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Regardless whether you work in the aged care and disability industry or you’re a carer who’s looking after a loved one, how to lift the patients the correct way applies to you. If patients are incorrectly lifted then not only can they become injured, but you could also strain your back and injure yourself in the process. That’s why when you want to lift patients up it’s important to keep these tips in mind and assess if there are any risks for either you or the patient when lifting them up.
Assess The Physical Environment
The physical environment should be inspected assessed to determine whether or not the room/building and the equipment are compatible with
Lifting Techniques For Carers
Carers are at most risk of injury when they’re:
- Pulling a person who is reclined on bed into a sitting position
- Transferring a person from a bed to a wheelchair
- Leaning over a person for long periods of time
By utilising proper lifting techniques carers can minimize the risk to their back and reduce the chances that they injure themselves.
Some general tips for lifting people includes:
- Know your limitations and the weight of the patient and how they’re being transported
- Communicate with both the patient and others that are assisting you
- Keeping your head and neck in proper alignment with your spine
- Maintaining the natural curve of your spine, don’t bend at your waist
- Avoid twisting your body when you’re carrying someone
- Always keep the person who is being moved close to your body
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart to maintain your balance
- Use your leg muscles to lift and/or pull
To lift a person from a bed takes around 1 – 5 minutes, but the important thing to remember is not to lift a person alone. Have someone to help you to not only protect your back, but also prevent the patient from suffering skin injuries as a result of friction.
Alternatively you can utilise drawsheets by positioning the sheet under the person being lifted so that his entire lower body and lower to mid back are on the sheet. Then grab one side of the drawsheet as close to the person’s body as possible.
It is very important to have at least two people when using drawsheets as the other person needs to grab onto the other side of the drawsheet; count to three and then lift the patient off the bed and up towards the top.
Afterwards position the patient properly to prevent them from sliding down the bed. Begin by lifting the person on the bed so that the head is at the top, then turn the person to the side and use a pillow to place the drawsheet at the person’s back. Also place another pillow between the person’s knees and another to proper her arms up.
Hopefully this will give you some idea on how to properly lift someone up so as to not hurt yourself or the patient. However Active Mobility stocks a wide range of not only manual handling equipment, but also patient lifting hoists and ceiling hoists that are more than capable of assisting you with lifting patients up. Give us a call or look at our range of products online to see if we can help you.