How to Transfer a Patient to a Shower Chair

When you transfer a patient, never assume that the patient is physically able to handle the move. You should check the patient's overall health and vital signs before you attempt the transfer to ensure that the move won't harm her. Knowing what the patient can handle will allow you to successfully manage the transfer.

Things You'll Need

• Transfer belt or a hydraulic patient lift
• An assistant

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Instructions

Transferring Patients from a Bed with a Transfer Belt

• 1

  Make sure that the floor in the bathroom is dry.

• 2

  Lock the wheels on the bed, if there are any.

• 3

  Wash your hands to lower the chance of transferring microbes to the patient.

• 4

  Turn the patient on her side with the front of the body facing you.

• 5

  Stand at the patient's midsection and angle your body so that your chest faces the foot of the bed on the opposite side from where you're standing. Spread your feet apart for better balance.

• 6

  Put the arm that's closest to the head of the bed under the patient's shoulders and put the other arm around her thighs. This will feel like an awkward hug, but the positioning is necessary for the next step.

• 7

  Swing the patient's legs out over the side of the bed and lean back on your rear leg so that the patient moves to a sitting position with her legs dangling off the side of the bed.

• 8

  Move the wheelchair next to the bed at an angle so you don't have to turn the patient all the way around to get her in it. Lock the wheels on the wheelchair and the bed so that neither moves while you're transferring the patient.

• 9

  Wrap the transfer belt around the patient by going under her arms and around the midsection. Make sure that the belt is firm and lock it in the front.

• 10

  Grip the belt tightly, bend your knees, and rock the patient to a standing position.

• 11

  Turn the patient and gently lower her into the wheelchair. Leave the transfer belt on because you'll use it again to move the patient to the shower chair.

• 12

  Wheel the patient into the bathroom and turn the shower chair and the wheelchair so that they are at 45-degree angles to one another.

• 13

  Lock the wheelchair wheels and lift the patient out of the wheelchair and lower her into the shower chair the same way you did in Steps 10 and 11.

• 14

  Remove the transfer belt and disrobe the patient to prepare her for the shower.

Transferring the Patient with a Hydraulic Lift

• 15

  Make sure the bathroom floor is dry, lock the wheels on the bed (if there are wheels), and wash your hands.

• 16

  Move the hydraulic lift to the side of the bed and move a wheelchair close to the bed and lock the wheels.

• 17

  Lay the patient flat on his back and roll him over so that the back is facing toward you.

• 18

  Lower the hammock down onto the bed and lay it flat. Roll the patient over so that his back lies on the hammock and the other side of the hammock should be visible from the other side of the patient. Have an assistant attach the other side of the hammock to the hydraulic lift.

• 19

  Have the assistant brace the patient so that he is in a sitting position and raise the patient off the bed with the hydraulic lift.

• 20

  Guide the patient to the wheelchair and lower him into it. Don't disconnect the hammock because you'll need it to transfer the patient to the shower chair.

• 21

  Wheel the patient to the bathroom and position the wheelchair near the shower chair. Lock the wheels on the wheelchair.

• 22

  Brace the patient in a sitting position and lift him out of the wheelchair with the hydraulic lift. Move the patient to the shower chair and lower him into it.

• 23

  Remove the hammock by disconnecting one side and rocking the patient to get the hammock out from under him.

• 24

  Disrobe the patient to prepare for the shower.