Help turning obese resident

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Hi! I'm a long time reader, first time poster. I love reading all the helpful advice given here. I hope you can help me. I'm a new nurse aide. This week will be my 3rd in the field. So far I think I'm doing OK, making sure all my residents are taken care of. However, I'm having difficulty caring for 1 particular resident. He is an obese man with a terrible attitude. I'm having a difficult time rolling him onto his side to change his briefs and place the hoyer pad by myself. The aides on my hall are busy taking care of their residents and I feel like a pest whenever I ask them for help turning him. I don't want to hurt him or myself but I'm starting to sense that the aides are getting sick of me asking for help. One told me yesterday that she can do him all by himself and she didn't know why I had such a problem. Am I wrong in asking for help? Thanks in advance for your responses.

Specializes in CNA in LTC.

You know if a resident (or you) gets hurt because you used a hoyer by yourself, that's your license. It is against procedure to do that, I'm just saying that you don't want to get in trouble for that, it's your license not your co-workers. If it was me, and I have been there where there is little to no help, if I can't get someone to help me with the hoyer then the resident stays in bed. If the nurse (or whomever) is insistent on that resident getting out of bed then they can help you. If you have someone good helping you, a hoyer lift takes 10 minutes. Taking 10 minutes out of their day to help with a safe lift is better than not helping you at all. I have worked in 3 nursing homes and the procedure for a hoyer lift is the same--2 people at all times. I would look over the policy for your facility and keep a copy with you pertaining to hoyers, if anyone gives you grief over it, point it out and tell them it is against regulation/procedure. Doesn't anybody help each other there?

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You know if a resident (or you) gets hurt because you used a hoyer by yourself, that's your license. It is against procedure to do that, I'm just saying that you don't want to get in trouble for that, it's your license not your co-workers. If it was me, and I have been there where there is little to no help, if I can't get someone to help me with the hoyer then the resident stays in bed. If the nurse (or whomever) is insistent on that resident getting out of bed then they can help you. If you have someone good helping you, a hoyer lift takes 10 minutes. Taking 10 minutes out of their day to help with a safe lift is better than not helping you at all. I have worked in 3 nursing homes and the procedure for a hoyer lift is the same--2 people at all times. I would look over the policy for your facility and keep a copy with you pertaining to hoyers, if anyone gives you grief over it, point it out and tell them it is against regulation/procedure. Doesn't anybody help each other there?

There is no rule where I live against using the hoyer by yourself, especially using it to put them in bed, as I work 2nds. Don't assume you know my workplace or my willingness to risk my "license" (which CNAs do not have, by the way). Do not talk down to me.

Not to mention, if, as you say, it takes 10 minutes to do a hoyer lift with 2 people, and I have 15 to put down and so does my helper, there's 300 minutes right there. That's 5 hours. No, that's not too much time to ask, at all, considering we have less than 3 hours to get everyone showered and in bed after dinner.

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Specializes in CNA in LTC.

I was not "talking down" to you and "assuming you would put your license at risk". And yes in the state of Indiana you do have to have a CNA license to work as a CNA otherwise do not call yourself a CNA. I was just trying to give some friendly advice, if you want to be defense about it that's up to you. No I do not know what facility you work at, no I do not know the facilities policies and procedures but yes it is against procedure to use a hoyer by yourself, I can't believe a facility or even the nurse would allow such a thing to happen. Again I do not know about you or where you work but I do know the rules regarding hoyer lift procedure and you are not following it. What if you have the person in the hoyer, and you go to lift them from chair to bed and in the middle of having them in the air (as you are pushing the hoyer toward the bed) the hoyer malfunctions and they 1. get stuck or 2. god forbid it breaks and the resident crashes to the floor? You have to have another person to guide the resident &/or worse case scenario catch the resident if the hoyer malfunctions? Things happen and they happen fast.

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Specializes in CNA in LTC.

BTW yousoldtheworld, my comment about the hoyer was not even directed toward you so why did you get so defensive? I take that back about the hoyer taking 10 minutes, if resident is already hooked up to lift pad then 2 good cnas working together can get them from chair to bed in 5.

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I was not "talking down" to you and "assuming you would put your license at risk". And yes in the state of Indiana you do have to have a CNA license to work as a CNA otherwise do not call yourself a CNA.

I'm not going to discuss the hoyer issue anymore. I'll leave it to my DON to tell me what's okay in my facility and what isn't.

CNAs have a certification, NOT a license. It is not the same thing.

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Perhaps this makes me an evil person, but if a resident truly were "crashing to the floor" from the lift, I would not jump in and try to catch them. Trying to catch a 200lb. free-falling object from a height of 4-5 feet is a perfect way to ensure that one becomes disabled for life. Guide to safety if possible? Sure. Catch? Never.

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Please, focus on the OP's questions and situation instead of each other. Remember, it's easy to misunderstand things said in a virtual conversation. No need to "duke it out" with others.

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Never be afraid to ask for help, especially when you're new at this. If you continue to get an 'attitude' from other aides, have a talk with the director of nursing. The safety of the resident and you as an employee are much more important than any eye-rolling BS from fellow aides. Perhaps the nursing director can effect a little attitude change in your co-workers.

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

If a more experienced CNA has good technique and is able to handle a large patient by herself safely, I would say, "I don't know why that CNA doesn't train others so patient care is improved", but being able to do a patient by yourself and providing good care are not always synanymous.

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Thank you all for the suggestions! I will try the draw sheet technique. I hope I get better at turning residenst with practice. At KatieP86, I wish we could work in pairs at my facility, but it's every woman for herself, which is sad and can be dangerous.

The supervising nurses have the authority to direct that CNAs work in pairs. Make the suggestion. If you are blown off, go to the next supervisor in the chain until you get to the DON and/or supervisor. Somebody in that chain should have the sense to take you up on your suggestion.

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