The role of Safe Patient Handling programsThere has been considerable effort
put forth by nursing advocacy groups (see the American Nursing Association's
"Handle With Care" program at http://www.Nursingworld.org and
http://www.anasafepatienthandling.org ) to encourage hospitals and nursing
homes to adopt "zero-lift" or "no-lift" programs in order to prevent orthopedic
injuries in healthcare workers. However such Safe Patient Handling and Movement
(SPH&M) programs, which require the use of mechanical lifting aids, are
sometimes difficult to implement. This is in part due to the time and effort
required to safely use lift equipment. Transferring a patient with a lift
takes between three and six minutes which is considerably longer than moving
a patient manually. Lift manufacturers emphasize that the added time it takes
to use lifts is worthwhile since mechanical lifting aids improve caregiver
and patient safety and while also preventing patient falls.
One approach that has been used successfully is to create a facility "lift
team" that is on call (usually 12 hours a day), and specializes in moving
patients. This eliminates a number of issues mentioned above since the lift
team brings the lift with them to the patient's room, maintains it in proper
working order, is knowledgeable in the use of the lift, has special expertise
in sling selection, and can move patients quickly and safely. The downside
of the lift team is that the team(s) may be busy when needed, and patients
who need to be mobilized quickly to meet schedules must wait for a team to
become available. Most lift teams seek to guarantee that they will arrive
in the patient's room and begin transfer in less than 20 minutes after the
nurse makes a request for service.
Normally, much consideration is given to the patients comfort and wellbeing
during the transfer process. For some patients, the use of a patient lift
is more dignified than transferring a patient manually while some consider
being hoisted in a sling less dignified. Lifts can enable families or caregivers
to mobilize patients in the home setting rather than forcing patients to
be relocated to an institutional setting. The inability to mobilize patients
at home is one of the primary reasons that patients find it necessary to
leave the home environment and enter a nursing home when they become temporarily
or permanently disabled.
Safe patient handling is especially important in the area of bariatric care.
Bariatric patients who are classified as patient who weigh more than 300
pounds require additional staff training and specialized equipment for transfer,
showering, toileting, etc.