How do I transfer non ambulatory pt from WC?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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.

20 minutes ago, cutescrubs said:

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.

You're welcome. And don't let them make you feel guilty for refusing to lift a pt by yourself. They may say "well, all the other nurses do it no problem." If your agency doesn't back you up on this, it's a crappy unsafe agency. Hopefully they agree and hopefully you can help make the change to get a hoyer in the home. If not though just know you are doing the right thing by not lifting the pt yourself. No matter how many others might do it. Have you checked out the private duty forum on here? It's great! I'm sure you can find a lot of threads on this very topic.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

How much does this person weigh? I would draw the line by 50 pounds. (My agency says 40 pounds).

I can lift 90 pounds, but not a 90 pound person. Use a lift.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Orion81RN, thank you again for your response. As if you can read my mind. As a new LVN working in the field I always feel like I need to take any new cases to mage first impression. However, in the past I took my first case and pt has a death weight and that was even with help of another assistant. My first agency sent me to a worker compensation clinic and I was off duty for awhile. I got assigned to a new case with the same agency but pt can bear weight and walk with a little assistant . I am taking new case with new agency because I cannot get enough hours from the school case . You are so right if I cannot get someone to help me on my first day I will just drop the case. I was always afraid that if I turn down a case the agency would not give me any other cases . But I am pretty sure there will be another Pediatric case that require less lifting or no lifting at all . I have not check the private duty forum yet . Can you please provide the direct link please ? Thank you and have a wonderful day

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Kitiger, my pt is 85 pounds:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Yes, that is too much weight to lift unaided. And you know what, it shouldn't matter whether other nurses can do it, YOU can't and shouldn't. Who knows, those nurses may have back or shoulder injuries they never reported. I wonder why this patient has had so many nurses?

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×

VivaLasVieJas, you Are so right !! I totally forget about how mAny injuries may have went unreported. I talked to the mom and they said the other LVNs from other agency never show up consistently and therefore they are reaching out to a new agency that just hired me . She also mentioned that from now on she need a male nurse.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Parents may be resistant to putting a Hoyer lift in their home and counting on agencies to place “stronger” nurses or “only male” nurses (males and females all only have one back)

Our agency follows OSHA guidelines and sets a 50lb weight limit, anything above that requires a two-person lift or a Hoyer. Period. I will assist a family to obtain a Hoyer, I will explain the importance of nurse and patient safety, I will respect a parent’s wishes if they prefer to do all transfers themselves with the assistance of my nurses or alone and delay a Hoyer (and continue to educate and encourage that they to could be injured), but I will remove my nurses from a home if this policy isn’t followed

A back injury at work could cost a nurse their career, a patient injury at work has untold costs ... your agency needs to back you up on this and I would definitely decline this patient assignment.

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you very much KaliRN for your response. I will bring this concern to my recruiter and refuse this case. i was concern that I will never get an assignment but I am pretty sure I will find the right assignment for an LVN like me someday . I was hesitAte to let this new agency know about my past lower back injury but you are right . If I get injured again this could cost me a career and my goal to become a newborn register nurse would be destroy . Plus the patient life will be in danger. You are so right that family often times hesitate to get a hoyer lift . I had requested the parents to get a hoyer lift so that can go back with them after my first injury and they did not follow through and I totally respect their choice. Luckily I was reassigned to another pt who can bear weight and walk or stand with a little hand to hand assistant .

Up Vote Up Vote ×
49 minutes ago, cutescrubs said:

Thank you very much KaliRN for your response. I will bring this concern to my recruiter and refuse this case. i was concern that I will never get an assignment but I am pretty sure I will find the right assignment for an LVN like me someday . I was hesitAte to let this new agency know about my past lower back injury but you are right . If I get injured again this could cost me a career and my goal to become a newborn register nurse would be destroy . Plus the patient life will be in danger. You are so right that family often times hesitate to get a hoyer lift . I had requested the parents to get a hoyer lift so that can go back with them after my first injury and they did not follow through and I totally respect their choice. Luckily I was reassigned to another pt who can bear weight and walk or stand with a little hand to hand assistant .

Just wanted to provide a last bit of encouragement, do not feel like you have to disclose your injury to refuse this case. Simply state the truth, that there is no lift in the home and the child is non-weight bearing and significantly over a safe transfer weight and the parents will be either unavailable or unwilling to assist with safe lifting and transfers ... since this creates a patient safety issue you don’t feel comfortable working in that home environment. Good luck! I hope they find you a wonderful and safe next assignment

5
Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 minutes ago, kaliRN said:

Just wanted to provide a last bit of encouragement, do not feel like you have to disclose your injury to refuse this case. Simply state the truth, that there is no lift in the home and the child is non-weight bearing and significantly over a safe transfer weight and the parents will be either unavailable or unwilling to assist with safe lifting and transfers ... since this creates a patient safety issue you don’t feel comfortable working in that home environment. Good luck! I hope they find you a wonderful and safe next assignment

Thank you very much KaliRN, for the quick response. I think I gave it a fair chance already of going in and meet with the family last week. From now on I will just state the fact instead of disclosing my past injury. You rock KaliRN and one day I want to a successful RN just like you!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
On 6/28/2019 at 12:49 PM, cutescrubs said:

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.

Oh heel no!!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't think this is safe for you or the patient. My pt. weighs 100 lbs and is non weight bearing and I use a hoyer. I wouldn't and couldn't even consider lifting the patient.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment