Patient Safety & Lifting

Putting a patient’s safety first is a big issue among health care facilities and their workers. Many accidents occur when transferring and moving a patient around. It is essential to have health care workers that are trained to lift and move patients without causing injuries.

Patient Care Plan

Regardless of a patient’s weight or assistance to help with lifting, each patient comes with a care plan. The care plan describes how to handle and transfer the patient from location to location. Health care providers are expected to follow these procedures to keep from causing injury to the patient and themselves.

Injury

Lifting patients the incorrect way or without using the assistance of machine can sometimes cause skin tears and falls. Health care workers as well as the facility can be held liable for such injuries. Health care workers who learn how to use lifting equipment and mechanical devices to transfer patients can help reduce the risks of injuries and future lawsuits. All health care workers are expected to go through proper lifting and safety classes upon being hired to work in a facility.

Hoyer Lift & Other Lifting Equipment

When lifting patients using a Hoyer lift some patients feel more at ease, while others may have a fear of being transferred using the machine. It is important for health care workers to explain to patients what they are doing when transferring patients. In most health care facilities no-lift procedures are being implemented and more are investing in mechanical machines to transfer patients.