Paramedics often have to follow specific procedures when moving patients. A lot of planning, training, and care go into these procedures to ensure safety.
We’ll cover some of the fundamental steps you must follow shortly.
Patient safety should be your primary concern during patient transfers. Begin by doing adequate preparations before you move the patient. Prepare yourself, your patient and the wheelchair. And as you move the patient, support their weight without injuring your back.
Let’s take a more detailed look into this critical procedure.
1 – Preparation
The preparation stage involves getting yourself and your patient ready for the transfer process.
Prepare Yourself
Begin by establishing whether you can support the patient’s weight by yourself.
Patients who need assistance getting onto wheelchairs are generally acutely ill or immobile. They can’t move independently and need you to help support their weight.
You’ll most likely need to look for two or three of your colleagues to make the process seamless. The patient’s size and weight will determine the number of personnel you’ll need.
Apart from getting the correct number of staff, preparing yourself also involves the following:
- Ensure hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is essential because you’ll have to hold the patient during the process. Sanitizing your hands ensures that you don’t directly or indirectly transfer germs between you and your patient.
- Examine the patient and room for more precautions. Take precautions to avoid airborne and droplet infection. Observe procedures that will help prevent contagious diseases. For instance, you could wear masks.
- Observe the ethical code of conduct. The ethical code of conduct demands that you treat each patient with dignity. If your patient is not fully clothed, cover them to avoid exposing them.
- Confirm the patient’s particulars. In a hospital environment, ensure that you’re moving the right patient. You can verify that you’re moving the right patient using at least two patient identifiers. Checking the patient’s details is particularly useful when transferring a patient who can’t speak. For example, check their date of birth and name. Alternatively, you can confirm these details with your colleagues.
Alt: nurse confirming a patient’s details from a colleague
- Position the wheelchair. Place the wheelchair next to the patient’s bed and lock its brakes. Remove its armrest on the side near the patient’s bed. These procedures ensure there aren’t any obstructions as you move the patient.
Prepare The Patient For The Transfer
The transfer process becomes much easier when your patient is ready to be moved to the wheelchair. You can do the following to ready them:
- Explain the steps you’ll take to move them. After introducing yourself to the patient, tell them why they need to move to the wheelchair. Explain to them all the steps you’ll take to move them, so they cooperate as much as possible. The image below shows a nurse talking to a patient about moving them to a wheelchair.
Alt: nurse moving a patient to a wheelchair
- Sit your patient up. Your patient is likely lying down on the bed. Begin the procedure of sitting them up by rolling them on their side near the wheelchair. You can support the patient’s shoulders while your colleagues hold their legs. Move your patient to the bed’s edge, so they sit up while their legs are on the ground.
2 – Move the Patient
Moving your patient involves three steps which you must complete in quick succession:
- Help the patient stand
- Make a pivot turn
- Help the patient sit in the wheelchair
Help Your Patient To Stand Up
If the patient is relatively lightweight, you can execute this procedure independently. But if you aren’t sure you can support their weight, seek the assistance of your colleagues.
When alone, take the following steps:
Step 1: Have your patient scoot towards the bed’s edge
Step 2: Help the patient to wear some skid-proof shoes or socks
Step 3: Place your arms around their chest while clasping your hand behind their back. The picture below shows how you can support the patient.
Alt: paramedic moving a patient to a wheelchair
Alternatively, use a transfer belt to have a firmer grip on your patient.
Step 4: Support your patient’s leg between yours, lean backwards to shift back your weight, and lift them to a standing position. Let the patient use their good leg to help you support their weight.
Make The Pivot Turn
Gently swing or pivot your patient towards the wheelchair. Continue placing your hands around them as they turn towards the chair.
The patient can either hold onto you or reach for the wheelchair during the pivoting process.
As you pivot towards the wheelchair, move your feet while aligning your hips with your back. Maintain this position to reduce the strain on your back as you support the patient.
Sit The Patient
Start bending your knees once your patient touch the wheelchair seat with their legs. This movement will lower the patient to sit down gently. Ask the patient to reach out and hold the armrest to help you support their weight.
A helper can assist by guiding the patient’s buttocks, so they sit in the middle of the chair. Once the patient sits down, reposition their feet to rest on the wheelchair’s foot rest.
Conclusion
Transferring a patient begins with the preparation stage. It involves preparing yourself, your patient, and the wheelchair for the transfer. You can also take additional precautions to reduce the disease’s chances of spreading. Meanwhile, transferring a patient to a wheelchair involves lifting, pivoting, and sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one person move a patient from a bed to a wheelchair?
Yes. One person can move a patient as long as they aren’t overweight. But the process is easier when you have someone to help you.
Which body mechanics should I adopt while moving a patient to a wheelchair?
Your body mechanics should include keeping the patient close to you, keeping your knee bent and letting the patient face you. These positions will allow you to support the patient without hurting your back.
What precautions should I take when transferring a patient?
When transferring your patient, don’t turn or stretch your waist. Also, bend your knees and maintain your body in a straight line. The proper body posture will help you avoid straining and injuring your back.
