heavy lifting

Published

im going to be entering the program this fall, and i was wondering how much lifting nurses have to do in comparison to CNAs? I worked as a CNA at a LTC and it was all lifting every patient, is this how it is at a hospital as a nurse?

Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.
I've never seen a hospital (in the USA) where nurses don't do any heavy lifting. As a rule I boost up, turn, or stand a minimal wt bearing patient 6-10 times a night. I have heard that in the UK lifting is forbidden and approp. assist devices are always avail. but that may just be a rumor.

as nightmare says 'lifting ' is a rare occaision in the UK , plenty of devices available and it is almost unheard of not to have a hoist available in the hospital setting , there is also the aspect of the techniques used for handling if you work on the basis of not lifting as adefault activity

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in He who hesitates is probably right....
guess my question was unclear, while i was in a nursing home all i did was lift patients and clean asses

my question is how much lifting is involved as an RN? ive only worked long term care and nurses do not do any lifting there

i was wondering if it is the same at a hospital where nurses also dont do any lifting?

I work in a large city hospital, in the SICU. We handle mostly cardiothoracic patients. A lot of these patients are morbidly obese. We rarely have a nursing assistant, and if we do, she is busy stocking rooms, moving beds to the OR, etc.. Our CNAs are mostly small women anyway.

The RNs do most, if not all of the lifting. The RNs clean most, if not all, of the asses. Nothing like 12 hours with a 300+ pound patient on Osmolite that needs cleaned/turned/fresh bed every two hours or so. The good new is, even though your back will be killing you, and you will be up to your elbows in poop a lot of the time, you will be making more money than a CNA (that has the same sore back and poopy hands).

If you find the mythical hospital where nurses do no lifting/cleaning, please post it's location. BTW, we have invited Mike Rowe from Discovery Channel's "Dirty Job's" to spend 12 hours with us. No response yet...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As a male nurse, heavy lifting seems to just go with the territory and I've always been there when needed or asked upon by my coworkers. I work in the ICU unit and we are always absent of nurse techs. Now that I've turned 42 I'm at that point in my life and career where I am more careful and wanting to get into another area of nursing so that I can be alot more protective of my back. Not to sound like a whimp, I'm good size and strength with a husky build, but I see to many surgical patients develop DVTs and ileous's from not being moved around or ambulated after surgery. So if I ever need surgery, who is going to lift me?. Scarey thought isn't it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.
ok guys so i asked some of my friends who have also done LTC

all of them said the same thing

nurses did not do any lifting at all of any patients

maybe these LTC have alot of CNAs

and im going into nursing school within a week!!!!!!!!!!!

im already nervous

Don't be nervous!

I've been in school now for three weeks, and at our last clinical skills lab we learned about body mechanics and mobility. We practiced moving each other: bed to w/c and back, bed to stretcher and back, using various lifts, crutch walking, bed trapezes, etc... I'm a big guy, and I was moved almost flawlessly out of bed by two youngsters that, combined, probably weighed 150 lbs! No lie. There's a method to it all, I promise.

Of course, sometimes being a male in this profession has it's drawbacks; many times, it is automatically assumed that you're bigger and stronger, so therefore you'll be the ox. Doing it correctly means doing it quickly and efficiently, too.

Good luck in school!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
As a male nurse, heavy lifting seems to just go with the territory and I've always been there when needed or asked upon by my coworkers. I work in the ICU unit and we are always absent of nurse techs. Now that I've turned 42 I'm at that point in my life and career where I am more careful and wanting to get into another area of nursing so that I can be alot more protective of my back. Not to sound like a whimp, I'm good size and strength with a husky build, but I see to many surgical patients develop DVTs and ileous's from not being moved around or ambulated after surgery. So if I ever need surgery, who is going to lift me?. Scarey thought isn't it.

dont worry about it, they will just make you move yourself

and dont worry about it at 42, young puppy, what are going to do when your 57 like me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.
and dont worry about it at 42, young puppy, what are going to do when your 57 like me.

That's an excellent question. You play a lot of golf, though; I'd imagine you're in decent shape. Do you find that you're called upon to do a lot of lifting? I'm a big guy, with bad knees. Good back and arms, but bad knees. I'm expecting that I'll be doing more than my share of lifting. In the ER, you're transferring people all over the place. Do you find it physically more demanding than it used to be?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
That's an excellent question. You play a lot of golf, though; I'd imagine you're in decent shape. Do you find that you're called upon to do a lot of lifting? I'm a big guy, with bad knees. Good back and arms, but bad knees. I'm expecting that I'll be doing more than my share of lifting. In the ER, you're transferring people all over the place. Do you find it physically more demanding than it used to be?

Ive always been a lifter and a mover

Now when things do hurt a bit I dont recover as fast as I used to, called getting older.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.
Ive always been a lifter and a mover

Now when things do hurt a bit I dont recover as fast as I used to, called getting older.

I hear ya!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

yes, but never be afraid to ask for help

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medic, ER, Flight, ICU, Onc.
I work in a large city hospital, in the SICU. We handle mostly cardiothoracic patients. A lot of these patients are morbidly obese. We rarely have a nursing assistant, and if we do, she is busy stocking rooms, moving beds to the OR, etc.. Our CNAs are mostly small women anyway.

The RNs do most, if not all of the lifting. The RNs clean most, if not all, of the asses. Nothing like 12 hours with a 300+ pound patient on Osmolite that needs cleaned/turned/fresh bed every two hours or so. The good new is, even though your back will be killing you, and you will be up to your elbows in poop a lot of the time, you will be making more money than a CNA (that has the same sore back and poopy hands).

If you find the mythical hospital where nurses do no lifting/cleaning, please post it's location. BTW, we have invited Mike Rowe from Discovery Channel's "Dirty Job's" to spend 12 hours with us. No response yet...

I did a travel assignment at a hospital in Oklahoma that actually had a no lift policy. The only problem was none of the nurses had quite figured out how to implement it. We decided it was just the hosp's way of getting out of paying worker's comp on back, shoulder and knee injuries since you could only get them by disobeying a hospital policy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Senior Care/Elderly Adults TCU, LTC, MC.
im going to be entering the program this fall, and i was wondering how much lifting nurses have to do in comparison to CNAs? I worked as a CNA at a LTC and it was all lifting every patient, is this how it is at a hospital as a nurse?

just wondering what kind of lifting where you doing? like lifting patient up in bed? lifting a patient up out of a wheel chair to a bed? and if you were using a Transfer belt? transfer belts make it easier and having a shoulder width base for how far apart your feet are helps..you want to bend ur knees and use your leg muscles more...lifing patients and not hurting your self at the same time is all about having good body mechanics....another way to counter this is to do some lifting on your own time....at a gym...forcus on back excerces to make your back stronger.....anway i am apsiring to be a Rn...and can only assume they do their fair share of lifting patients...hope some of this was helpful info to you

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in orthopedics, ED observation.
BTW, we have invited Mike Rowe from Discovery Channel's "Dirty Job's" to spend 12 hours with us. No response yet...

Had to laugh when I ran across this today. I've often wondered if they could film the job (nursing, in any form) for HIPPA reasons, but it certainly would be educational for the average patient!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion