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Do nursing homes have any requirements to protect their staff from possible injuries?? I work in a LTC facility and have added a 350+ pound nearly immobile patient to my roster. I'm concerned about the safety of the CNA's (there is ONE assigned to that hall) when working with obese elderly patients. We are a no lift facility, and we have a couple of mechanical lifts available, but what about other equipment? I mean, to lift a leg into the bed can be (I'm guessing) about a hundred pounds. How can I do an adequate skin assessment on this person? It's not only about filling beds-I mean geez! What types of equipment/staffing should I be asking for? Thanks for your time!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

In my acute care facility, an immobile patient >350lb gets a bariatric bed, bariatric lift, and requires six staff members for turning. Sounds great in reality, but try to round up six staff members every two hours! Not likely....

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The last place I worked the "no lift" policy meant that they had NO LIFTS!!!!!

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The last place I worked the "no lift" policy meant that they had NO LIFTS!!!!!

lol, that is what i was thinking aslo!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

things are the same all over..sadly. I am a CNA/LPN in a LTC facility and visit my chiropractor bi-weekly. We have 9, yes 9 hoyer lift residents on one assignment! Try T&P q2h on them! Thankfully I am leaving the facility and moving on to my LPN position. Get strong with exercising is the advice my DON gave me.

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Thanks for your input!

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
Do nursing homes have any requirements to protect their staff from possible injuries?? I work in a LTC facility and have added a 350+ pound nearly immobile patient to my roster. I'm concerned about the safety of the CNA's (there is ONE assigned to that hall) when working with obese elderly patients.

Good question, and one I can't find the answer to. I have searched the OSHA site

looking for an answer in the past. I typically have pts that weigh over 350 lbs and

they are often vented and sedated.....dead weight. It is not an easy task to reposition

a pt Q2 hr.

Every employment physical I have ever been to makes you prove you lift and walk

with 50 lbs. Yeah, no problem. I have pts with arms that weigh more than 50 lbs.

The sad thing is that most facilities use up your back and throw you away. We are

a dispensable commodity. Luckily, my current facility does not think you are dispensable

and has light duty jobs until you are "fixed".

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