Nursing Standard. Law - Lifting - Patients: positioning. Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now. When the workplace parties sit down to develop an ergonomic approach to patient handling, they will develop terms of reference that set forth how the workplace will function in approaching this problem and reach its goal of reduced injuries. The needs analysis should include to review and document, on an on-going basis, the causes of injuries that occur during patient handling.
The impact of caring for aggressive patients and residents also needs to be analyzed. It should document the number of injuries and all the relevant details needed to eliminate hazards and develop work practices that will ensure prevention.
The committee performing the needs analysis should be representative of all areas, shifts, and all groups of employees who have experienced musculoskeletal injuries or those who are likely to be handling patients as part of their work.
An important tool in conducting the needs analysis is a survey to obtain the input of the employees. A written questionnaire that can be completed anonymously can ask for details regarding hazards and proposed solutions. Questions can include workload, jobs, tasks and work environments that the employees perceive as high risk. Many times, these surveys will highlight problems not normally found through other sources.
The committee should analyze the data from the questionnaire combined with their own investigation and experience. This information is needed to determine high risk activities, and to establish baseline injury data to which future injury data can be compared to e. Conduct a site visit to observe each work environment or area. The goal is to evaluate injury data and to match it to equipment and space issues, physical layout, storage availability, maintenance or repair issues, and staffing.
The committee will need to carefully analyze the number of patients or residents assigned to staff members, the number and duration of tasks required for these specific clients, and the time allotted to caregivers in order to fairly gauge workload.
Excessive workloads are hazardous to clients as well as to caregivers. A critical issue in ergonomic patient handling is the distinction between a patient or resident transfer and a lift. A transfer is a dynamic effort in which the client aids in the transfer and is able to bear weight on at least one leg. A lift involves moving a client who cannot bear weight on at least one leg. Lifts should always involve mechanical lifting devices.
Injuries to caregivers during patient and resident transfers usually occur when a patient transfer suddenly becomes a patient lift. Assessment of the client's capabilities therefore becomes a critical component of any ergonomic patient-handling program. Clients who suddenly lose their balance must be identified to determine whether two caregivers are necessary to affect a transfer or whether a mechanical device is necessary.
The relative sizes of the caregiver and the client must be considered when one is determining the need for additional staff to aid in a transfer or the need for a mechanical lift.
The weight and height differences may dictate the necessity of mechanical assistance. An assessment of the individual client must be performed to determine the proper transfer method and clearly outline the client's degree of mobility and physical impairment. This information must be clearly communicated to all staff that may care for the client including staff that may be filling in for workers that are ill or on vacation.
Appropriate symbols and codes can communicate whether the client is capable of an unassisted transfer, can bear his or her weight on at least one leg during an assisted transfer, or requires a mechanical lift. The ability of the client to communicate with the caregiver to either identify physical limitations or to aid in the transfer will also determine the need for a mechanical lift. And ultimately, you will almost always have to carry out some moving and handling with people in care homes.
That being said, you should always assess the risk to both the carer and the patient. But not only do you face a long wait, you actually run the risk of being reported to the CQC if there have been multiple ambulance call-outs to your care home. You could consider it a bit of a Catch situation. Not only will this help to reduce ambulance call-outs and save time for already busy paramedics, but it will also create a better quality of life for your clients and it will save time for your carers.
With falls being such a major issue in care homes, getting the right equipment that will minimise the chances of any injuries for both the client and their carer is imperative. The Raizer emergency lifting chair is ideal for care homes. Government support is also needed through state legislation and funding.
Manual Handling Guide for Nurses. Edited by Butrej, Trish. Position Statement. MA, CIE. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Retrieve May 10, , from www.
Patient Safety Center of Inquiry. Ergonomics Technical Advisory Group. Research Associates, Inc. March University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Handle With Care. Retrieve May 20, , from www. This essay was written by a fellow student. You may use it as a guide or sample for writing your own paper, but remember to cite it correctly. Choose skilled expert on your subject and get original paper with free plagiarism report. Accessed January 14, In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready to help you write a unique paper.
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