Is It Bad To Ask For Help When Caring For a Heavy Patient?

[HappyMeNow]

In my clinicals I sometimes get patients who are too heavy for me to do morning care all by myself. I can do just about everything except for the fact that I need someone on the other side of bed to help me turn the patient. I've had patients who unable to move at all and it's impossible for me to turn them and keep them turned while I finish my care.

My nursing classmates are more than happy to help each other, as am I in situations like this. However, our instructor doesn't like it. I was told that we should be more independent.

Opinions?

[MassED, BSN, RN]

how heavy is the patient?

[cacnkrm]

I agree with asking for help, I think that yes sometimes it is silly to ask for help if it is a very small pt but at the same time I fell so much better when there is two people there. I hurt my back on a large pt, the nursing home I worked at didn't always do things the correct way. We had a lift that we could have used on him but he reffused, we didn't have a gait belt big enough to go around him so we were told we just had to pull on him from all different directions. This ended up giving me a back injery at the age of 20, It was nothing to bad but it has made my back so much more prown to problems. I personaly think that it should be manditory for two people if it is over a sertain weight or if they are unable to help at all. But we all know that not all places are willing to pay enough people to have someone there to be avalible to help. This is one reason why I am looking to work at a hospital or a doctors office, rather than another nursing home.

[rotteluvr31, ADN, RN]

Weight is not the only factor to consider when getting help moving a pt. Where I work the pt might be vented and have multiple multiple lines requiring lots of assistance for rolling and turning.

However, I have seen plenty of 100+ lb little ladies who were stiff as a board and grabbed and pulled and kicked when you tried to turn them solo. Having a second person available to help makes the process easier for the pt as well. And you can't boost a pt in bed properly by yourself, no matter how little the pt (not counting kids)

Besides, I would think your CI would want to foster the concept of teamwork.

I'm agreeing with the others: pinhead

[pink2blue1]

There is NOTHING wrong with asking for help when it comes to moving, rolling, transfering heavy patients. Its a matter of safety for you and for them. If you try to move someone who is too hard for you to do alone, you could end up with a back injury. Its too bad your instructor doesn't see it this way.

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

Sigh. . . yet another myth from the mythical Land of Old School.

I don't think that rationale is behind it at all. And if it was, she should have her butt immediately canned. The instructor's job is not to teach someone how to most effectively perform a dangerous task, but to educate to prevent incidents from occurring in the first place. You seem to be saying that safe care is sort of like extra gravy that you are lucky to have. Having enough help to safely turn or transfer a patient is every bit as important for the patient as it is for the nurse.

The UK and a couple of other countries I can't recall at the moment have "Lift LAWS". Wish we had those here. It's really disheartening to see so many people commenting that ruining your health is just part of the whole nursing thing, and tacitly accept it.

Has anyone mentioned, OP, that your instructor is a pinhead?

I agree, the rationale given that most places will be understaffed and you won't have help to get is ridiculous. If everyone is busy, then you (and the patient) waits until help is available. There is just no reason to willingly hurt yourself, or risk hurting the patient. Period.

I had a back injury when I worked as a CNA, and I was in my teens yet at that time. I was invincible and could lift anything, don't ya know? I have back problems to this day.

Get help with moving these patients, and I also agree about asking your instructor to demonstrate proper technique in doing so alone, if she thinks it's so much better to do it that way. She'll change her tune.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

You better be asking for help. And get in the habit of asking for help. If you ever hurt yourself, even in a minor way, make sure you report it immediately because you never know if you have done injury do yourself that has not shown up yet. Never try to lift or turn someone alone that you feel you cannot handle.

[clemmm78, RN]

Have you asked your instructor *why* you shouldn't be asking for help? That would have been my first question the first time I was told that.