How do I transfer non ambulatory pt from WC?

Nurses General Nursing

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Good morning everyone, I have been currently working as a home health LVN for almost a year now and soon I will be working with a new client. My question is how would I be able to transfer a non ambulatory pt from wheelchair to a bed, from wheelchair to a shower chair, from shower chair to bed, and etc. My supervisor suggested that I ask for help and that it is not possible to transfer a dead weight pt alone. However I think there must be some way. Maybe I can use a small wooden board ? Any suggestions are welcome. All I know is that I have to bend at knees and wear a back support.

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There should be orders in place from PT so you can safely transfer this patient. Generally a hoyer lift is used and should not be used alone.

Who does your supervisor think is going to help you?

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Thank you rdsxfnrn for the lightning response .I will check pt plan of care this Monday to see how I can safely transfer my pt. As far as I know there is no hoyer lift and the family just suggest that I wear back brace. The mom said the nurses who worked with her family never has a back injury but I just want to protect myself.

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Yeah, I would nope out of that case. It’s not worth your back.

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There has been controversy over use of back supports, as some believe that wearing one prompts the person wearing it to lift more than is safe. So are we talking nonambulatory or nonweight bearing? If they can't walk but can bear weight then you can pivot transfer. You can use a gait belt or slide board. You can also use a "sit to stand" device. Does the arm of the wheelchair come off? If they can't bear weight then you should use a lift. PT should have created a plan for transfers on this patient. I don't believe it when family says no one ever got hurt before, that is like saying "My dog doesn't bite" People get hurt all the time and don't report it. Like muscle sprains and such. Being a nurse or aide there is a very high risk of musculoskeletal injuries

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Thank you beekee for the fast response as well. Since is the brand new case with brand new agency I will talk to my RN supervisor and see what she has to say. I was thanking about taking to my supervisor to see if we can order the hoyer lift for the pt.

Forest2, I will access the wheel chair arm on my first day. The pt is cannot walk, stand or bear weight. You are so right about people getting hurt all the time and they do not report it.

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Specializes in NICU.

My suggestion is that if your supervisor has told you not to transfer this patient on your own and you try to do so anyway, your employer is going to offer not one iota of sympathy or support if you injure yourself or the patient.

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Coffee Nurse thank you very much !

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

You absolutely must have a lift to transfer a NWB patient. It doesn't matter if they weigh 100 lbs or 300, you can't lift dead weight without risking serious injury to your back. If your home health agency can't guarantee you'll have some help and a lift for this patient, you'll want to say No to the case. It's not worth hurting yourself.

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Nope, nope, nope...image.png.0fb5f6050db49927ee622a656c0b3862.png

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Yeah, no. In fact my company has a policy that we do not lift over a specific weight (I forget at the moment, but it isn't much. I'm wanting to say 25 pounds.) One case I was on, the kid was about 70 pounds and another nurse lifted his dead weight to and from the chair and bed. Heck no. He had a hoyer. I used it.

2 other cases the parents did the transfers. They transferred to the shower for example, and I showered them. The parents transferred pt back. They were reasonable knowing it should not be expected of us nurses to do so. I would absolutely not take that case if this is an expectation. The statement alone that "nobody has gotten hurt" speaks volumes to me on that parent, and would be all I need to know to not take the case.

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VivaLasViejas , thank you so much for the fast response . I will talk to my agency and see if I can request for a different assignment or make sure there will be a helper to help me during the time of transfer . Orion81RN, thank you to you as well for responding. I will surly talk to the mom and my supervisor regarding this matter . I am pretty sure there will be other cases that does not required heavy lifting.

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