when to use a transfer belt?

Nurses General Nursing

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i have worked in assisted living where transfer belts were rarely used by anyone. Some of these residents had walkers and canes and people just lifted them by the arms. It doesn't work very well to use transfer belts in low sofas and beds I noticed. I work in home health now and care plans say transfer belt but these people walk pretty steady, stand by assist, and need assistance getting up from a sofa for example. Should I still be using the transfer belt when they get up or can I just give them my hand to help them stand up? How about when walking? It seems like it's not that helpful for me to use one and a waste of time putting the transfer belt on and off when their own family doesn't do that for them and they get up several times, sometimes on their own! But i don't want to get in trouble by not using one. Thoughts?!

Specializes in Utilization Management.

In rehab, not using a gait belt and instead using a walker or making the patient a two-person assist for transfers could actually add time to their stay. And that ends up costing Medicare (or whatever insurance is involved) more money. A patient could be stand-by to contact guard assist if a gait belt was used versus a mod, max, or total assist when another staff member is brought in to help transfer.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
Transfer belts (Gait belts) are not used anymore. Its outdated and antiquated not to mention restrictive for the patient - legally could be trouble if not documented properly.

When I was in CNA school it was as if it was a life or death item to have. I ended up spending alot of money on something that NOBODY ever uses.

Don't waste your time, effeort, energy, or MONEY on something that you can accomplish with you own two hands and a walker or a cane.

If you have an instructor, nurse, manager that is hell bent on you having one - Have them supply one for you and clearly explain and allow for documentation.

Not used anymore?! This must have changed since I graduated in May! I was assisting another student with her patient during toileting, he slipped off of the toilet (not injured, thank fortune!), but we were reamed in and out for not having a gait belt on---while he sat there! My friend ended up with a critical for it and I was threatened with one. You can bet your lisence that EVERY client I help ambulate or transfer (within reason ie: escorting a client to surgery, laboring mom, etc) has a gait belt on. If they protest, I explain the reasoning behind it, if they refuse I document, document, document.

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Ashley you are correct. If you aren't properly trained in gait belt use, it would be easy to do more harm than good. At our facility all new employees do at least 2 or 3 transfer training sessions and have to get signed off on every type of pt xfer.

Where I work if you are injured or a pt is injured when you are working with them and they are not wearing a belt - that is bad news for the therapist, nurse, aide, whomever....

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Specializes in family practice.

basically most patients in home health can do things for themselves. Those care plans are mostly generic and not made to each individual patients.

I would say use your judgment and document. You could also call your nursing supervisor.

For others gait belt is still in use, maybe not as rampant as before

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I use them ALL the time... then again I'm a tech on a Rehab unit. I will say that I always look for one when I float to other units and can never find them. Even after I get report that patients are a Max assist of 2, I don't always understand why people don't use them more. They make life so much easier and better for your back.... :)

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i have worked in assisted living where transfer belts were rarely used by anyone. Some of these residents had walkers and canes and people just lifted them by the arms. It doesn't work very well to use transfer belts in low sofas and beds I noticed. I work in home health now and care plans say transfer belt but these people walk pretty steady, stand by assist, and need assistance getting up from a sofa for example. Should I still be using the transfer belt when they get up or can I just give them my hand to help them stand up? How about when walking? It seems like it's not that helpful for me to use one and a waste of time putting the transfer belt on and off when their own family doesn't do that for them and they get up several times, sometimes on their own! But i don't want to get in trouble by not using one. Thoughts?!

You really need to go by the policies of the facility. If you don't and something happens, they will never acknowledge they ever knew you in court. Lifting people under the arms can cause irreparable damage. What the families do is their business- they aren't going to sue themselves when granny slips out of your hands and hits the floor with a skull cracking thud. :eek:

Read your facility's policies....and find out how people are evaluated for use of the gait belts- true, not everybody needs one, but if it's in the care plan, or some evaluation says they're a fall risk and you're not going by the policies, you will be dropped like a hot rock if something comes of it..... :twocents:

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basically most patients in home health can do things for themselves. on what planet? :)

those care plans are mostly generic and not made to each individual patients. then they are in violation of medicare, medicaid, and jcaho

i would say use your judgment and document. you could also call your nursing supervisor. and if it's not policy, that doesn't matter.

for others gait belt is still in use, maybe not as rampant as before

find the policy manual :D you'll find out what your agency requires, and clear up confusion :)

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Where I work, in a LTC facility, it is REQUIRED. If you are caught without one, it is an automatic write up. And to whomever stated that gait belts are outdated and worthless, couldn't be MORE wrong. What about the patient that has a broken collerbone? What are you going to do to get them off the toliet, etc? You would need to use a gait belt in order to have something to hold on to. What about the person who needs to be walked to the dining room with a walker? What happens if they lose their balance? You would need that gait belt to help lower them to the floor.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

How much I use a gait belt depends on the type of pt I'm working with. Usually, a gait belt is used when ambulating or transferring a pt who is considered a "fall risk." Use the gait belt at your discretion, but personally, I would rather take the extra time and put a gait belt on a pt who I think may be at risk for falling. When I work with orthopedic surgery pts who have just had a hip or knee replacement, I ALWAYS used a gait belt when they're ambulating. It is tedious to use it every time, but if they were to fall, it allows me to have a secure hold on them and lower them safely to the floor. If I was walking a fall risk pt without a gait belt and they fell and were hurt, or if I was hurt in that situation, my as* would be grass!!! It's a huge risk for yourself and the pt by not using a gait belt when necessary.

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Specializes in family practice.
Find the policy manual :D You'll find out what your agency requires, and clear up confusion :)

I have worked home health and not all patients are bed ridden. Some of them ambulate for themselves and although they are slow walkers they are still able to move and just need certain help. And yeah most of the care plans are mostly generalized (the ones i have seen on several visits and with different agencies).

In your state or during your employment you might have seen different, but in my state and my experience this is what i have seen

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Gait belts are not needed - its useless and a waste of time. Thats me personally. I feel that I can accomplish more with a walker, 2-person assist or other devices.

My biggest pet peave with the gait belt was how cumbersome it was and how silly it made me and the patients feel.

Personally, I leave it to PT if they are going to use a gait belt - I know what work for me and a gait belt is NOT one of them.

Next time please remember to state your opinions to support your idea.

If my post is 100% fale - elaborate otherwise you look like a fool for not supporting your views.[/QUOTE]

:hhmth::hhmth::hhmth::hhmth::hhmth::vlin:

I'm going to state my opinion to support my idea :D

I'd feel a lot sillier lying on the floor with the patient next to me because of 15 seconds I refused to take to ensure maximum safety on appropriate residents. Obviously, if they can beat you in the 50-yard dash, they won't meet the fall risk ! :)

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Exactly. I don't get what is "cumbersome" about the belts. They take seconds to put on/remove and provide a very important measure of protection. Where I work they are always used and pts don't ever complain, they know it's a given.

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