The work in the health service is physically very exhausting and dangerous. It may happen that a caregiver has to lift a total of up to 1.8 tonnes in one shift. With incorrect stress, injuries of the respiratory apparatus are almost inevitable.
However, the ergonomic optimization of important work steps and the use of aids can reduce the burden on the nurse’s side and make it more compatible. At this point, we would like to publish weekly tips for basic movement in nursing. Last week, we introduced the rotation of a patient towards the caregiver. Today we present further variants for this step:
1. Thumb-thumb grip
• The resident’s rear leg is positioned
• The nursing staff grasps the patient’s hand in the thumb-thumb grip, the nursing staff’s elbow is held close to the upper body
• The nursing staff grabs the resident at the hip with the other hand
• The body weight is shifted backwards. This initiates the rotary movement.
2. With the help of a sliding sheet
• The rear leg is crossed over the front leg
• The nursing staff holds the sliding sheet at shoulder and hip level
• The nursing staff shifts his/her body weight backwards, meaning the back remains straight and the arms extended
3. With the help of a cushion
• A cushion is placed under the rear knee and over the front knee
• The nursing staff grabs one end of the cushion and grabs the resident by the shoulder with the other hand
• The nursing staff shifts his/her body weight backwards, while the back remains straight
Here you can find all 3 variants, plus the basic version, in a video:
