Lifting and Handling Techniques

I am a Brit trained RN working in the US, and we are looking at improving our patient handling techniques.

Can you tell me that name of some of the products that you use, as I have forgotten, and from what I remember of the UK, it was much better than here, and therefore I need your help.

If you have any useful web addresses then that would be great thanks

:)

Hi, to answer your query on moving and handling equipment etc. hope this is of some help to you. The use of 'slide sheets' for patients to be moved up the bed,assisted to roll over in bed and so on are invaluable, one placed under the buttocks and remembering to place one under the heels too to avoid shearing; a good tip is to then place a bed sheet over the slide sheets, thus moving/sliding the patient holding the second sheet using a transference of weight, with correct stance and posture.The bed sheet can then be removed without disturbing the under sheet at all, which tends to happen else wise. For transferring patients out of bed that are non weight-bearing, a hoist such as the 'ARJO' maxi plus appropriate sized sling is advised; watch weight limitations for the slings though. Standing aids for those patients with the ability to weight bear can be used to transfer from say chair to wheelchair, etc. Other moving aids include 'slippy boards', 'banana boards' useful if your patient has to transfer from chair to wheelchair and they have good upper body strength, it helps promote their independance too.

Sorry this has turned into a mini essay, anyhow hope it's of some use

www.arjo.com is the only site I've come up with so far

regards

kath parry:coollook:

Yes a very good 'essay' Katiep.

A few more tips you may find useful I have found from Lynn Varcin-Coad a physiotherapist:

Ensure the slide is slippery - Silicon, Teflon or other coated slide sheets slide with less friction than the nylon only materials. Although some nurses may be concerned that some slide sheets are 'noisy' but balance this with - is it lighter to move the client?

Ensure you are using two layers - A slide sheet needs to slide across another slide sheet to minimise friction. Slide sheet to be folded in half or a 'tube' or two slide sheets to be used. All depends upon the dependency, size and weight of the client.

Some other tips I have found are - make sure the slide sheet is big enough; have the bed height at slightly below nurses hip level; have a good grip on the slide sheet and hold it as close to the clients body as possible; take up all slack prior to sliding to take out wrinkles/folds etc.

I believe that there is a book out "Feldenkrais practitioner and consultant manual handling trainer"

Sorry but that is the full extent of the information I have at present.

I always use a slide sheet (or two) when moving clients on their bed - especially the old. For their sake and my own.

Good luck. :)

We use romedic products from sliding sheets to ceiling lifts. They have been a fantastic company and back saver for sure. There are other companies too that we looked at. I'm sure you can find them on the web. I would never work at another facility again who didn't have a no lift policy and good equipment.

This thread is over 4 years old and even now many things have changed