New Grad Failed Lift Test

[KerriaBoo22]

Hi everyone

I'm a little discouraged today. I had an offer at a magnet hospital on the condition that I passed the physical. I lifted the box which had two handles and weights inside off of the floor fine when lifting from the bottom handle, but for some reason when he asked me to lift from the top handle, (mind you he did not want me squatting all the way to the floor, just squatting until I could reach the top handle) he said I wasn't doing that part properly and I lost my job offer. I came home and told my dad about it (he's a bodybuilder) and he said the way that he was asking me to lift the box was not safe anyway. Anybody have any tips to do better and actually pass the test if I have to do it again????

[SonorityGenius]

There must be some more to this than a lift test at a physical..and seriously they have THAT now?? lol

[rumwynnieRN]

...er...how did he want you to lift it?

[rumwynnieRN]

There must be some more to this than a lift test at a physical..and seriously they have THAT now?? lol

I believe they do this at the VA. I don't which other hospitals require this (my mental health teacher told us they tested her).

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

My hospital requires this test as well. You have to lift a 50 pound box and push a cart with 80 pound weights in it.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I would have asked for a second opinion of your form from his boss.

[KerriaBoo22]

My hospital requires this test as well. You have to lift a 50 pound box and push a cart with 80 pound weights in it.

So I guess the only thing I can do is tons of squats until i can do it? I could lift it directly off the floor, walk around with it, take it off the shelf and put it on the shelf, but for some reason i couldn't lift it the way he wanted me to. Maybe I was misunderstanding what he was saying. What I was gathering from what he was saying, he wanted me to squat directly above the box, arms straight down, and then lift with my legs. It just felt weird to me.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

That's kind of weird. I just had to squat down in front of the box and lift with my knees, and they were pretty laid back about it. If someone "failed" they told them what to do differently and had them redo it. I don't know how you'd lift it easily without squatting down to a level you are comfortable with.

[rumwynnieRN]

So I guess the only thing I can do is tons of squats until i can do it? I could lift it directly off the floor, walk around with it, take it off the shelf and put it on the shelf, but for some reason i couldn't lift it the way he wanted me to. Maybe I was misunderstanding what he was saying. What I was gathering from what he was saying, he wanted me to squat directly above the box, arms straight down, and then lift with my legs. It just felt weird to me.

Did he try to correct you? I would've appreciated some constructive criticism with a rationale.

[KerriaBoo22]

All he would say is that I was leaning too far forward.

[rumwynnieRN]

All he would say is that I was leaning too far forward.

Well he's informative. I hope you find another job soon though.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

I remember doing something similar for a job. It started out by having to tap the box with your foot to see if you thought you could lift it.

Then squatting down to lift it if you think it is safe to lift it. I was nearly ontop of the box with my squat for them to be happy with it! I remember also being told to grip opposite sides of the box ie close left and far right. As most people are right handed and that is their stronger arm. I did it backwards as I am a lefty and argued with the assessor that it was correct for me.

It's such a load of nonsense because if you need to lift / assist a pt off the floor it isn't an even weight like the box of paper or IV fluids. At this point I was very strong as I had worked in a bar in Ireland throughout uni and was able to carry 2x 24 bottle boxes of beer up a flight of stairs!