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Proper Lifting Techniques for the Health Field

Proper body mechanics reduce the risk of injury for health-care workers who provide mobility assistance to patients. It is important for employees to be instructed in lifting techniques that reduce the amount of force required and the amount of repetitive movement, and techniques that avoid awkward postures that put the spine at risk of injury. There are several types of lifting techniques that are used in the health field.

  1. One Person Stand Pivot

    • A one person stand pivot lifting technique can be used for patients who can support 75 percent of their body weight but need physical assistance for balance, or have difficulty picking their feet up to take steps to transfer from one surface to another. To perform a stand pivot transfer, place a gait belt snugly around the patient's waist. Assist the patient with scooting to the edge of the surface he is seated on. Instruct him to place his hands on the armrests of the chair or beside him on the bed. Squat down and reach around to grasp the gait belt on each side of the patient. Assist the patient with rocking back and forth three times to gain momentum. On three, pull the patient close to your body as you stand together. Once he is standing, rotate him to the surface he is transferring onto and slowly lower him down into a sitting position.

    Two-Person Bed Mobility

    • Patients often spend a lot of time in a hospital bed with their heads elevated. This position causes patients to slide down over time and assistance is required to re-position them. Bed mobility maneuvers should be performed with two people whenever possible. To slide a patient back up in bed, lower the head of the bed until the patient is laying flat. Raise the height of the bed to your waist height to avoid bending over. With one person on either side of the bed, grasp the sheet edge positioned under the patient at her shoulders and hips. Count to three and lift and pull the patient up in the bed.

    Equipment Transfers

    • Health-care providers often have to transport and lift equipment throughout the work day. Injury can occur from improper body mechanics during these lifts. Store equipment at waist height as much as possible to reduce stresses on the lower back from bending over or backwards to reach up. Lift equipment by using your forearms around the sides of the machine and bring the equipment as close to your body as possible. If the equipment is not at waist height, use a step ladder or squat down rather than bending at the waist. If equipment must be moved across long distances, use a wheeled cart for transport.

    Pediatric Patients

    • Health-care professionals who work with the pediatric population frequently lift patients to move them from one surface to another. To lift a child who is laying in bed, raise the height of the bed to waist-height, place one arm under the child's shoulders and the other under his hips. Slide the child close to your body before lifting. Hold the child against your body while you move and squat as you lay him onto the other surface.

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