No lift policy

jemb · Jan 24, 2004

Paul, I think you've gotten no replies because the question is not clear. Are you referring to weight limits that nurses are allowed to lift, patients' lifting things after abd surgery, etc, Hoyer lifts, elevators during a fire drill.....?

I'm sure many of us would be glad to help if the question were more specific.

Speculating · Jan 24, 2004

Originally posted by PaulG
Could some of you please briefly tell me the status of the no lift policies within some of your healthcare facilities where you are employed, regarding patients that are able to support their weight? Bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to toilet, etc.

I've got a question on the subject and believe it's in the general vicinity of what PaulG was asking anyway. Recently, I've been out pounding the pavement looking for work. During my journey I've seen something new in the industry (at least for me) popping up increasingly more and more. What I'm talking about are the new so called no lift facilities. This is a completely new concept for me, and I'm wondering if someone could find the time to explain the policy to me. I don't understand how this could work no lifting in a hospital? I'm all for it 100% if it indeed works. So could anyone please tell me what they know on the subject?

donmurray · Jan 25, 2004

There are several threads around, search "no lift policy". I know there's one on the UK nurses' forum 'cos I posted to it a while back.

Mike RGN · Jan 26, 2004

A no lift policy means what it says

We don't lift at all

We assist to move if the patient can help by sliding, suporting otherwise we Hoist.

Lots of patient with education now move themselves

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

There is no such thing as a no lift policy in The States. In fact, Bush just eliminated some OSHA standards for health care facilities related to lifting, ergonomics and back injuries.

If UK nurses don't lift, how do you move the pts?

nekhismom · Jan 26, 2004

Originally posted by Hellllllo Nurse
There is no such thing as a no lift policy in The States. In fact, Bush just eliminated some OSHA standards for health care facilities related to lifting, ergonomics and back injuries.

Could you elaborate on this for me please? When did this happen? Why is it such a big surprise to me?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

OSHA to drop nursing homes as inspection targets

Nursing homes may have one less inspection to worry about in the future. The Occupational Safety and Heath Administration (OSHA) plans to remove nursing homes from future targeting efforts, according to a new report from the General Accounting Office (GAO). In a small footnote, the GAO report on OSHA enforcement programs quotes OSHA officials as saying they'll drop nursing homes as a workplace focus because there's no ergonomics standard under which its inspectors can cite hazards. OSHA at one time targeted nursing homes--where workers frequently experience ergonomic-related injuries, such as back injuries from lifting and moving residents--and cited them under its "general duty clause" for unsafe work environments. However, the Bush administration in 2001 overturned an ergonomics standard that would have addressed a series of musculoskeletal hazards and inspectors have since been discouraged from using the clause to cite violations. An OSHA spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0702-10.htm

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/4135/1/182/

http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=672

http://www.ibew.org/stories/02daily/0203/020305_OSHA.htm

http://www.uaw.org/hs/03/02/hs01.cfm

Here's an article about Bush increasing the amounts of toxins that workers can be exposed to:

http://www.aflcio.org/yourjobeconomy/safety/ns10222003.cfm

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

WE got ours introduced and enacted by hitting admin in the pocket book. Here is the Queensland nurses Union submission showing how a "no lift" policy can SAVE an institution money. Sell it on that front and you don't have to worry about Bush (so much)

http://www.qnu.org.au/about_qnu/occupational_health_and_safety/no_lifting_2000

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

I do not think it's possible to sell anything that makes sense to Bush.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

I meant - sell it to your facility/institution.

The main focus of no -lift is the "slide sheet" /"move tube" this is (would you believe) sail cloth. IT is REALLY slippery cloth that is placed under the patient. You still need to roll the patient but not as far - once rolled you put the slide sheet under them and then you pull the patient into the correct position - we are taught how to do this and minimise the stress on our backs and shoulders. Taking the cloth out again is very easy. We actually have "wardsmen" who turn our patients for us (usually big strapping blokes) but even THEY use the slide sheets. We use hoists - even on vented patients - to get them out of bed and certainly use hoists for bathing etc.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

Our pts arrive to our unit in wheel chairs. We lift them into the dialysis chair, and lift them back again. If they need to use the bathroom, we lift them on and off of the toilet. Pts are never in bed in a dialysis unit. We do not have a hoyer lift.

When we did have one, pts had to arrive from which ever facility sent them with a hoyer sling already under them. If they do not have a sling available at the other facility, or they would have to come from home with a sling already in place.So, it won't do any good to have a hoyer lift anyway.

The lifting situation in dialysis is difficult. I always get help to lift, but it's not enough.