What Do Carers Need To Know About Patient Moving & Handling?

The healthcare profession is certainly a demanding one, but one thing it should never demand is injury to its workforce, particularly when those injuries are preventable. A surprising number of healthcare professionals experience musculoskeletal injuries because of their regular work duties, yet there are many strategies that can be employed to reduce their likelihood of occurring.

With that in mind, here are three things that everyone working in the healthcare sector should know about patient handling so they can stay safe in the workplace.

1. Don’t Try To Do It Yourself

It can be tempting to try to save time by avoiding the use of lifting aids when helping patients, but attempting to do it manually could result not only in an injury to the patient but also to yourself. Using a lifting aid such as a patient hoist will protect your spine and ensure the patient isn’t put at risk of a fall.

It’s impossible to lift a patient’s entire bodyweight alone as you cannot keep their weight close to your own centre of gravity. A hoist sling will support their weight effectively, allowing you to move them safely and securely.

2. Know How To Use Your Care Home Supplies Correctly

A care home hoist is a key piece of equipment found in healthcare settings, but if you don’t know how to use it correctly, it’s unlikely to be used appropriately or as often as it should.

Healthcare professionals have a far higher chance of using the electric hoist or standing hoist if they know where it’s located, and most importantly, how it’s operated. If carers don’t know about the different types of slings for hoists and when to use them, they can’t handle patients safely.

Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that every member of staff has comprehensive training about how to use each lifting aid, and when they should use each one. Our patient hoists and slings guide will help you choose the correct mobility aid. 

3. Take The Space And Time To Do It Correctly

Although healthcare workers are frequently under time pressure, patient lifting is certainly not an area in which shortcuts should be taken. Using lifting aids correctly will reduce patient handling time and increase efficiency. 

Furthermore, it’s also important to ensure there is sufficient space to operate the equipment correctly and safely. Not only does there need to be enough room for the equipment itself but also for the staff and patient to manoeuvre without having to bend, twist, reach, or stoop.

Choosing lifting aids with a smaller footprint such as the Invacare Birdie Hoist is an effective way to maximise the available floor space in more compact settings.

Staying Safe In The Healthcare Setting

Although there are policies and guidelines in place designed to protect healthcare workers, it’s clear that not every setting or worker follows them in every case.

By ensuring that staff have the necessary training and using the latest and most efficient lifting aids such as those available from IPA Supplies, both professionals and patients alike can enjoy better and safer outcomes during manual handling.