Patient Handling Methods

Musculoskeletal disorder are a serious concern to the healthcare field and can be quite costly in both direct costs to the health care system and indirect costs through loss of work and productivity. While the most common patient handling methods in the U.S consist of manual patient lifting, training in safe lifting techniques, classes in body mechanics, and back belts. Sadly there is convincing evidence that each of these commonly used approaches is ineffective in reducing caregiver injuries (2004). The question that comes to play is patient transfer equipment a cost effective method in reducing musculoskeletal disorder among healthcare providers? Evidences based practices including, patient handling equipment, no lift policies, ergonomic assessments, proper training and handling of equipment, and patient lift
The use a basket sling and overhead lifts entirely eliminated the exposure to lower back tension accompanied with helping the patient to a standing position and lowering into the chair manually. Therefore two-thirds of the lifting stress was removed (Zhuang, 1998). While the recommended max weight is 35lbs for use in-patient handling according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and anything over 35lbs should use assistive devices to lift. Lifting entirely depending patients recommends assistive equipment such as full body lifts and somewhat dependent patients sit and stand assistive devices or assist manually with the help of lift. For example a 250lb persons leg weighs about 39lbs and a 300lb persons legs weighs 47lbs exceeding the recommended 35lb limit. In order to eliminate are decrease musculoskeletal disorder risk amount healthcare providers treating obese/overweight patients. The use of proper transfer patient equipment and devices along with a combination of ergonomic patient