Decrease the Risk of Back Injury During Patient Handling

1.Maintain/improve fitness level, especially of the core.

2.Consciously tighten the core prior to lifting. “Tighten the Gut.”

3.Start with and try to maintain a neutral lumbar spine or lumbar lordosis during the lift. “Stick out the Butt.”

4.Use a split step if appropriate i.e. one foot in front of the other versus side by side.

5.Get as close to the patient as possible to decrease the lever arm and thus the load on your back.

6.Raise up the gurney while working on a patient if that is possible.

7.Use your body weight to it best advantage.

8.Avoid lifting while bent over or twisted if you can.

9.If bending and/or twisting are unavoidable, make sure that you tighten the core, “tighten the gut” and lift with the low back curved in if at all possible, “stick out the butt.”

10.Break the lift down in to several smaller lifts if need be i.e. from the middle of the bed to the edge of the bed then to the stretcher.

11.Use a 4 point lifting technique whenever possible and make sure you have enough help with every patient transfer you perform.

12.Streamline communication so everyone is lifting at the same time.

13.Obviously, in certain situations, time is of the essence and/or good body mechanics are not possible. This reinforces the importance of performing any and all of the above whenever it is possible.

14.Decreasing the risks that are avoidable will decrease the risk of injury!!!

15.Even though you may not be lifting, avoid bending and twisting whenever possible. This will delay or prevent the development of a cumulative trauma problem.