pts safely in teams using slide sheets etc. Wonder why they couldn't do that?

bettyboop · Sep 10, 2003

The pt in question also refused to take their medication that helps with spasms etc. Don't understand the logic!!!

Also how does the pt get onto toilet or change clothes?

bettyboop

Whisper · Sep 10, 2003

The trust I work for and am training is has a no lifting policy, and it is set in stone, heck you can get into trouble for lifting a child or suitcase unless you document it and state that you know you are going against their advice. I have never had any lifting training, we have moving and handling training

But of course in the real world patients still get lifted, so now I am doing it blind, and we learn from staff on the ward, when I am a student, I am not expected to lift, and we use all the aids, but when I am on the ward or community as an NA i have found myself lifting far too often.

Community patients, often think they should not be hoisted, as they don't like the hospitalization of their homes, I have gone into one house were the patient a hugely obese man had sabotaged his hoist, so that the two carers, would have to lift him.... I rang the agency, and they didn't have any other hoists that could lift a pt his weight, nor did social services.

The patient was adament we should have lifted him from the floor to his bed (which wasn't going to happen, unless I ate a whole tonne of spinach!)... we ended up ringing the fire brigade, (which was fun... 999 yes I need the fire brigade, to lift a patient, non not an ambulance, the firebrigade, )

Ok, I realise I am babbling again, but the no lifting policy actualy helped, I knew there was no way in hell I could have lifted him, and having the policy in place covered me for refusing the patients request.

The policy does get ignored, but then it is the practioners choice, in the community is often harder to explain choices to the patient, as they don't always have the right equipment, and can be on a waiting list for months to get a hoist.

Whisper

P.S

I think the lady on NTL, has carers that bear hug her to let her change clothes or to was or toilet.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2003

Has anyone noticed that our American colleagues seem to have never heard of a "no lift policy"? I keep running into threads about people injuring themselves or lifting morbidly obese patients by themselves.

bettyboop · Sep 10, 2003

Hi

I notice that to, considering the sue mentality i would expect a moving and handling policy, maybe for a change UK leading the way

Bettyboop

suehp · Sep 10, 2003

Hi!

We have just introduced a "No-lifting" policy in our Nursing Home within the last few weeks - done all the training too. It certainly helps us with the larger residents - all the hoists,slide sheets and different moving techniques too. Apparently we are the first home in our area to introduce this. The Owner wasnt too happy because of all the equipment we had to buy and the cost of training nearly 40 staff!!! It certainly is benefiting us.

I certainly think there is more to the MS Sufferer's story that we havent heard yet - it will be intersting to see how it all ends .

Noney · Sep 10, 2003

Hi,

I'm in the US. I have never worked anywhere with a no lift policy!

Is this reallty the norm for you? I'm ready to join you!

Seriously, do you know any web sites with more info on this subject? It sounds so sensible.

Noney

Whisper · Sep 10, 2003

I don't know of any websites, but I will ask tomorrow when I am in uni, but there a lot of journal articles available do you have access to Cinahl?

The search term 'no lifting' finds hundreds of British and Australian articles about non lift policies.

I will try and find some links before tomorrow... but right now it is past my bed time,( very very sleepy, blame all typing errors on this)

whisper

bettyboop · Sep 11, 2003

Hi again

Noney here are a couple of web sites

http://www.addenbrookes.orguk/patientinfo/movingsafely.htm

http://www.movingandhandling.org.uk/forward.php3

As you say a no "lifting" or as it's known now "moving and handling policy" is now the norm in UK hospitals and training and updates are taken as serously as CPR updates. You have to do a refresher course each year.

Many nurses had to leave nursing due to back injury as i am sure there are in US also many working days lost due to back injury/sprain in UK. The rules are clear a ban on "lifting" that also includes lifting pt up bed, we have nylon sheets which slide under pt and then slide pt ip the bed. Also if the pt is unable to transfer from bed to chair etc a hoist must be used. Hospitals are very strict:)