Transferring pt tips for 5"1' nurse

Hi babblingbrook!

I am 5'0" and was an aide for 3 years. Here are some things that really helped me!

Use a gait belt!

If you need help transferring, ask! Id rather suck it up and ask then have a fall.

Lift with your legs, not your arms! If I have a "heavy" transfer, I take a sec, take a breath and use my legs for strength.

The most challenging I find are very tall patients. They tend to grab on to my arm and the height difference makes for difficulties. I just instruct them "don't hold here, hold here instead."

I hope these tips help a bit! Don't fret, it may take a while to find your "muscles". But, you'll get there!

Good luck!

The foot pedals on the w/c come off.. remove them before getting the pt out or turn them out. Always make sure the w/c is locked before lifting them.

Get the pt as close to the bed,chair, potty as you can so you don't have far to go.. Get help the first couple of times until you feel comfortable doing it yourself. Large pts, get help.

A few more tips!

When transferring from a WC to bed, chair, toilet, etc, if you can, position the wc so that the patients strong side is closest to the chair, toilet etc.

If the foot pedals come off, remove them and set them aside!

Don't forget to lock the WC when transferring.

Utilize grab bars in bathrooms if they are available.

Have the patient push up off the arms of the wc.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tips! The pts usually have dementia, very little muscle tone, hard of hearing so they don't follow directions very well. I don't work consistently on the Geripsych pod, about every 2 months just for 2 days, so hard to get a rhythm. Is it best to have w/c seat right next to bed or facing bed. Like I said they don't or can't follow directions well, so trying to do as little turning as possible. Thank goodness for grab bars in bathrooms!! Some of them are so weak or confused.

With my dementia patients I find it is best to go slow and tell them what you're doing so they don't get scared. It's challenging when they can't follow directions, but I still tell them what were doing so they don't get scared. And sometimes it is a full out battle, lol.

I'm 5'2". I don't do as much heavy lifting now. But when I was a CNA I did. One thing is we have a lower center of gravity which gives us better balance than taller people. Use that to your advantage. Also you will build up the strength you need as you go. I also always expect mentally to lift more than what the pt weighs. It seems to make them feel lighter once I'm lifting them. Good body mechanics helps and protects you. Get the pt to help as much as possible. Use leverage points on the body for turning/positioning the pt. Raise/lower the bed to a better position. Hold the pt close to you when lifting. Make sure you plan your actions before moving the pt....its never fun to move the pt and realize you forgot to disconnect a line or position the chair right or whatever. As someone else above said, the foot rest usually comes off or turns out from the chair. A gait belt will help with some and is a good way to help prevent a fall or ease them to the floor gently. If you have Hoyer lifts, use them! Also a back brace will help protect your back.

Don't trust the other person in a 2 person lift unless you have lifted with them a whole bunch. I got injured doing a 2 person lift and had to have surgery. The person I lifted with didn't do a good job and I had to take the fall (or the 400lb patient was going to fall and the pts family was sue happy). But if you don't have a Hoyer lift, its still better to do a 2 person lift than do it by yourself.

Have someone from P.T. show you how to do these transfers safely.

Best wishes!!!

When in doubt - get help, even if you have to wait.

Always use good body mechanics - get close, use legs, straight back, etc. Goes for us too-tall folks as well.

Put the w/c right next to the bed or chair at a 90º angle. That way you only have to do a quarter turn instead of a 180. Examples: park the w/c at the head of the bed with the patient facing the bottom of the bed. Park the w/c at one arm of the chair with the patient facing the other arm.

Put the w/c in position and lock all the wheels. Push the bed/chair and make sure it is locked (never trust that it is locked). Get a gait belt and put it on the patient under the breasts as tight as you can without hurting the pt. Stand in front of the patient in "sumo" stance. Have them scoot to the edge of their w/c with their feet planted under their butts (or scoot them yourself by wiggling their hips back and forth). Get obscenely close to them and grab the gait belt on each side. If you don't like gait belts, then have the patient put their arms over your shoulders and hug them around the ribs. I like to put my "away" knee between their legs to stabilize them (and if the patient's knees give out it stops their fall and they slide down it into the w/c) and my "near" foot blocking their "near" foot to keep it from slipping.

After all that prep, it's pretty simple to stand up with the pt and pivot on the "near" foot. Remember to keep your back as straight as possible and do all of your lifting with your thighs. Your height is actually an advantage because of your low center of gravity. One of my Fundamentals instructors is 4' 11" and she can sling big burly guys from w/c to bed in under 2s.

I recommend using good body mechanics and getting help when you need it. Also, stay fit. I started working out recently and it has really help with my endurance, flexibility and agility on the job. I hope this helps. Good luck! :)