Did anyone do 12 inches to shoulder/over head lift for pre employment physical?

aeris99 · May 8, 2014

Does this facility not have a step stool?

I don't know anything about pre-employment physicals. I can tell you that after spraining my shoulder and having to go to ortho and PT for 6+ months I was told repeatedly that overhead lifting is a great way to injure yourself.

Hopefully someone else will have the answer you're looking for.

elkpark · May 8, 2014

I haven't ever been asked to life anything over my head, but, yes, I've had pre-employment physicals where I had to perform the physical specifications laid out in the job description to demonstrate that I actually met the physical job requirements. They had a 25 lb, or 30 lb, or whatever it was, box for me to lift, wanted me to demonstrate good body mechanics, etc.

krisiepoo · May 11, 2014

I had a pre-employment PT eval. We needed to do 35 pounds floor to waist, push pounds down the floor on like a sled (can't remember how much it was), overhead eval which meant putting nuts on screws overhead to ensure we could actually reach overhead but didn't have to lift anything overhead, they were just looking to make sure I had no issues with reaching overhead. I had to demonstrate transfers with a gait belt, how to use a sliding board and a few other things I can't remember right now. It took all of 20 minutes and it was incredibly easy and not challenging, just ensuring I could meet the demands of the job

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · May 11, 2014

I thought it wasn't good for your back to lift heavy things above the waist/ torso??

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · May 12, 2014

My first pre-employment physical consisted of a drug test, a nicotine drug test that looked like a pregnancy test, color blindness, the 3d test that I suck at, and reading an eye chart. I believe an RN did it all and a physician reviewed the findings to sign off.

My 2nd one consisted of a drug test, nicotine test, and taking my picture. Oh and the flu shot too.

As for the actual lifting, I've never had to do a lift test before even for a fire department. Those physicals were very intensive including blood/EKG workups.

DatMurse · May 12, 2014

I thought it wasn't good for your back to lift heavy things above the waist/ torso??

its fine to if your back is straight.

If you cannot lift 35 lbs overhead than I think you have a severe problem. I dont know how you could do much in the hospital. That is really not that much.

aeris99 · May 12, 2014

If I lifted 35lbs over my head I'm pretty sure my should would pop out of joint. Of course like I said I have a previous injury but it still doesn't make much sense to me to have people lifting that much over their heads.

I can see reaching as suggested in another reply, such as changing a lightbulb. Just my opinion and the safety protocol of facilities I've worked in, it is far safer to move yourself to the correct height rather than lift the object up that high.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · May 12, 2014

its fine to if your back is straight.
If you cannot lift 35 lbs overhead than I think you have a severe problem. I dont know how you could do much in the hospital. That is really not that much.

I'm pretty sure I "could" lift a lot more than that. I'm pretty strong. (-: But what I meant was I thought we were taught ergonomic ways to carry things as nurses. I thought we were taught to lift things close to torso and not overhead. I could be totally wrong.

Here's how I feel about my back and my job: I only will get 1 back to last my whole life. It's a pretty well known that nurses have a tendency to develop back problems. For this reason, I don't trust an employer to tell me what's "safe".

For an employment test I sure would lift 35lbs but in the back of my mind I'd wonder why they wanted me to do this. Seems to me that in my work I wouldn't be expected to do overhead lifts.

The way I feel about it is...in my work I should be provided with ways to safely do my job without hurting my back. I will not intentionally put my back at risk by doing unsafe lifting with poor ergonomics.

That being said, I've promised myself that I'd sacrifice the health of my back to support an elderly, sick or fragile person. I'll support their weight in order to save someone whose unsteady in balance to stop them from falling. But my employer better not expect me to put my back at risk day in and day out.

This post says you can lift up to 51lbs but only to waist height, no twisting, no shifting of the weight.

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2013/09/01/what-is-a-safe-lift.aspx?m=1

Here is an article by OSHA that says the same thing: https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_vii/otm_vii_1.html

This OSHA article also seems to be pointing out the risks of lifting overhead https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electricalcontractors/materials/heavy.html

DatMurse · May 12, 2014

I'm pretty sure I "could" lift a lot more than that. I'm pretty strong. (-: But what I meant was I thought we were taught ergonomic ways to carry things as nurses. I thought we were taught to lift things close to torso and not overhead. I could be totally wrong.
Here's how I feel about my back and my job: I only will get 1 back to last my whole life. It's a pretty well known that nurses have a tendency to develop back problems. For this reason, I don't trust an employer to tell me what's "safe".
For an employment test I sure would lift 35lbs but in the back of my mind I'd wonder why they wanted me to do this. Seems to me that in my work I wouldn't be expected to do overhead lifts.
The way I feel about it is...in my work I should be provided with ways to safely do my job without hurting my back. I will not intentionally put my back at risk by doing unsafe lifting with poor ergonomics.
That being said, I've promised myself that I'd sacrifice the health of my back to support an elderly, sick or fragile person. I'll support their weight in order to save someone whose unsteady in balance to stop them from falling. But my employer better not expect me to put my back at risk day in and day out.
This post says you can lift up to 51lbs but only to waist height, no twisting, no shifting of the weight.
What Is a Safe Lift? -- Occupational Health & Safety
Here is an article by OSHA that says the same thing: https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_vii/otm_vii_1.html
This OSHA article also seems to be pointing out the risks of lifting overhead https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electricalcontractors/materials/heavy.html

They stated about lifting 51 lbs in front of them.

The 3rd article is talking about overhead REACHING. meaning having poor ergonomics for body moveent.

If they asked you to be able to do a military press of a 35 lb barbell I think that is more of a test of strength rather than anything else to create a baseline.

You are misinterpreting their articles, crossing information, and not understanding with what it is trying to say.

You keep heavy items at waist level close to the body. the more distant it is(higher, lower, or further), the more stress it will create on your lower back.

Reaching on your tippy toes for long periods of time is not good for you, they are trying to say get a ladder.

Pjking227 · May 14, 2014

I have worked at many hospitals and have never had to show them what I could lift. During orientations we had a class with PT and were taught body mechanics. And yes, it is very unlikely you would ever lift anything over your head. I have been in nursing 20 years and all I have ever lift were patients in there bed or off the BSC and then others were always available to help. Don't sweat this.

GM2RN · May 14, 2014

Even though it may be possible, I don't understand the necessity of demonstrating that you can lift that much weight overhead. I can't imagine any job in the hospital where you would need to lift that much weight overhead, especially without either mechanical or human assistance.