Hospitals fail to protect nursing staff from becoming patients

Gooselady, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2015

At my previous hospital job, every single patient room had a 400 pound-capable lift. Well, four rooms had the lifts installed, and the rest of the rooms had the gear on the ceiling and a few portable lifts in the store room.

We were basically ORDERED to use these lifts . . . or else. The 'or else' part was mainly hearsay and background grumblings about being fired or denied workman's compensation for injuries that 'wouldn't have happened if proper 'safe patient handling' and lifts were used".

I'm getting old enough that just bending over a bed to fluff a pillow gives me a moderate back ache in the course of a shift. No discs blown out here, just routine bending and stretching. I wondered if it was a matter of time that this back stress would 'become' a more serious injury, like when I bent down to pour catfood in the cat's dish.

Nursing is hard on the ole body, for sure. We use our bodies (mainly our backs) the way railroad builders used up theirs, just a bit slower perhaps.

I won't go into the 'complaints' made about our edicts to use the lifts and 'safe patient handling'. We also had a "Fall Team", a select group of CNA's and transport staff who came running with a C collar and a giant Hoyer lift.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 5, 2015

Hopefully the series will discuss the lip service that hospitals provide while continuing to run nursing units with the minimum staffing they can manage.

catmom1, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2015

The piece I linked to does discuss how the so called "lift team" was never available when needed because they had been assigned other duties. This is an example of the unmanageable, low staffing that goes on all the time.

Catmom :paw:

canigraduate · Feb 9, 2015

This has been a known problem since I've been a nurse, so I'm not really sure why they're bringing it up now. I'm glad, though. I think it should be shouted from the rooftops until we have ceiling lifts and turn assists in every single inpatient room.

I worked in an ICU that had ceiling lifts in every room, which we were required to use for turns and repositioning. Once I got over the perceived time constraint, it was awesome. I didn't realize how much time I wasted looking for lift partners. It also covered the entire room so the patient could be lifted from the bed to the toilet and back without me having to lay a hand on him, just guide the sling. LOVED IT!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 9, 2015

I have a relative who works for Kaiser in upper management. Their mandate seems to be "screw the nurse."

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Feb 11, 2015

At my previous hospital job, every single patient room had a 400 pound-capable lift. Well, four rooms had the lifts installed, and the rest of the rooms had the gear on the ceiling and a few portable lifts in the store room.
We were basically ORDERED to use these lifts . . . or else. The 'or else' part was mainly hearsay and background grumblings about being fired or denied workman's compensation for injuries that 'wouldn't have happened if proper 'safe patient handling' and lifts were used".
I'm getting old enough that just bending over a bed to fluff a pillow gives me a moderate back ache in the course of a shift. No discs blown out here, just routine bending and stretching. I wondered if it was a matter of time that this back stress would 'become' a more serious injury, like when I bent down to pour catfood in the cat's dish.
Nursing is hard on the ole body, for sure. We use our bodies (mainly our backs) the way railroad builders used up theirs, just a bit slower perhaps.
I won't go into the 'complaints' made about our edicts to use the lifts and 'safe patient handling'. We also had a "Fall Team", a select group of CNA's and transport staff who came running with a C collar and a giant Hoyer lift.

I wish every hospital had lifts in every room. By the way 400 pounds is not enough. Nowadays we get 500 even 600 pound patients on a too regular basis! How can anyone move a person that size safely! We don't have a lift team, have I think one hoyer for the whole unit and a couple different types of sit to stands. They do keep the slings on hand in the storage room which is new and was overdue. Hover mats are rarely used, but I will make it my duty to order one whenever I have a bariatric patient, no more flimsly garbage bag liner. You have to turn the pt back and forth to get them on the liner and then you are supposed to turn them to take it out after. Ridiculous! It was just turning a 400 pound patient that injured me in the first place!

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Feb 11, 2015

I can remember having PT come in and do inservice after inservice about how the nursing staff was to lift, turn, and reposition appropriately. That somehow, we were not using "proper body mechanics" therefore, should we sign off on these mandatory inservices and then got hurt whilst repositioning/moving/transferring a patient it was due to lack of proper procedure. And that because it was a "patient safety issue" it was the nurse who took the literal and figurative fall.

And that makes workman's comp difficult, that makes unemployment benefits difficult....it just makes it difficult.

One floor was then replaced with nurses who were former college athletes.......and would do the work for less wages.....

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Feb 11, 2015

I worked in an ICU that had ceiling lifts in every room, which we were required to use for turns and repositioning. Once I got over the perceived time constraint, it was awesome. I didn't realize how much time I wasted looking for lift partners. It also covered the entire room so the patient could be lifted from the bed to the toilet and back without me having to lay a hand on him, just guide the sling. LOVED IT!

Agree!!

I worked in a hospital where there were hoyers from the ceiling; I got so spoiled from that!

I'm glad that the information is being presented; the general public has NO idea what nurses face-and it's about time that they did. :yes:

GrumpyRN, NP · Feb 11, 2015

I'm glad that the information is being presented; the general public has NO idea what nurses face-and it's about time that they did.

I've told this story before; I was once asked to by a family to lift their father up the trolley. This man was bigger than I am and weighed a lot more than I do so of course I refused, but before I managed to say "I will go and get some help" they came back with "well, can one of the girls do it?" I got annoyed and pointed out (not all that diplomatically) that I as a male was not going to lift so what made them think a female half my size was going to do it?

My point is the general public don't care about what nurses are faced with, all they want is what they want when they want it.

Have to say I love the sound of these built in hoists. In UK we are seeing our population getting larger and larger and we are going to need something like these.

texasmade89 · Feb 11, 2015

I work as a CNA in a memory card unit, since we are categorized as an AL facility we are not allowed gait belts or hoyers. :down: oh the bureaucracy! We have multiple 250+ lb. patients and aggressive patients who are given sedatives but the doses are not high enough to calm them down. I absolutely love the work but have legitimate fears of back injuries especially after reading everyone's experiences. Has this made any of you consider changing your speciality/ getting a nursing desk job? I talk with my nurse and she shares similar stories. You all have tough skin! I hope it's alright if I post here. I am nursing student.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Feb 12, 2015

I work as a CNA in a memory card unit, since we are categorized as an AL facility we are not allowed gait belts or hoyers. oh the bureaucracy! We have multiple 250+ lb. patients and aggressive patients who are given sedatives but the doses are not high enough to calm them down. I absolutely love the work but have legitimate fears of back injuries especially after reading everyone's experiences. Has this made any of you consider changing your speciality/ getting a nursing desk job? I talk with my nurse and she shares similar stories. You all have tough skin! I hope it's alright if I post here. I am nursing student.

I can't believe they are not allowed. I think more likely they don't have to provide the equipment. We need a national no lift law imposed on all care facilities. It is possible the VA system already does this! It just takes the will to do it. Unfortunately most healthcare facilities don't care enough to spend the money for the necessary equipment since it's not required. Apparently they think staff is replaceable and paying workers comp premiums is preferable to protecting their employees. I would look for a different job where there was the necessary lift equipment if I were you. You have many years to work and must protect your back and body. The employer won't do it, but you have to protect yourself. I don't take any chances and have learned my lesson from being injured wish I had protected myself sooner!