Use of Gait Belts in Nursing Homes

Gait belts are used in nursing homes as a way to transfer, walk, lift and bathe people who are not able to support themselves. Each employee of a nursing home is expected to keep a gait belt with her at all times while caring for residents. If a resident is unstable or unable to move without help, the gait belt must be used properly to ensure that the resident is not injured.

Applying the Gait Belt

• The gait belt is fastened around the resident's waist with enough room for the health care personnel to get four fingers between the gait belt and the person's body. In most cases, two people are needed for transferring, lifting and bathing the resident when using a gait belt. If the resident has bare skin, a towel should be placed between his skin and the belt.

Transferring

• Transferring a resident to a chair or wheelchair requires one nurse on each side. The chair is placed as close to the resident as possible. The nurses each slip one hand into the gait belt and place their other hands under the arms of the resident to slightly lift him up and slowly turn him around to sit down in the chair.

Walking

• If the resident is ambulatory but needs assistance walking, only one nurse is needed with the gait belt unless regulations for the nursing home require two. The nurse holds onto the gait belt as the resident walks. If the resident loses his balance, the nurse uses the gait belt to steady him, which may require grabbing the other side and steadying him from both sides.

Lifting

• Lifting a resident using a gait belt should be done with two nurses. The nurses will each place one hand under the resident's arm and the other hand inside the gait belt. Both will lift at the same time. Lifting should be done with the legs, and the resident should be told what to expect before lifting so that he can help if possible.

Bathing

• Gait belts are kept on residents who are not steady when sitting in the bathtub. The nurse can hold the gait belt so that the resident does not slide down under the water while being bathed.

Warning

• Using gait belts to lift, transfer or walk without two nurses could result in injury to the resident or the nurse if the resident is not ambulatory. Safety is always the first priority when using a gait belt in a nursing home.