WEEK 2 NURSING: MANUAL HANDLING Flashcards
what is manual handling?
- Lifting, Pushing, Pulling, Holding, Carrying, Restraining, and Maintaining awkward postures
- Poor manual handling can cause injuries to nurses, midwives and people receiving care, and these have life-long consequences
who is responsible for safe manual handling?
- An employer, so far as is reasonably practicable:
- Provide and maintain for employees of the employer, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health
- While at work, an employee must:
- Take reasonable care of his or her (sic) own health and safety
- Take reasonable care of the health and safety of others who may be affected by the employee’s acts or omissions at a workplace
- Cooperate with their employer with respect to any action taken by the employer to comply with a requirement imposed by the OHS Act
why comply with OHS?
- Occupational health and safety is proven to reduce the risk of injury and strain
- Stay in the profession longer and enjoy a fulfilling career as a Registered Nurse or Midwife
- Less fatigue and more energy after completion of the shift to enjoy social activities with friends and family
- Helps injured staff get back to work sooner since procedures should require less physical exertion
- May jeopardise common law claim for negligence if you are injured at work whilst performing unsafe acts
- Disciplinary action may be taken for noncompliance with hospital manual handling
policy - Patient care is improved when staff comply with a manual handling/no-lift policy (e.g.
decrease in the number of patient skin tears) - Encourages patient independence and reduces hospital-induced deconditioning
- Only in life-threatening situations should the no-lift practices are modified, however
there should still be an attempt to maintain safe working practices
injuries associated with MH
- Injuries to supporting structures in the back, including muscles, ligaments and intervertebral discs resulting in strains, sprains and intervertebral disc prolapse
- Injuries to soft tissues such as nerves, ligaments and tendons in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or legs
- Abdominal hernias and weakened abdominal muscles from raised intra-abdominal pressure from lifting
- Chronic pain conditions as a result of the various injuries sustained through manual handling activities that impact on the overall quality of life
how to identify if someone is ‘independent’ with manual handling
ON Bed Tasks
* Must be able to cooperate and comprehend instructions
* Must be able to move own body weight in bed (with or without the use of assistive devices)
* If the patient does not meet BOTH criteria, the patient is classified as not able to assist and requires a minimum of 2 people and appropriate equipment to complete the manual handling task
OFF Bed Tasks
* Must be able to cooperate and comprehend instructions
* Must be able to stand unsupported (by nursing or midwifery staff) with or without aids
* Must be able to maintain balance with or without aids
* No recent history of unexpected falls in the hospital or the community
* If the patient does not meet ALL criteria patient is classified as not able to assist and requires a minimum of 2 people and appropriate equipment
manual handling principles
- Reduce manual handling tasks wherever possible
- Maximise patient’s independence by encouraging the patient to assist whenever
possible - Do not become linked/connected/hooked to patients during manual handling activities
- Use bed mechanics to reduce forces when performing on-bed manual handling
- Transfer at the same level or to a lower level; never attempt to transfer upwards against gravity
- Push rather than Pull or Lift. Use friction-reducing devices like slide sheets to reduce effort needed for on-bed manual handling
- Keep your natural spine curves by reducing forward, side bending or twisting of the
spine - Reduce shoulder abduction, one-sided handling, overreaching and overexertion
- Avoid sudden/unexpected movements. Coordinate your movements. Instruct the
patient. Count 1-2-3 prior to moving patient - Speak up about poor practice; do not put yourself at risk because somebody else has
asked you to help them with an unsafe act.
slide sheets
- Assists with moving a patient up or down the bed
- Requires a minimum of two nurses or midwives
- Always use two slide sheets if the patient is unable to assist
transfer hoist
- Assists with transferring a patient from one location to another
- Requires a minimum of two nurses or midwives to complete the transfer
- Consideration needs to be given to potential fractures before the transfer
- Ensure clear patient education prior to transfer as it can be frightening
hovermatt and hoverjack
- Assists with transferring a patient between beds (HoverMatt®) or raising a patient
from the floor following a fall (HoverJack®) - Requires a minimum of two nurses or midwives to complete the transfer
standing lifter
- Assists with transferring a patient from a bed to a chair or chair
- Patient must be wearing adequate footwear (and have feet!)
- Patient must be able to follow instructions
- Patient must be able to bear some weight through their legs/feet
- Do not use it if the patient is tired or fatigued
- Can be operated by one nurse or midwife
overhead hoist
- Patient must be able to follow instructions
- Prepare everything needed to reduce ‘hang time’ for the patient
- Ensure the right sling is being used for the hoist
- Requires a minimum of two nurses or midwives
bed mechanics and functions
- Always use the bed mechanics to help with manual handling tasks
- Ensure the correct mattress is being used on the bed so it moves properly
- Check that the patient fits in the bed and has enough room to move
why are nurses still being injured?
- Incorrect use or lack of use of slide sheets
- Height of the bed not considered/raised
- Not enough staff to complete the task
- Clutter in patient rooms
- Allowing the patient to hold onto you during manual handling task
- Cluttered equipment storage rooms
- Pushing wheelchairs with flat tyres
- Overloaded linen skips
- Boxes of intravenous fluids and enteral/parenteral feed bags
- Pushing beds or trolleys manually (or by yourself)
- Pushing lifting/standing equipment around
- Carrying patient vital sign monitoring equipment
- Adopting awkward postures in cramped rooms
BARIATRIC MANUAL HANDLING
Medical management of the morbidly obese:
* An internationally accepted term applied to patients whose weight far exceeds recommended guidelines and where body size restricts their mobility, health and access to healthcare services
* Their weight increases their morbidity, mortality and creates numerous care challenges for health care providers
