Teaching students safer methods of patient transfer.
Lifting patients is a major contributor to back injuries. The commonly used method for lifting patients, the under-axilla grasp method, exceeds the level of force that can safely be exerted to the lumbar-sacral area of the spine. Using assistive devices decreases the injury rate. The author discusses how student nurses can be taught to use assistive devices and thus avoid the under-axilla grasp method of transfer
Owen
B D
BD
School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. bdowen@facstaff.wisc.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019567:Back Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D006804:Ergonomics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D016272:Occupational Health; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D015985:Precipitating Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods*; D016474:Weight-Bearing