We recently got a new resident in our AFH who is not weight bearing at all. She came with her own sit-to-stand machine. The caregivers, myself included, were given no guidance at all in how this particular machine works. So, the owner of the home who has no medical or nursing background, decides to ask the family what they can tell us and between them they decided on the following: This sit-to-stand sling has four straps, two long and two short. The two shorter straps go under the resident's armpits and hook to the side bars and the longer straps go under the resident's legs, one each, and hook to bar that's directly in front of the resident. So, when we pump up the sit-to-stand the resident is lifted off her feet and is dangling in mid-air in a kind of buttless sling. We are suppose to be able to remove her pants and brief, and get her onto the commode for BMs,(she has a catheter for urine), or just go from wheelchair to bed and vice versa in the am/pm using this thing. My thoughts are I thought a sit-to-stand device is meant to aide with standing up and then sitting down, not being lifted clear off the ground and swung around into place. Isn't there another device like that called a Hoyer that's more safe and effective!? It's gotten so that myself and my other co-workers will only use this device if our backs are killing us as we are too scared of injuring the resident and the owner refuses to look into getting a Hoyer because one; they scare her and two; the family has said that since insurance paid for the sit-to-stand they won't allow it to be exchanged for a Hoyer and pay for it. To me, it all sounds like a big mess and I've spoken my concerns with my boss about how this isn't right but so far all she says about it is she's trying to find someone more professional to teach us how to use the device and to just continue to transfer her from chair to bed and change her in bed and vice versa without the device until then. I don't understand why her insurance can't pay for a different assistive device; don't they realize that a person's needs may, and often do, change!? She might have been find with a sit-to-stand two or three years ago but now needs a Hoyer! Grr! Thanks for listening...reading!
PS I Also forgot to mention that there is only one caregiver at a time on shift so we have to be able to use this device by ourselves.
If she is suppose to be non weight bearing how are you transfering her without the devise? I know these devise like a sit and stand and hoyers are scarry, but i would recomend that you use the devise while transferring her to save your own butt. Because if she is suppose to be non weight bearing and you are transfering her without it and she falls and breaks something your could be in big trouble. As for hoyers they are not easy to work with, and you have to have a lot of patience to make sure that everything is correct so there won't be an accident, but when used properly they are safe for you and the client. And honestly if your boss wants to be doing this, and providing for the needs of the elderly she has to know that things like hoyer lifts should be in your facility to acomidate those that will need it. I don't know I just don't know without her having any kind of medical background how she can be qualified to run such a place.[/quote']
I totally agree with you so during my shift this weekend I used the lift since I dont want her to fall and get hurt and me get in trouble to boot! but I'm caught in a bad situation as my boss is the "God" of this place and she doesn't want me to use it the right way as it hurts the resident's knees since she can't stand up, straighten her legs much. My boss is only around to help do a two person transfer half the time if at all even though she says she will be so most of the time I have to do it alone. Regarding her running a place with no medical background; she took some classes to open an adult family home and paid her licencing fee and I think providers take fundamentals of caregiving but that's about it, I think.
I am glad that you were able to work with it. I realize it is not the ideal thing for her to have, and a hoyer would be much better option. But this is how I feel. You are suppose to use the devise to transfer her according to her care plan, and also according to the family. what would be worse. Lets say she does get hurt during a transfer. If you were using the devise the family can not say much because they had forced you to use a devise that was unsafe and she got hurt. Then there is the thought of her getting hurt while transfering without the devise. The family finds out that you transfered her without the devise they have all types of reasons to take legal actions against you and the company for not using the devise. See if your boss can try to talk to the family one more time. Have her explain that you are concerned for her safty and that if you don't find another way to transfer her she may be seriously injured. Maybe the family will try harder to get something better for you to transfer her.
I am glad that you were able to work with it. I realize it is not the ideal thing for her to have, and a hoyer would be much better option. But this is how I feel. You are suppose to use the devise to transfer her according to her care plan, and also according to the family. what would be worse. Lets say she does get hurt during a transfer. If you were using the devise the family can not say much because they had forced you to use a devise that was unsafe and she got hurt. Then there is the thought of her getting hurt while transfering without the devise. The family finds out that you transfered her without the devise they have all types of reasons to take legal actions against you and the company for not using the devise. See if your boss can try to talk to the family one more time. Have her explain that you are concerned for her safty and that if you don't find another way to transfer her she may be seriously injured. Maybe the family will try harder to get something better for you to transfer her.
I wouldn't use the excuse " because they told me to do it that way" to justify using a piece of equipment the wrong way and risking the patient's safety. The OP needs to educate herself and others in the correct use to protect the patient.The excuse isn't going to make any differencr if someone gets hurt. What they are encouraging her to do is VERY dangerous.
I wouldn't use the excuse " because they told me to do it that way" to justify using a piece of equipment the wrong way and risking the patient's safety. The OP needs to educate herself and others in the correct use to protect the patient.The excuse isn't going to make any differencr if someone gets hurt. What they are encouraging her to do is VERY dangerous.
Oh yes, Loriangel14, I totally agree with you. I know the proper way to use a sit to stand, I've been using them forever, and the way they are wanting us to use it is the wrong way. So, my boss won't take what I say but she did agree to have a home health nurse come in to show "us" how to do it right. I agree that there's going to be trouble if the client gets hurt if we aren't using it the proper way.
I am glad that you were able to work with it. I realize it is not the ideal thing for her to have and a hoyer would be much better option. But this is how I feel. You are suppose to use the devise to transfer her according to her care plan, and also according to the family. what would be worse. Lets say she does get hurt during a transfer. If you were using the devise the family can not say much because they had forced you to use a devise that was unsafe and she got hurt. Then there is the thought of her getting hurt while transfering without the devise. The family finds out that you transfered her without the devise they have all types of reasons to take legal actions against you and the company for not using the devise. See if your boss can try to talk to the family one more time. Have her explain that you are concerned for her safty and that if you don't find another way to transfer her she may be seriously injured. Maybe the family will try harder to get something better for you to transfer her.[/quote']
I believe she needs a hoyer, too. So, my boss has agreed to have the home health nurse come in and show the proper way of using it if the client can use it at all, you know? And if possible, hopefully they will get something more suited to her level of care as it is now.
I wouldn't use the excuse " because they told me to do it that way" to justify using a piece of equipment the wrong way and risking the patient's safety. The OP needs to educate herself and others in the correct use to protect the patient.The excuse isn't going to make any differencr if someone gets hurt. What they are encouraging her to do is VERY dangerous.
I wasn't trying to encouraging her to use it the wrong way. I was just encouraging her to use it instead of transfering her without it at all.
A hoyer only works well if you are transferring a patient, but those really require 2 cnas at all times. At least in CA and to my knowledge. The sit to stands are great if you can master them, but really the place should have had some training on it. The one I had was something like the patient puts their feet on it, there's a bumper for their feet and the harness goes under their armpits and around their back. They hold on and stand but its sketch because if the pt gets weak in the knees or something.. goodbye. However its great if the pt just needs to go on the potty or commode.
Hey all! Remember that post I wrote about the non-weight-bearing client at the AFH I work at having to use a sit to stand and everyone using it incorrectly, etc? Well, I am very happy to report that the AFH provider finally took the advice of the occupational therapist and did something I've been asking for since day one with this client; we got rid of the sit to stand and got her a hoyer instead. It's a hundred percent better all around! The only negative aspect is us caregivers are expected to work alone so maneuvering the hoyer lift by yourself takes a little getting used to but it can be done. Thank you all for the wonderfully advice, links to educational videos, and the support and I'm very happy we got things squared away for now!
Very happy to hear this!! It can be very difficult to move someone by themselves with a hoyer, but with patience and taking things slowly it can be done when you need to.
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
get the name off the device and put it in your search engine of choice...