CPM Placement

[pawnotesRN]

Can anyone give me some good tips on how to place a patients knee into the CPM. Both the legs and machine are quite heavy and I'm afraid I'm going to cause them additional pain. I was shown to place the machine along side the leg; use one arm to lift the leg and one hand to move the machine into position.

[AlliecatRN11]

It sounds like you have the right idea, but it's a lot easier with a second person. That way someone can hold the leg for the patient while the other slides the CPM into place. Unless the patient is able to lift the leg up themselves easily, or you are a very strong person I would recommend finding someone to give you a quick hand. Easier on the patient and your back :)

Just make sure the heel is in the base and give it a quick test run to see how the patient feels. If they will be using it for a few hours, you may have to go in to readjust...sometimes the machine will shift out of place.

Hope this helps!

[FieryPsychRN, BSN]

Grab a partner to help you! One to hold the leg, and the other to place the CPM. My patients are usually on the CPM for 2 hours at a time. Like Alliecat said, make sure the heel is in the base, secure the velcro to hold the leg in place, and we place a towel in between our patients' legs to make sure the CPM does not irritate/rub the inner thigh of the opposite leg.

[LaterAlligator]

Another tip someone gave me (which I haven't tried out yet) is that if the person is heavy, grab one of those small slings and use the overhead lift to hold their leg up while you position the machine under them. Then just take the sling out once you've lowered their leg onto the machine.

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

Always put a CPM on with 2 people! SO much easier.

Make sure the patient is boosted up and straight in bed. And also that they are lying flat.

Have one person hold up their leg while the other slides the CPM in place.

I like to tuck it all the way up as high as it will go, and look to make sure the hinge joint is right at their knee.Then I use the sheepskin/Velcro straps to hold their leg in place. We adjust with lots of pillows, rolled bath blankets, rolled towels, etc.

After they look aligned, I start the CPM and stay with them through one cycle to make sure that it feels alright, it doesn't slip, and then write down on their whiteboard when they were put in the CPM, so everyone knows.

[branzander]

I agree that having two people put on the CPM is helpful....but the help is not always available with certain staffing plans. I mostly find the bend of the knee (axis) and make sure that the bend of the CPM matches up with that.

[atomRN]

Always have somebody there with you when you put on a CPM. I make my aids take me with em. That's a quick way to a back sprain!